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How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Deck?

by | Mar 17, 2020 | Deck Maintenance

Winter has come to an end and your deck is looking pretty ugly from all the cold and wet weather that abused it over the past few months.  What can you do to not only make it look better but to protect it as well? We have some simple solutions and maintenance tips that can extend your deck’s life and make it look amazing again!

How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Deck?

We have many options when it comes to painting or staining your deck and the prices can vary based on what your goals are and the condition of the deck.  If you have a covered deck that never sees the weather you may need less maintenance and it may be as simple as cleaning and applying another coat of paint or stain to it every few years.

Most of us have cedar decks in the northwest and they’re typically not covered.  If you’re using a deck paint or solid-type stain on them you will not see the grain of the wood like you would with a semi-transparent stain.  These products are typically a heavy build latex product that will sit on top of the wood or the previous coating that you had in the past.

If the previous coating is not peeling and is just dirty we can usually just clean it off and apply another coat or two of paint or stain and it will look great.  To clean and apply another coat of solid stain or paint to an average-sized deck it will typically cost between $1000-$2000. If it needs a lot of scraping to remove the previous coating it can add to the cost and be much more difficult.

What is the Cost to Stain a Deck?

We have different types of stain for decks and I usually recommend sticking with the same type that is currently on the deck as it can be difficult to switch from one product to another.  Most of the decks we stain are oil-based, semi-transparent stains which is my favorite for our climate.

These stains will penetrate the wood deeper and will protect the wood against typical NW weather and you can still see the beauty of the wood through the stain.  Some of these stains can be cleaned and stained over in a few years and some are more difficult. After you’ve stained your deck a few times with semi-transparent stain you may need to strip the old coatings off so the new stain can penetrate into the wood.  If you have too many layers of stain it can’t do its job and sometimes it will not fully dry.

Semi-transparent stains can be a little more work than a solid stain but the stain won’t typically peel as easy and is easier to completely strip and refinish.  An average-size deck to have sanded down and stained will be in the $2000-$4000 range. If you have handrails that need to be refinished that can add to the cost.

Best Deck Paint/Stain to Use 

At Absolute Painting we really like using Armstrong semi-transparent stains on wood decks.  They are made locally and are not only easy to work with but easy to maintain and look amazing!  If you want the solid look we have good luck with Shark Skin stain made by Cloverdale. It seems to hold up very well in our wet climate.

Remember if your deck is very old or the wood is in bad condition, no stain will hold up for very long.  Most deck stains and paints will need annual maintenance of some type, even if it is just cleaning.  I recommend a new coat of stain every 2-3 years on any deck that is exposed to the weather.  A little maintenance every year is more cost-effective and will help to extend its life versus doing nothing for many years.    

Benefits of a Painted/Stained Deck 

The biggest benefit to staining or painting your deck is that it will protect the wood and it will last longer.  If you have looked at the price of cedar deck boards lately you will understand that replacement is much more expensive than maintenance.  It also keeps the deck looking beautiful so you will enjoy it.

Get Your Deck Painting Estimate Today!

Call Absolute Painting today at 503-330-4928 and plan ahead if you would like us to come give an estimate and a maintenance plan for your decking.  We have a short window of time each year that we can work on decks as it is very weather dependent. We look forward to hearing from you!

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