A deck is a horizontal surface, and that changes everything
Walls shed rain. A deck holds it, takes foot traffic, gathers leaves and sits in the sun. That's why deck finishes wear faster than the paint on the house, and why a re-stain is priced on different lines from a wall repaint. The U.S. Department of Energy's Building America climate guide places Smith County in the hot-humid climate region and IECC climate zone 3A, so moisture and the growth that follows it are part of the picture, along with sun.
This guide covers what a painter or staining crew looks at before giving you a number for an existing deck.
Size, but measured honestly
The floor area is the obvious measurement. The parts that take the time are not the floor:
- Railings and balusters. Dozens of spindles each have four faces. Railings often take as long as the floor.
- Stairs. Treads, risers, stringers and the stair rails add edges and cutting.
- Skirting and lattice. Panels around the base are slow to coat evenly.
- Undersides and joists. Rarely included unless you ask. If you want them coated, say so.
The condition of the old finish
The biggest swing in a deck quote comes from what's on the wood now.
Weathered but bare. Gray, sun-worn wood with little finish left usually needs cleaning, a brightener and perhaps a light sanding.
Same type of stain, still sound. A penetrating stain over a similar penetrating stain can often be refreshed after a thorough cleaning.
Peeling film. A solid stain or deck paint that is lifting must come off where it's failing, and often everywhere, so the new coat doesn't peel with the old. Stripping is chemical, mechanical, or both, and is the most labor-heavy route.
Mildew and algae. In a humid region, green and black growth on shaded decking has to be killed and rinsed off before any stain will soak in.
Each of these adds a day of drying before stain can go on. Wood should be dry to the depth the stain needs; a crew may check with a moisture meter.
Repairs before finish
Staining doesn't fix soft decking, popped fasteners or loose rails. Expect a separate line for replacing decking, resetting nails or screws and tightening railings, or a note that repairs aren't included.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension's guide to subterranean termites says native and Formosan subterranean termites are both serious threats to wooden structures in Texas, and advises eliminating wood-to-soil contact such as attached fence posts and stair casings, by setting the wood on masonry blocks or replacing it with pressure-treated wood. If your deck stairs sit straight on the ground, that's worth raising before you pay to finish them; a stain crew can coat what's there, but changing the stair's footing is carpentry, priced on its own.
Choosing the stain
The product sets both the price of materials and how the next re-stain will go:
- Clear and toners show the grain and need the most frequent recoating.
- Semi-transparent stains add color while the grain still shows, and generally wear by fading rather than peeling.
- Solid stains look more like paint and hide worn wood, but can peel on floors and are hard to go back from.
- Deck coatings are thick film products for worn decks; they behave like paint and have to be removed eventually.
Oil-based and water-based versions exist across these types. Ask what the label says about recoating, and whether the product suits a horizontal surface. Our deck and fence staining page covers each type in more detail.
Access, weather and scheduling
A deck must be cleared of furniture, grills and planters. Some crews move them; some price it in; some expect you to do it. Plants below the deck need protection from cleaners and stripper runoff.
Then there's the wait for the right weather. Cleaning, drying and staining usually need a run of dry days, and stain shouldn't go down on a surface in full midday sun or before rain. Ask how the crew handles a forecast change and whether the price assumes a set number of visits.
What to compare between quotes
- The cleaning or stripping method, named.
- Brightener and sanding, yes or no.
- Repairs listed, or excluded in writing.
- Stain product, type and number of coats.
- Which parts are included: floor, rails, stairs, skirting, undersides.
- Furniture moving and plant protection.
A quote that is much lower on the same deck usually leaves one of these out. The pricing guide explains how painting jobs are priced more generally.