How long should I wait before painting or staining pressure-treated wood?
I am a painter and I build also and I personally will not warranty the work unless it's after 6 months. Pressure treated (PT) lumber takes months to shrink and re-contract on and off so the paint will crack and not adhere correctly. Also, the PT you buy at Lowe's or Home Depot gets moved around a lot so you may have a load of wood with boards that are weeks apart from drying. Personally, and unfortunately, I would wait longer than a month. I live in Vermont and we're known for tearing our decks to hell due to the non-stop rain and snow, but that's what I've heard a lot: 6 months.