What a deck re-stain actually involves
Lakeland's deck permit checklist describes a deck as an elevated, unenclosed structure typically attached to a home, built of pressure-treated lumber or composite materials, and notes that a railing may be required depending on the project.
That description is a good starting point for pricing a re-stain, because it names the parts a crew will work on: a floor of boards, often a railing, posts and stairs, all made of treated lumber or composite. Composite decking is usually cleaned rather than stained, so this guide is about wood. It lists what moves the price of the job, with no figures, so you can compare bids that may look very different.
Square footage is only the start
The deck floor is easy to measure. Much of the labor, though, is in the parts that aren't flat:
- Railings and balusters take far longer per foot than open floor, because every face of every baluster has to be cleaned and coated.
- Stairs have treads, risers and stringers, and they wear fastest.
- Undersides and skirting may or may not be included. Ask.
- Height matters: a deck raised well off the ground needs ladders or staging for the outer rail and fascia.
A quote that gives only a floor area may be leaving out the slow parts, or pricing them in without saying so.
Cleaning, stripping and brightening
How the old finish comes off is often the largest variable.
- A wash and rinse may be enough if the old stain has simply faded.
- A stripper is needed when a film-forming stain is peeling. Stripping is slow and may need more than one pass.
- A brightener is often used after a cleaner or stripper to restore the wood's surface before staining.
Wood must dry fully after washing before stain goes on. That can mean the cleaning and the staining happen on different days, which adds a trip to the quote.
Repairs before stain
Stain doesn't fix a deck. Before pricing the coating, a painter should walk the deck and point out loose or raised nails and screws, split or cupped boards, soft spots, and rail posts that move. Some painters handle small fixes like re-setting fasteners; board and structural repairs are carpentry. Agree in writing who does what, and whether repairs come before the cleaning.
Choosing a stain
Stains run from clear and toner finishes to semi-transparent, semi-solid and solid colors. In general, the more pigment a stain has, the more it shields the wood from sun and the more it hides the grain. Penetrating stains soak in and wear away gradually; film-forming and solid stains sit on top and can peel when they fail, which makes the next re-coat more work. A painter should explain why they recommend a type, not just a color. Our deck and fence staining page compares them.
Older decks and CCA-treated wood
EPA says wood treated with chromated arsenicals (CCA) was used in residential decks before 2004, until manufacturers stopped making CCA-treated wood for homeowner uses in December 2003; for older CCA decks, EPA says a regular penetrating coating such as an oil- or water-based stain may reduce chemical leaching.
If your deck predates 2004 and you don't know what it was treated with, it's worth mentioning to the painter. Sanding older treated wood creates dust, so ask how they will keep sanding to a minimum, collect the dust and clean up. EPA's note is also a reason to keep an older deck on a regular coating schedule rather than letting the finish wear away completely.
Things that add to the price
- a large share of railings, balusters or stairs;
- peeling solid or film-forming stain that has to be stripped;
- board replacement or fastener work before cleaning;
- staining the underside, skirting or a built-in bench or planter;
- protecting siding, windows, plants and furniture next to the deck;
- weather delays between cleaning and staining.
Questions for each bidder
- Is the price for the floor only, or floor, railings, stairs and fascia?
- How will you remove the old finish, and will you need to strip it?
- How long will the wood dry before staining?
- Which stain type do you recommend, and why?
- How will you handle sanding dust on an older deck?
For the cost factors common to every painting job, see the pricing guide.