How much does deck staining cost in Virginia?

What drives the price

Size, and how much of it is railing. Floor boards are quick. Railings, balusters and stairs have many faces, edges and ends to brush, so they take far longer per foot. Two decks with the same floor area can be quoted very differently if one has railing all the way round and two flights of stairs.

The condition of the old finish. This is often the biggest swing. If the deck has a worn penetrating stain, refinishing a penetrating stain is mostly a matter of cleaning the surface and applying another coat.^[1] If it was painted, has a solid-color stain, or had a stain put on so thick it formed a film, that film usually has to come off. If a stain formed a thick film, it may have to be stripped with a paint stripper before the deck can be re-stained,^[1] because film-forming finishes do not bond to weathered areas, and nothing will soak into areas still covered by a film.^[1] Stripping, scraping and sanding can take longer than the staining.

Cleaning and mildew. A deck in shade under trees usually needs more cleaning than one in open sun. Ask whether the price includes a cleaner and rinse, and which product.

The age of the wood. If your deck was built before 2004 and is not cedar or redwood, it was most likely built with CCA-treated wood.^[2] The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission advises you to avoid sanding or power washing CCA-treated wood and not to use harsh cleaners such as bleach, sodium percarbonate or oxalic acid on it,^[2] so a careful business may quote a slower, gentler cleaning for an older deck.

The stain and the number of coats. Smooth, unweathered boards are generally finished with one coat; rough or weathered boards can take two, the second applied while the first is still wet.^[1] Ask which product and how many coats each quote assumes.

Repairs. Loose boards, popped fasteners or soft wood found during cleaning are extra work. Ask how the business will handle them: stop and quote, or fix and bill.

The cost over time

The cheaper finish today is not always the cheaper deck. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory's Wood Handbook estimates that a semitransparent stain on new, smooth deck boards lasts about 2 to 3 years, and on weathered or rough boards about 3 to 6 years.^[1] It rates paint and solid-color stain low for decks,^[1] and notes that film-forming finishes on decks often do not last any longer than penetrating stains.^[1] A penetrating stain needs redoing more often, but each round is mostly cleaning and one coat. A film that peels means stripping before anything else can go on.

Exposure matters too. The handbook notes: "The shaded side of a structure may not need to be re-stained nearly as often as the sunny side."^[1] A business may suggest doing the sunny steps and the open floor more often than the railings under the eaves.

Licences and contracts

DPOR says that if the work you are considering is valued at $1,000 or more, a valid Virginia contractor's licence is required.^[5] A Class C contractor's licence covers construction, removal, repair or improvement jobs with a single contract over $1,000 and under $30,000.^[3] The Board for Contractors' painting and wallcovering specialty covers applying coatings for protective or decorative purposes, including the surface preparation, sanding and cleaning before painting, on both interior and exterior surfaces.^[4] Check the licence on DPOR's lookup before you sign. Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work.^[5]

If the deck or the house trim next to it has old paint and the house was built before 1978, anyone paid to do work that disturbs painted surfaces in a home built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices.^[6] Ask any business you invite to quote whether it is certified.

Getting quotes you can compare

Virginia's Board for Contractors advises homeowners to get at least three written bids or estimates^[5] based on the same specifications. It also warns: "Beware of any bid substantially lower than the others."^[5] DPOR says a very low bid probably means the contractor has made a mistake or is not including all the work the others quoted, so ask each business what its price covers.

The Board's payment advice: limit a deposit to 10% down or $1,000, whichever is less, do not pay 100% of the bill until the job is 100% complete, and never pay cash.^[5]

Doing it yourself

On a ground-level deck with a sound penetrating finish, the cost of doing it yourself is the cleaner, the stain, brushes, rags and a couple of dry days. The cost rises fast with stripping, a high deck or lots of railing. See how to stain a deck and whether to do it yourself or hire someone.

Stop and call a pro if

• The quote, or the job, has grown into repairs to boards, joists, posts, stairs or railings.
• The old finish is peeling paint on a house built before 1978.
• Reaching the railings or the outside of the deck means working from a ladder.

Getting quotes on Loclis

On Loclis you describe the deck staining job once and local businesses quote it. A business that needs to see the deck first can offer an estimate visit, and a paid visit's fee comes off the price of the work. Loclis's own fees are on the pricing page. You can also browse deck staining and sealing, look up exterior pros around Blacksburg, or read more exterior answers.