To obtain a covered electrode for underwater welding and for non- hygroscopic land use, which are each easily manufactured and have hygroscopicity applying a hydrophobic treatment to the surface of the covered part and specifying the angle of contact with water.

As the hydrophobic treatment, the surface of a covered electrode is coated with a slurry hydrophobic processing agent in which, for example, hydrophobic inorganic oxide particles or hydrophobic organic tetrafluoroethylene particles and a resin are mixed and dispersed in a solvent. The angle of contact with water is not less than 90° on the hydrophobic-treated surface of the covered electrode. Welding using such covered electrode 1 is carried out while an arc is generated between the tip end of the electrode 1 and a base metal 2 to form a molten pool 6 on the base metal 2. At the tip end of the electrode 1, the tip end of a metallic core wire 1a for generating an arc is always recessed from that of the cover material 1b, whose cylindrical tip end serves as a protective tube, protecting the arc from surrounding water 5 by means of a gas generating through thermal decomposition.