Preparing Your Outdoor Wood for LA's Wet Season
LA's wet season runs roughly November through March. It's not that wet — most years total 12-18 inches of rain — but the rain falls in concentrated events that stress outdoor wood. Pre-rain prep takes about an hour for a typical deck and prevents the kinds of multi-thousand-dollar repairs we get called in for in February. Here's the checklist.
Written by
Israel Acquino — Founder & General Contractor · CSLB #964664
Drainage check (mid-October)
Walk your property after the first sprinkler test of the dry season. Look for: water pooling under the deck (indicates clogged drainage or grade reversal), water running directly from downspouts onto fence post bases (indicates downspout extension is needed), and water collecting against fence boards at ground level (indicates landscape grade settled and is now retaining water against wood). Each of these issues compounds over a wet season — fix them before November.
Fastener inspection (early November)
Walk the fence and deck. Look for: visible fastener pops on boards (push them back in or replace), rust streaks running down hardwood (indicates oxidizing fasteners — common on coastal exposures with degraded hardware), and any board with a fastener that's pulled completely out. Rust streaks specifically can become permanent stains if rain hits oxidized hardware before it's addressed.
Sealing window (October-early November)
If your deck or fence is on its 18-24 month seal cycle, do the seal application before mid-November. Oil needs 24-48 hours of dry conditions to fully absorb and set; applying it just before rain creates blotchy, uneven patina. Penofin and similar premium oils set up faster but still need a clean dry-application window. After mid-November, postpone sealing until April-May.
Plant clearance
Trim back vegetation touching the fence or deck. Climbing plants on fences hold moisture against the wood and accelerate rot. Bushes or perennials that have grown to touch the deck create the same problem on a different surface. Clearance: 6-12 inches between any vegetation and any wood. Worth doing twice a year (spring and fall) but mandatory before wet season.
Mid-season check (January-February)
Mid-wet-season check: walk the property after a major rain event. Look for: standing water that hasn't drained within 24 hours, swollen or splaying boards (Cumaru and Ipe rarely swell significantly; cedar can), and any new lean in fence posts (indicates ground saturation has destabilized footings). Address standing water by improving drainage; address lean by waiting until soil dries and then adding bracing if the lean returns.
Questions homeowners ask