How Much Does it Cost to Stain a Deck?
What Does Deck Restoration Really Cost?
A Look Inside Our Process at Joy Home Services:
We often get asked about the price of staining a deck. So let’s save you some time! We totally understand why you want to know up front what you’re looking at cost-wise, because you need to plan. So let us walk you through what deck restoration actually costs, what our process looks like from start to finish, and why we do things the way we do.
Why Not Just Pressure Wash and Re-Apply Stain?
Before we get into pricing, let us address the elephant in the room. You’ve probably seen ads for pressure washing and restaining services that come in cheaper than what we charge for full restoration. And look, we’re not here to trash those services entirely, because sometimes that approach makes sense for newer decks that are in pretty good shape.
But here’s what most people don’t realize about pressure washing. When you blast wood with high-pressure water, you’re essentially beating it up. The water gets forced deep into the wood fibers, and when it does, it raises the grain. Think about what happens when you get a wooden cutting board wet and let it dry. It gets fuzzy and rough, right? Same principle, just way more intense.
That raised grain means your deck feels rough and splintery after it dries. Even worse, all those opened-up wood fibers create the perfect little pockets for moisture to get trapped. And moisture is the enemy of wood. It leads to rot, it leads to mold, and it shortens the life of your deck significantly.
The other issue with pressure washing is that it doesn’t actually remove old stain very effectively. It might blast off the loose stuff, but anything that’s still adhered to the wood? That stays put. So when you apply new stain over old stain, you’re just putting a band-aid on the problem. The new stain can only penetrate where the old stain is gone, which means you end up with an uneven finish that starts peeling within a year or two.
You wouldn’t merely pressure wash the paint off of a car before repainting it, so why would we want to do that for a deck?
We see this where someone pays for a pressure wash and restain, it looks okay for six months, and then they’re calling us because it’s already failing. And they’re upset about the pressure washer marks on the side of their house, or their deck. At that point, we have to do the full restoration anyway, and they’ve essentially paid twice.
Our Chemical Stripping Process
So what do we do differently? We use a chemical stripping process that actually removes the old stain without damaging the wood. The stripper breaks down the molecular bond between the stain and the wood, so everything lifts off cleanly. No high-pressure blasting, no damaged wood fibers.
After the stripper does its job, we apply a wood brightener. This neutralizes the stripper, balances the pH of the wood, and opens up the pores so the new stain can really soak in and bond properly. The brightener also brings back that natural wood color, almost like you’re looking at fresh lumber again.
Then comes the sanding. We use 80 grit sandpaper to lightly smooth everything out. This isn’t aggressive sanding. We’re just knocking down any rough spots and making sure the surface is ready to accept stain evenly. The combination of chemical stripping and light sanding gives us a clean canvas to work with.
Finally, we apply Expert Stain And Seal, which is the brand we’ve had the best results with over the years. Most of our customers go with either semi-transparent Mahogany or semi-solid Auburn colors. Those colors tend to complement most home exteriors really well, and they show off the natural wood grain while still providing solid protection.
What Does It Actually Cost?
Okay, let’s talk numbers. We know that’s what you really want to know.
For an average-sized deck, say around 200-400 square feet, you’re typically looking at somewhere between $5,100 down to $2,600 for a complete restoration. That includes all the stripping, brightening, sanding, and staining and cleanup we just described.
Now, we know that’s a pretty wide range, so let us break down what affects the price. The biggest factor is the condition of your existing deck. If the old stain is really built up or if there are multiple layers from previous staining jobs, that takes more time and more stripper to remove. ALSO, if your deck has a lot of railings, spindles, or intricate details, that adds labor time because we have to work around all those features carefully.
The size obviously matters too. A large 400 square foot deck with stairs and multiple levels could run $5,800 while a small 200 square foot deck with three simple stairs will be $3,600 to $2,350.
Height is another consideration. If your deck is on the second story or if we need special equipment to reach certain areas safely, that can add to the cost. Same thing if there are accessibility issues or if we need to protect landscaping, windows, or other features around the deck.
One thing we always tell people is that the cost of doing it right the first time is almost always less than the cost of doing it wrong and then having to fix it. We’ve had customers who paid someone else half price for a quick pressure wash and restain, watched it fail within a year, and then paid us our full price to actually restore it properly. They ended up spending more overall and dealing with the frustration of a bad-looking deck in the meantime.
What’s the Customer Experience Like?
Let us walk you through what actually happens when you hire us, from beginning to end.
First, we’ll ask you to send us photos of your project. Then, we will hop on a phone call, and discuss the reasons why you want the deck finished, and what you intend to use this deck for. Are you sipping morning coffee on it? Are you having a big friend group over to grill out on the deck? Does your Bible Study group meet there every Tuesday evening?
Next, we will give you an over the phone quote of what the maximum and minimum price will be. We’ll check the condition of the wood, look at how much old stain needs to come off, measure the square footage, and note any special challenges like hard-to-reach areas or delicate landscaping nearby. Then we’ll give you a quote right there.
If you decide to move forward, we’ll get you scheduled for a site visit, where we will check the condition of the wood, etc., and collect a deposit check. Depending on the time of year, that might be a week or two out, or during our busy season it might be a month. We’ll give you a specific date and keep you updated if anything changes.
When we show up on work day, we’ll protect everything around the deck. That means covering plants, taping off siding if needed, and making sure nothing gets damaged by the chemicals or stain. We take that part seriously because the last thing anyone wants is dead shrubs or stain on their house.
The stripping process takes most of the first day for an average deck. We apply the stripper, let it work for the recommended time, and then rinse it off carefully. Then comes the brightener, which we apply and rinse as well. At that point, your deck needs to dry completely, which usually means we come back a couple days later depending on weather.
Once the deck is dry, we do the sanding. This is fairly quick compared to the chemical work, but we’re thorough about it. We’re not just running a sander over the surface. We’re paying attention to the details and making sure everything is smooth and ready.
Then comes the staining. We apply Expert Stain And Seal in whatever color you’ve chosen, making sure to get even coverage and work the stain into the wood properly. Depending on the size of your deck and the weather conditions, the stain needs anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to cure before you can use the deck normally.
The whole project, from start to finish, usually takes two to four days of actual work, spread over about a week to allow for drying time. We’ll communicate with you throughout so you know exactly when we’ll be there and when your deck will be ready to use.
Our Lifetime Workmanship Warranty
Here’s something that sets us apart. We offer a lifetime workmanship warranty on our deck restorations. What does that mean in plain English? If we miss a spot, if something doesn’t look right, if there’s any issue with the quality of our work, we’ll come back and fix it. No charge. No arguments. No fine print.
This doesn’t cover normal wear and tear over the years or damage from things outside our control, but it does cover our actual workmanship. If we didn’t do something right, we make it right. We stand behind our work because we know we do it properly.
We’ve only had to use this warranty once when we’ve been doing this, on a small area that needed a touch-up. But knowing it’s there gives people peace of mind, and that matters.
Is Deck Restoration Worth It?
Look, we’re biased because this is what we do, but let us give you the straight answer anyway. If your deck is in reasonable structural condition but the stain is failing, restoration is almost always worth it compared to replacement. A new deck can easily run $15,000 to $30,000 or more depending on size and materials. And the wood they grow these days is getting more expensive, and softer/worse quality every year. Our restoration costs a fraction of that and can add years to your deck’s life.
The key is catching it before the wood itself starts to fail. Once you have serious rot or structural damage, you’re looking at board replacement or full rebuild territory, and that’s a different conversation. But if it’s just a matter of the finish failing and the wood looking tired, restoration makes a lot of sense.
A properly restored and stained deck can give you three to 6 years before it needs attention again, sometimes longer if it’s covered or doesn’t get full sun exposure. And when it does need work down the road, often it just needs quick wash and a fresh coat of stain rather than full stripping again.
Ready to Move Forward?
If you’re thinking about getting your deck restored, we hope this gives you a realistic picture of what to expect, both in terms of cost and process. We’re not the cheapest option out there, and we do the job right, and we stand behind our work.
Feel free to reach out if you have questions or want to schedule a phone call. And even if you decide to go another direction or tackle it yourself, now you know what quality deck restoration should look like and what it should cost.