One deck, many possible jobs
"Re-stain the deck" can mean a quick wash and one coat of the same stain, or stripping a failing film to bare wood, replacing boards and building up a new finish. Those are very different amounts of work, and that's the main reason two bids for the same deck can be far apart. This guide walks through each part so you can see what a proposal is pricing. We don't publish prices; ask each painter to itemize.
What NOAA's Mobile data says about the conditions
These figures are NOAA's for Mobile, and they describe Mobile rather than measurements taken in Daphne. NOAA's engineering weather data for Mobile lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 130 mph (3-second gust at 33 feet), a 100-year rainfall rate of 4.6 inches per hour, no frost depth and about 16 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year. In an average year at Mobile, NOAA counts about 1,957 hours with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F and about 3,780 hours above 67°F.
The wind and rainfall rates are design values for buildings, not forecasts. For deck work, the practical points are that heavy rain can wash fresh stain off before it sets, and that wood needs time to dry after washing before stain can soak in. A rain day or a wet morning is a day the crew can't stain, so a schedule with buffer days built in is more realistic than one without.
Cleaning or stripping
A deck has to be clean before stain can penetrate. Gray, weathered fibers, mildew and dirt are usually removed with a deck cleaner and a rinse. An old film-forming stain that is peeling needs a stripper, which is slower and uses more product. Ask which of these the price assumes, and what happens if the old finish proves harder to remove than expected.
Drying time after washing
Freshly washed wood holds water. Most stain labels say to let it dry before application, and some painters check the boards with a moisture meter. When the air is slow to take up moisture, that wait can stretch, so ask how the crew decides the wood is ready and whether waiting days are part of the price.
Sanding and surface repairs
Raised grain, splinters and fuzzy fibers left after stripping are often sanded before staining. Popped nails get reset or replaced with screws, and cracked or rotted boards get replaced. Board replacement is carpentry; ask whether it's included, priced per board, or handled by someone else, and whether new boards need time before they'll take stain evenly.
Railings, stairs and lattice
Flat deck boards go quickly with a pad or roller. Railings, balusters, stair stringers and lattice are brushed piece by piece and take far longer for their area. A deck with a lot of railing can cost more to stain than a larger plain platform. Ask whether the proposal covers the railings on both sides, the stair risers and the skirting.
Choosing the stain
- Clear finishes and toners show the wood and need recoating more often.
- Semi-transparent stains add color and some protection while letting the grain show.
- Solid stains look more like paint and hide more of the wood, but can peel like paint if applied too heavily.
- Film-forming coatings sit on the surface and tend to need stripping when they fail.
Each choice changes the prep, the number of coats and the cost of the product. Our page on deck and fence staining covers the differences in more detail.
Coats and coverage
Some stains go on in one coat; others call for two, applied wet on wet or after a set time. Rough or weathered wood absorbs more product than smooth wood. Ask how many coats are planned and roughly how much product the painter expects to use.
Questions to settle before you sign
- Will the deck be cleaned, stripped or both?
- How long will the wood dry before staining, and how is that checked?
- Are railings, stairs and skirting included?
- How are board replacements priced?
- Which stain, how many coats, and what happens if rain arrives mid-job?
See our pricing guide for the broader factors that apply to any painting job.