Having a professional clean and stain a deck in reasonable condition typically costs $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot of deck floor, which puts an average 300-square-foot deck at roughly $550 to $1,200 before railings and stairs. Add those and most real-world quotes for a mid-sized deck land between $800 and $2,000. Doing it yourself costs a fraction of that: around $150 to $450 in stain, cleaner and supplies for the same deck, plus a weekend.
The wide spread is not mostly contractor margin. It is the condition of the wood and the finish already on it. A deck that only needs washing and a fresh coat of the same semi-transparent stain is a quick job. A deck with a peeling solid stain that has to be chemically stripped, sanded and repaired before anything new goes on can cost two to three times as much, and that work rarely appears in a headline price. This guide separates the two so you can price your own deck and read a quote properly.
Professional Cost Per Square Foot
Contractors price deck staining by the square foot of walking surface and then add railings, stairs and any extra preparation as separate lines. The table below breaks a quote into those pieces. These are national ranges for 2026; expect the top of each band in high-cost metro areas and the bottom in rural markets and during the shoulder season.
| Service | Typical price | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| Clean (wash + brightener) and one coat of stain | $1.50 – $2.50 / sq ft | Sound deck, recoating with a similar product |
| Clean and two coats of stain | $2.00 – $3.50 / sq ft | New wood, weathered grey wood, or water-based stains |
| Pressure wash only | $0.25 – $0.75 / sq ft | Cleaning before a DIY stain |
| Chemical stripping (added) | $1.00 – $2.00 / sq ft | Peeling, flaking or patchy old finish |
| Sanding (added) | $1.00 – $2.50 / sq ft | Raised grain, splinters, furring, stubborn film |
| Board replacement | $40 – $120 per board | Rotten, cracked or badly cupped boards |
| Full restoration (strip, sand, repairs, two coats) | $4.00 – $7.00+ / sq ft | Neglected deck or failed solid stain |
Most deck staining companies also have a minimum job charge, usually somewhere between $400 and $800. That matters for small decks: a 150-square-foot landing may cost nearly as much as a 250-square-foot deck, because setup, cleaning equipment, travel and drying time are fixed costs regardless of size.
Also note what "clean" means in a quote. A proper clean is a deck cleaner (usually an oxygen-bleach or sodium-percarbonate product) followed by a rinse and then an oxalic-acid brightener that restores the wood's pH and colour. A quick blast with a pressure washer alone is cheaper and noticeably less effective, and an aggressive pressure wash can raise the grain enough that the deck then needs sanding. If two quotes differ by 30%, check whether one of them is skipping the brightener.
Cost by Deck Size
The figures below are for the deck floor only. Railings and stairs are priced separately in the next section, and on a deck with a lot of railing they can add 40–70% to the total.
| Deck size | Example | DIY materials | Pro clean + stain | Pro with strip / sand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 sq ft | 10 × 20 | $120 – $300 | $400 – $800* | $900 – $1,800 |
| 300 sq ft | 12 × 25 | $150 – $450 | $550 – $1,200 | $1,300 – $2,700 |
| 400 sq ft | 16 × 25 | $200 – $550 | $700 – $1,500 | $1,700 – $3,500 |
| 500 sq ft | 20 × 25 | $250 – $650 | $850 – $1,800 | $2,100 – $4,300 |
| 700+ sq ft | Large or multi-level | $350 – $900 | $1,200 – $2,600 | $3,000 – $6,000+ |
*Small decks frequently hit the contractor's minimum charge, so the low end of the 200-square-foot range is often not available in practice.
The DIY column assumes you already own or borrow a pressure washer and basic tools; the range spans budget stain and a single coat at the low end to premium stain, two coats, cleaner, brightener and applicators at the top. If you need to rent a pressure washer and a floor sander, add roughly $100–$200.
How to Measure Your Deck
Multiply length by width for each rectangular section and add them together; for an L-shape, split it into two rectangles. Do not subtract for a hot tub or built-in planter unless it is large. Then count the linear feet of railing (measure along the top rail) and the number of stair treads separately. Those three numbers — floor square footage, railing linear feet, stair count — are what every contractor will ask for, and they are what you need to calculate stain quantity yourself.
Railings, Stairs and Other Add-Ons
Railings are the slowest part of staining a deck. A floor can be rolled or padded in long strokes; a baluster railing has four faces on every spindle, top and bottom rails, posts and caps, and almost all of it has to be brushed or sprayed and back-brushed by hand. That is why railing is priced separately and why it often costs more per foot than the deck itself.
| Add-on | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wood railing (balusters) | $5 – $12 / linear ft | Square spindles at the top of the range; horizontal board rails at the bottom |
| Stairs | $15 – $40 per step | Treads, risers and stringers; open-riser stairs cost less |
| Privacy screen or lattice | $2 – $5 / sq ft of face | Lattice is slow and often sprayed |
| Built-in benches and planters | $50 – $200 each | Depends on size and detailing |
| Pergola or overhead structure | $300 – $1,500+ | Ladder work; often quoted separately |
| Deck underside / joists (from below) | $1 – $3 / sq ft | Rarely needed; mostly for elevated decks seen from below |
| Moving furniture and grills | $0 – $100 | Usually free if you clear it yourself |
A worked example makes the effect clear. A 300-square-foot deck with 50 linear feet of baluster railing and a six-step stair might price out as $750 for the floor, $400 for the railing and $150 for the stairs: $1,300 total, with railings and stairs making up more than 40% of the bill. If you are getting quotes on a deck with a lot of railing, compare the railing line in particular, because that is where pricing varies most between contractors.
If you are doing the work yourself, railings are also where a paint sprayer earns its place. Spraying stain onto balusters and immediately back-brushing it cuts the time dramatically compared with brushing every face, though you will need to mask the deck floor and anything nearby, since stain overspray drifts further than most people expect.
DIY Materials and Tools
The largest DIY expense is the stain itself, and the quantity depends more on the wood than on the deck size. Weathered, rough or soft wood can drink twice as much stain per square foot as smooth, newer boards. Always check the coverage figure on the specific product and plan from the low end of it on an older deck.
Stain Cost and Coverage by Type
| Stain type | Price per gallon | Coverage per gallon (per coat) | Gallons for 300 sq ft deck* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear sealer / toner | $25 – $50 | 150 – 300 sq ft | 1.5 – 3 |
| Transparent penetrating oil | $40 – $75 | 150 – 250 sq ft | 2 – 3 |
| Semi-transparent (oil or water) | $35 – $70 | 150 – 250 sq ft | 3 – 4 (two coats) |
| Semi-solid | $40 – $70 | 200 – 300 sq ft | 3 – 4 (two coats) |
| Solid stain | $40 – $75 | 200 – 400 sq ft | 2.5 – 4 (two coats) |
| Deck resurfacer (thick coating) | $50 – $90 | 50 – 75 sq ft | 8 – 12 (two coats) |
*Deck floor only. Add about one gallon for 40–60 linear feet of baluster railing and a short stair. Five-gallon pails usually cost 10–20% less per gallon than single gallons, which matters on decks over about 400 square feet.
Note that coverage and coat count interact. Many penetrating oil stains are designed for one coat, or two coats applied wet-on-wet, and the wood simply will not absorb a second coat once the first has dried — extra product just sits on the surface and turns sticky. Many water-based semi-transparents and most solids want two coats. Follow the label rather than assuming two coats is always better; over-application is one of the most common reasons a new finish peels. Our deck stain comparison covers how the main types differ in durability and appearance, which is the real choice behind the price per gallon. For specific woods, see the guides to stain for pressure-treated decks and stain for cedar decks.
Cleaner, Brightener and Stripper
- Deck cleaner — $20–$45 for a concentrate or powder that treats roughly 300–1,000 square feet depending on dilution. Oxygen-based cleaners remove grey weathering and mildew without the fibre damage chlorine bleach causes. See our guide to the best deck cleaners for the main types.
- Wood brightener — $15–$35, usually an oxalic-acid product, sometimes sold paired with a cleaner as a two-step kit for $35–$70. It neutralises the cleaner and noticeably improves stain absorption and colour.
- Stain stripper — $30–$60 per gallon, covering roughly 100–250 square feet depending on how thick the old finish is. Solid stains and film-forming sealers may need two applications. Only needed if the existing finish is failing or you are changing to a lighter or more transparent product. Our guide on how to strip deck stain covers when you can skip it.
Tools and Supplies
| Item | Buy | Rent (per day) |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure washer | $150 – $400 | $60 – $110 |
| Floor sander or drum sander | — | $60 – $120 |
| Random orbital sander + discs | $60 – $150 | — |
| Stain pad applicator and refills | $15 – $30 | — |
| Quality stain brushes (2–3) | $20 – $50 | — |
| Pump sprayer (for cleaner/stripper) | $20 – $40 | — |
| Stiff deck brush on a pole | $15 – $35 | — |
| Plastic sheeting, tape, gloves, eye protection | $25 – $50 | — |
| Airless or HVLP paint sprayer (optional) | $100 – $400 | $60 – $100 |
Most homeowners already own a pressure washer or can borrow one, which takes the biggest tool cost out of the equation. A first-time DIYer starting with nothing typically spends $80–$150 on brushes, applicators, a pump sprayer and protection, and those carry over to every future recoat. Our step-by-step guide on how to stain a deck walks through the full process if you are deciding whether to take it on.
What Drives a Quote Up or Down
1. Condition of the Existing Finish
This is the biggest single factor, and it is why two quotes for decks of the same size can differ by $1,500. If the old stain has simply faded and worn evenly, the deck can be cleaned, brightened and recoated. If it is peeling, flaking or patchy — typical of an old solid stain or a film-forming sealer on a horizontal surface — the failing material has to come off first, because new stain over a loose film simply peels with it. Stripping adds a chemical step, a neutralising step and often a light sand, and can add $1–$2 per square foot on its own.
2. Solid vs Semi-Transparent
Going darker or more opaque is cheap; going lighter or more transparent is expensive. Recoating semi-transparent over semi-transparent, or solid over solid, needs only cleaning. Switching from a solid stain to a semi-transparent requires stripping back to bare wood, because a translucent finish cannot hide the old opaque colour. Switching the other way usually just needs a clean and good adhesion. If you are tired of a solid stain that peels every few years, budget for a full strip the year you change systems — the following recoats then become much cheaper.
3. Wood Type and Age
Pressure-treated pine and older, weathered boards are thirsty and need more stain. Cedar and redwood take stain well but are soft and easily damaged by aggressive pressure washing or sanding, so a careful contractor works more slowly on them. Hardwoods such as ipe are dense and need specific oils that are often more expensive per gallon, though they cover more area. New pressure-treated lumber usually has to dry out for some weeks or months before it will accept stain at all, which can affect scheduling.
4. Access and Layout
A ground-level deck you can walk around is the cheapest to stain. An elevated second-storey deck may need ladders or staging for the rim joists, fascia and railing exteriors. Multi-level decks with several stair runs, built-in benches, curved sections or lots of cut-outs around trees and posts all add labour. Decks next to siding, stone or a painted house wall need careful masking and cutting in, especially if the stain is being sprayed.
5. Repairs
Contractors will usually flag soft, split or cupped boards during the estimate. Replacing a handful of boards is a modest line item at $40–$120 each including materials, but it is worth doing before staining rather than after, since a new board stained alongside weathered ones will look different for a season or two whatever you do. Popped nails and screws are typically reset as part of preparation at little or no extra charge.
6. Season, Location and Weather
Spring is peak season and many deck contractors book up weeks in advance; late summer and early autumn can bring shorter waits and slightly better pricing. Weather also limits when the work can happen at all: most stains need surface and air temperatures in a moderate band, no rain for a day or more, and no direct midday sun on the boards. Our guides on what temperature to stain a deck and how long deck stain takes to dry cover the timing in detail, and it is worth reading before you book a DIY weekend.
Recoat Intervals and Cost Per Year
Staining is maintenance, not a one-off project. The finish on a deck floor wears much faster than on vertical surfaces because it takes foot traffic, standing water, snow and full sun. The more useful number is therefore cost per year rather than the cost of a single job. The figures below assume a 300-square-foot deck with modest railings.
| Finish | Typical recoat on floor | DIY cost per year | Pro cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear sealer / toner | 1 – 2 years | $75 – $200 | $400 – $900 |
| Transparent penetrating oil | 1 – 2 years | $80 – $220 | $400 – $900 |
| Semi-transparent | 2 – 3 years | $60 – $180 | $300 – $700 |
| Semi-solid | 3 – 4 years | $50 – $140 | $250 – $550 |
| Solid stain | 3 – 5 years* | $40 – $130 | $250 – $550* |
*Solid stain looks cheapest per year, but the figure assumes it wears evenly. When it peels instead, the next job includes stripping, and the true long-run cost rises sharply. A semi-transparent stain that weathers by fading rather than peeling is the most forgiving finish for most deck floors, because each recoat is just a clean and a fresh coat.
There is a further saving that the table does not show. A deck that is recoated before the old finish has completely worn away needs less preparation and often less stain than one left until it has gone grey. Cleaning and recoating on schedule keeps every job at the cheap end of the price bands above. Letting it go two or three seasons too long is the most common way a routine recoat turns into a restoration.
Climate shifts these intervals. Decks in hot, sunny southern and high-altitude locations break down faster from UV; decks in damp, shaded northern locations are more prone to mildew and greying. A simple test: sprinkle water on the boards. If it beads, the finish is still working. If it soaks in and darkens the wood within a minute, the deck is due.
DIY or Professional?
DIY makes sense for a ground-level deck in reasonable condition that only needs cleaning and a recoat with the same type of product. The saving is large — typically 60–80% of a professional price — and the work is not technically difficult. A 300-square-foot deck usually takes one day to clean and brighten, a day or two of drying, and then most of a day to stain, longer if there are a lot of railings. The difficulty is mostly logistics: finding a run of dry weather and keeping everyone off the deck while it cures.
A professional makes sense if the deck needs stripping and sanding, is elevated or multi-level, has extensive railings you do not want to spend a weekend brushing, or if your time is genuinely worth more than the difference. Professionals also carry the equipment to strip and sand efficiently, and a good one will spot structural problems — loose ledger boards, rotten joists, failing posts — that are worth knowing about regardless of who does the staining.
A common middle path is to hire out the hard part and do the rest yourself. Some homeowners pay a contractor to strip and sand a neglected deck once ($1,000–$2,500 on a typical deck), then handle every subsequent clean and recoat themselves for $150–$400 each time. Others do the deck floor and hire a painter to spray the railings. Either approach captures most of the saving while avoiding the most labour-intensive step.
If you already stain a fence, the materials and skills overlap heavily, and buying stain in five-gallon pails for both jobs can bring the cost per gallon down. Our guide to the best fence stain covers products that work on both vertical and horizontal surfaces.
How to Compare Quotes
Get at least three quotes and ask every contractor the same questions, in writing. The headline price is meaningless until you know what preparation and product it includes.
- What does cleaning include? Cleaner, rinse and brightener, or pressure washing only? What pressure and tip, and will they wash with the grain?
- Is stripping or sanding included? If not, what happens if the old finish turns out to be failing once they start?
- Which stain, and how many coats? Get the brand, product name and colour. A quote with a premium stain and one with a builder-grade product are not comparable.
- Are railings, stairs and fascia boards included? Some quotes cover the deck floor only.
- Who supplies the stain? Some contractors will apply stain you buy, which can save the markup on materials.
- What is the warranty? Many offer a one- or two-year warranty against peeling, which tells you how confident they are in their preparation.
- How will they protect plants, siding and the house? Especially relevant if spraying or stripping.
A quote that is far below the others almost always skips something on that list, usually the brightener, the second coat, or proper removal of the old finish. A quote that is far above may include repairs or sanding you do not need. Asking the same questions of each contractor is the quickest way to see which is which.
Ways to Lower the Cost
- Clear the deck yourself — furniture, grills, planters and anything stored underneath.
- Book outside spring — late summer and early autumn often bring better availability and occasionally lower prices.
- Stay with the same type of stain to avoid stripping.
- Recoat on time before the wood goes grey.
- Bundle jobs — staining a fence or pressure washing a driveway at the same visit usually costs less than separate call-outs.
- Do the cleaning yourself if the contractor will discount for it, though many prefer to do their own prep so they can stand behind the warranty.
The Short Version
For a typical 300-square-foot deck in decent condition, budget $550–$1,200 for a professional clean and stain of the floor, or $800–$2,000 with railings and stairs. Do it yourself for $150–$450 in materials.
If the old finish is peeling, budget for stripping and sanding as well: $1,300–$3,000+ professionally on the same deck. That is a one-off cost, and choosing a penetrating semi-transparent stain afterwards keeps future recoats cheap.
Expect to recoat a deck floor every two to three years with a semi-transparent stain. Measured per year, the cheapest decks are the ones recoated on schedule — not the ones stained with the longest-lasting product.
Frequently Asked Questions
A 12 × 12 deck is 144 square feet. In materials, staining it yourself typically costs $80–$200 for one to two gallons of stain, a deck cleaner and brightener, and an applicator. A professional clean and stain would cost roughly $250–$500 at per-square-foot rates, but on a deck this small most contractors apply a minimum job charge of $400–$800, so expect quotes in that range. Railings and steps add to it. Small decks are where DIY offers the biggest proportional saving.
For a deck in reasonable condition, $1.50–$3.50 per square foot for cleaning and staining the floor, plus $5–$12 per linear foot of railing and $15–$40 per stair. That puts a typical 300-square-foot deck with railings at around $800–$2,000. If the old finish needs stripping and sanding, add $2–$4 per square foot. A quote far below these ranges usually omits the brightener, a second coat, or proper removal of a failing finish.
Divide the deck area by the stain's coverage per gallon, then multiply by the number of coats. Most deck stains cover 150–300 square feet per gallon per coat, with rough or weathered wood at the low end. A 300-square-foot deck therefore usually needs two to three gallons for a single coat of penetrating oil, or three to four gallons for two coats of a semi-transparent or solid stain. Add about one gallon for 40–60 linear feet of baluster railing and stairs, and buy slightly more than you calculate so you do not run out mid-board.
The first application costs roughly the same — deck paint and solid stain are similar in price per gallon and both need two coats. The difference is long-term. Paint and solid stain form a film that eventually peels on a walking surface, and removing it later is labour-intensive and expensive. A semi-transparent penetrating stain fades rather than peels, so each recoat only needs cleaning. Over ten years, a penetrating stain on a deck floor is usually the cheaper option, even though it needs recoating more often.
On a deck floor, roughly every one to two years for clear sealers and transparent stains, two to three years for semi-transparent, and three to five for semi-solid and solid stains. Railings and other vertical surfaces typically last longer than the floor because they do not take foot traffic or standing water. Sun exposure and climate change these intervals substantially. A simple check is to sprinkle water on the boards: if it soaks in and darkens the wood rather than beading, it is time to recoat.
Only if the old finish is peeling or flaking, or if you are switching from a solid or darker stain to a lighter or more transparent one. If the existing stain has simply faded and worn evenly, a thorough clean and brightener is enough before recoating with a similar product. Stripping adds $1–$2 per square foot to a professional quote and a full extra day to a DIY job, so staying with the same type of stain is one of the easiest ways to keep costs down.
It is worth it if the deck needs stripping and sanding, is elevated or multi-level, or has extensive railings, or if you simply cannot find a dry weekend. For a ground-level deck that only needs a clean and recoat, DIY saves 60–80% of the cost and is well within most homeowners' ability. Many people take a middle route: they pay a professional to strip and restore a neglected deck once, then handle the routine recoats themselves every few years.
Late summer and early autumn are often the best times. Spring is peak demand, when many contractors book up weeks ahead and have little reason to negotiate. Later in the season there is more availability, and conditions are frequently better for staining: milder temperatures, lower humidity and less intense sun. The window closes once overnight temperatures drop too low for the stain to cure properly, which varies by product and region.