Decks wear faster than walls
A deck is the hardest-working wood on most houses. Sun beats on its horizontal surfaces, water sits on them, feet scuff them and furniture drags across them. Stain on a deck wears out much faster than paint on a wall, and a deck re-stain is priced around that: how much old coating has to come off, how much the wood has weathered and how much of the deck is fiddly railing rather than open floor. This guide explains each factor. It doesn't quote prices; only a painter who has seen the deck can.
What NOAA lists for Roanoke
NOAA's engineering weather data for Roanoke lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 90 mph (3-second gust at 33 feet), a 100-year rainfall rate of 3.0 inches per hour and about 56 freeze-thaw cycles in an average year. In an average year at Roanoke, NOAA counts about 305 hours with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F and about 1,604 hours above 67°F.
Both sets of figures bear on a deck. Rain and freeze-thaw work on the wood and on any gaps in the finish; humid hours slow drying, both of the washed wood before staining and of the stain after it goes on.
Size and shape
The floor is the easy part. Railings, balusters, stairs, benches, skirting and planters take far longer per square foot, because each piece has several sides and edges. A small deck with a lot of railing can cost as much to stain as a larger open platform. Expect the painter to measure the floor and count the rail sections and stairs separately.
Cleaning and stripping
Old stain can't simply be covered. Depending on what's there now, the deck needs:
- a cleaner to remove dirt, mildew and graying;
- a stripper to take off failing film-forming stain or sealer;
- a brightener to restore the wood's color after stripping;
- a gentle rinse, since a pressure washer used too hard can gouge soft wood and raise the grain.
Stripping a peeling solid-color stain is the slowest and costliest version. Switching from a film-forming product to a penetrating one usually means stripping fully.
Drying time
After washing or stripping, wood must dry before stain goes on, or the stain won't soak in. With the humid hours above, drying can take longer than people expect. A good schedule allows for it, and a painter who stains wet wood to keep to a date is saving time at your expense.
Sanding and repairs
Raised grain, splinters and rough spots are sanded. Loose or popped fasteners are reset or replaced. Cracked, cupped or rotten boards are replaced. Each repair adds to the price, and some can't be seen until cleaning is done. Ask how they'll be handled.
Stain type and coats
Stains range from clear and toner finishes through semi-transparent to solid color. More pigment usually means more protection from sun, but film-forming stains can peel when water gets under them. Penetrating stains wear away rather than peel, and are simpler to recoat. Many decks take two coats, applied wet on wet or with drying time between, depending on the product. Our deck and fence staining page compares the options.
Weather windows
Deck stain needs dry wood, no rain for a set period after application and temperatures inside the label's range. With the rainfall rates above, a job can be held up waiting for a dry stretch. Ask what the painter does if rain is forecast after a coat.
A deck proposal should list
- floor area, rail sections and stairs;
- cleaning, stripping and brightening steps;
- repairs and fastener work;
- the stain product, its opacity and the number of coats;
- the drying times and the weather limits they'll work within.
The pricing guide explains the general factors, and the exterior painting page covers any painted railings or trim.