Whether the old finish lets go
A deck that has weathered back to bare wood mostly needs washing. A deck with a solid stain that is half attached needs stripping, and that is the difference between one day and three.
Deck & fence
Wood tells you when it is ready. Usually it is not.
Half the decks we look at need days of drying before anything should go on them. Sealing a wet board traps the water under the finish, and you get to watch it push back off all summer.
The number, itemised
What is in the price, and what is not.
Deck work is mostly preparation and patience. The staining itself is the short part, and any quote that is only about the staining is quoting a different job.
In the number
- Stripping or sanding the failed finish back
- Brightening the wood so the colour evens out after stripping
- Checking moisture before anything goes on — and waiting if it reads wet
- Setting popped nails and screws below the surface
- Sanding splinters and rough edges on rails, steps and handrails
- Masking siding, doors and anything the deck runs into
- Covering plants and the ground underneath
- Stain or solid colour, brushed or back-brushed into the grain
- Railings, spindles and step risers where quoted
- Site swept and your furniture put back at the end
Quoted separately
- Replacing rotten, cracked or badly cupped boards
- Structural work: joists, posts, footings or a rail that moves
- Rebuilding steps or landings
- Deck carpentry of any kind
- Pressure washing hard enough to fur the wood — we will not do it at any price
- Mould or mildew remediation under the deck
- Sealing brand new pressure-treated timber before it has dried out
- Fence panels beyond the run that was quoted
Nothing on the right-hand side gets added without your say-so. The commonest one is boards. We will walk the deck with you and point at the ones that want replacing rather than staining, so you can decide whether to fix them first or stain around them for one more season.
Before you compare quotes
Four things move a deck price more than the square footage.
Decks are priced by how hard the old finish fights and how many spindles there are. Floor area is almost the least of it.
Railings and spindles
The floor is fast — it is flat and you can work standing up. Forty spindles are forty small four-sided objects done by hand, and they often cost more than the deck they surround.
Stain or solid colour
Semi-transparent stain soaks in and wears gracefully but shows everything underneath. Solid colour covers more and needs more prep, because anything that fails takes the colour with it.
The weather window
Deck finishes need dry wood, a dry forecast and moderate temperatures. A tight window means less flexibility for us and sometimes a wait for you.
Asked most
Deck and fence questions.
If yours is not here, call and ask. We would rather answer it now than have it come up on day two.
How soon can I walk on it?
Usually the next day for foot traffic. Furniture back after two to three days, and give it a week before you put anything with a rubber foot or a plastic base down on it — those trap heat and can print the finish.
Stain or paint? Which should I pick?
On a deck floor, stain almost always. Paint sits on top and gets walked on, so when it fails it peels in sheets and the next refinish has to start with stripping.
Solid colour stain is the middle ground and it is what we use most. Railings and fences are different — they are not walked on, so paint is more reasonable there.
My deck is brand new. Can you stain it now?
Almost certainly not, and anyone who says yes is doing you a disservice. New pressure-treated lumber arrives wet and needs to dry out — often several months — before it will accept a finish. We will test it and tell you when.
Do you pressure wash it?
Only at low pressure, and often not at all. High pressure raises the grain and leaves the surface furry, which looks clean for a week and then holds dirt. Stripping and brightening gets you a better base.
What if some of the boards are rotten?
We will find them on the walkthrough and point at each one. Replacing them is not in the staining number, but you have options: have someone do it before we come, or stain around them this year knowing they are on borrowed time.
How often does this need redoing?
Two to four years on a horizontal deck floor in full sun, longer for railings and much longer for a shaded fence. It is sun and standing water that end a finish, not age.
Can you do the fence at the same time?
Yes, and it is usually cheaper done together since we are already set up. It is quoted as its own line by linear feet and by whether it is one side or both.
Free, no obligation
Send us the deck.
Photograph it in daylight, including a close-up of the worst boards and one of the railing. If it has been stained before and you know what with, tell us — it changes the approach. Written quote within one business day.
Rather talk it through? Call (314) 489-6667, weekdays 7am–6pm.