I managed to rescue some 3/8 interior grade birch plywood I had sitting outside from a surprise rain storm last night but not before it took some water. I had been planning on staining the pieces today.
Around here 12-18% emc is about normal. It is hard to tell if the wood is damp by feel because it is cool and humid today, but the edges exposed to the rain are at about 45%.
My question is: Do I care? The surface appears dry by look. Should I wait for this to all dry out another day or two or can I just go for staining it and trust it? I really want to get this done today.
Its a Minwax oil based stain, water seems to bead up on it while it's drying, so I guess has at least some sort of moisture trapping effect, could staining it while it's damp also affect the longevity? I plan on finishing it with helmsman spar urethane after staining.