On 4 Mar 2008 14:42:11 GMT, "Jeff" wrote:

I can see why you would not want to paint just one side of a piece of wood
with an oil base product until is was a dry as possible. The unpainted side
would dry more than the painted side and possibly warp. However is this a
problem with a water based stain?


Of course. It is better to apply (any) finish to all sides to prevent
warp, wane, twist, splits and all the other typical wood movements.
This is not such a big deal on a deck because imperfections are
expected, unlike furniture. If you can give the end grain an extra
coat, all the better.