Can I Stain Today?
Yes, if today clears the label: 50–90°F, a dry 24-hour cure ahead, nights over 40°F, and wind under 15 mph. Type your city above for the live answer — each of the next 10 days gets GOOD, MARGINAL, or NO with the failing rule named.
Run the check
10-day deck staining window —
GOOD MARGINAL NO
What the check tests
Every verdict above traces to this table. It reflects typical stain-label requirements across major manufacturers — water-based and oil-based differ mainly in the dry-after window.
| Check | Threshold | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Air temperature | 50–90°F | Air temperature while applying and for the first hours of dry time. |
| Overnight low | ≥40°F during the first 24 h | Overnight low during the cure window. |
| Dry before | ≤0.05" rain in the prior 24 h; watch back to 48 h | Wood must dry out after rain before it can absorb stain. |
| Dry after | <0.05" rain for 24 h after (48 h oil-based formulas want 48 h dry) | Water-based stains need roughly 24 dry hours; oil-based closer to 48. |
| Evening dew-point spread | ≥5°F from 6–11 pm | Temperature minus dew point from 6 pm to 11 pm. A small spread means dew will settle on fresh stain. |
| Daytime humidity | ≤85% | Daytime relative humidity slows dry time. |
| Wind | ≤15 mph (brush or pad only up to 20 mph) | Above 15 mph, spraying drifts; above 20 mph, dust and debris land in wet stain. |
Always follow your product label — formulas vary. The table above is the typical range across major manufacturers, not a promise about your can.