- Deck staining usually costs $550 to $1,250, about $850 typical.
- Cleaning and staining an average deck of about 250 to 350 square feet.
What deck staining costs
Expect deck staining to cost between $550 and $1,250, with $850 as a typical figure. Cleaning and staining an average deck of about 250 to 350 square feet. By the square foot, HomeAdvisor put it at $1 to $4, with $2.50 in the middle.
| Price | |
|---|---|
| Low end | $550 |
| Typical | $850 |
| High end | $1,250 |
| Per square foot | $1 to $4 |
National figures from Fixr, HomeAdvisor and Bob Vila, combined as shown below. Labor rates move the price by state: about $1,095 typical in Hawaii against $703 in Arkansas.
What drives the price
- Size. HomeAdvisor puts most contractors at $1 to $2.50 a square foot.
- Railings and stairs. Balusters take far longer than the flat deck boards.
- Condition. Gray, weathered or peeling decks need stripping or sanding first.
- Stain or paint. Bob Vila's deck painting average is $1,010, a little higher than staining.
Extra costs to plan for
| Item | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sealing or major prep | $550 to $1,300 | HomeAdvisor |
Not every quote includes these. Check each line before comparing deck staining bids.
Deck staining cost by state
Estimates by state, made by Koira: the national deck staining range with its labor part, roughly 75%, adjusted to local wages for construction and extraction workers. Real quotes vary with the job.
| State | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $469 | $724 | $1,065 |
| Alaska | $661 | $1,022 | $1,503 |
| Arizona | $539 | $834 | $1,226 |
| Arkansas | $455 | $703 | $1,035 |
| California | $634 | $980 | $1,441 |
| Colorado | $561 | $868 | $1,276 |
| Connecticut | $634 | $979 | $1,440 |
| Delaware | $549 | $848 | $1,247 |
| District of Columbia | $623 | $963 | $1,416 |
| Florida | $479 | $741 | $1,090 |
| Georgia | $482 | $746 | $1,096 |
| Hawaii | $709 | $1,095 | $1,611 |
| Idaho | $527 | $814 | $1,197 |
| Illinois | $696 | $1,075 | $1,581 |
| Indiana | $566 | $875 | $1,286 |
| Iowa | $549 | $849 | $1,249 |
| Kansas | $518 | $801 | $1,178 |
| Kentucky | $506 | $781 | $1,149 |
| Louisiana | $483 | $747 | $1,099 |
| Maine | $555 | $858 | $1,262 |
| Maryland | $552 | $854 | $1,255 |
| Massachusetts | $674 | $1,042 | $1,532 |
| Michigan | $561 | $868 | $1,276 |
| Minnesota | $640 | $990 | $1,455 |
| Mississippi | $462 | $714 | $1,049 |
| Missouri | $565 | $873 | $1,284 |
| Montana | $560 | $865 | $1,272 |
| Nebraska | $510 | $788 | $1,159 |
| Nevada | $565 | $873 | $1,284 |
| New Hampshire | $554 | $856 | $1,259 |
| New Jersey | $646 | $999 | $1,469 |
| New Mexico | $483 | $747 | $1,098 |
| New York | $625 | $966 | $1,421 |
| North Carolina | $480 | $741 | $1,090 |
| North Dakota | $561 | $867 | $1,276 |
| Ohio | $568 | $878 | $1,291 |
| Oklahoma | $474 | $733 | $1,078 |
| Oregon | $596 | $920 | $1,353 |
| Pennsylvania | $557 | $860 | $1,265 |
| Rhode Island | $574 | $887 | $1,305 |
| South Carolina | $481 | $743 | $1,093 |
| South Dakota | $485 | $749 | $1,102 |
| Tennessee | $487 | $753 | $1,108 |
| Texas | $478 | $739 | $1,087 |
| Utah | $533 | $824 | $1,212 |
| Vermont | $551 | $852 | $1,253 |
| Virginia | $529 | $817 | $1,201 |
| Washington | $661 | $1,021 | $1,501 |
| West Virginia | $537 | $829 | $1,220 |
| Wisconsin | $578 | $894 | $1,315 |
| Wyoming | $551 | $852 | $1,253 |
Big metro areas often run above their state's figure.
How we got these numbers
| Guide | Range | Average | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixr | $550 to $850 | $750 | Counted |
| HomeAdvisor | $550 to $1,250 | $850 | Counted |
| Bob Vila | $600 to $2,720 | $1,010 | Counted |
How the deck staining range is combined: low end from the middle of the guides' lows, high end from the middle of their highs, typical from the middle of their averages (a range's midpoint where no average is given). Figures read on each guide's page on October 9, 2026.
Labor share used: 75%. Staining is washing, sanding and applying stain. Koira's assumption. State factor: the state's median hourly wage for construction and extraction workers over the national $28.63 (BLS, May 2025), kept between 0.7 and 1.4.
For contractors: price this job in Koira
Painting is mostly labor, so the estimate should name the rooms or surfaces, the coats and the prep.
With Koira's free Office plan, the deck staining estimate, the deposit and the final invoice live in one place, sent by text. See estimates. Price this job in Koira, free.
Sources: Fixr, deck staining cost; HomeAdvisor, deck staining cost; Bob Vila, deck staining cost; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (state and national files). Prices checked October 9, 2026. More for your trade: how the trade runs on Koira.