Typical prices for deck staining and sealing
These are consumer-facing figures from 2026 cost guides, not rules. They show where the market sits so you can tell whether your price is far above or below it.
| What is priced | Published range |
|---|---|
| Total per square foot (Angi) | $2 – $4 |
| Total per square foot (HomeAdvisor; HomeGuide; Fixr) | $1 – $4 (HomeAdvisor); $1.57 – $4.04 power wash, stain and seal (HomeGuide); $2 – $5 including light sanding and sealing (Fixr) |
| Labor only per square foot (Angi, HomeAdvisor; Fixr) | $1 – $2.50, about $35 – $90 per hour (Angi); Fixr $1.50 – $3 with $0.50 – $2 for materials; up to $7 in high-cost areas or complex jobs |
| Thumbtack per square foot | As little as $0.50 – $2.50; national job range $873 – $1,897 (low $482, high $3,318) |
| Average whole-deck job | About $850 (Angi, range $100 – $1,465; HomeAdvisor $550 – $1,250); Fixr $750 ($550 – $850) |
| Power wash and stain (Angi, HomeAdvisor) | $50 – $100 per hour |
| Power washing before staining (Fixr) | $0.30 – $0.40 per square foot; cleaning $0.25 – $0.50 |
| Light / heavy sanding with staining (Angi, HomeAdvisor) | $1 – $1.50 / $2 – $4 per square foot |
| Paint or old-finish stripping (Angi, HomeAdvisor) | $9 – $12 per square foot (Fixr stripping step alone: $1 – $3) |
| Re-staining a deck in good shape (Angi, HomeAdvisor) | $0.50 – $1 per square foot; with full prep $4 – $7 (Fixr) |
| Railings, posts, handrails (Angi, HomeAdvisor; Fixr) | $4 – $12.50 per linear foot |
| Sealing only (Angi) | $550 – $1,400, about $0.75 – $4 per square foot; stain and seal together $800 – $1,700 |
| Stain per gallon, materials (Angi) | Water-based $20 – $90; oil-based $35 – $120; solid $25 – $70 |
By deck size, HomeAdvisor lists a 10x10 (100 sq ft) deck at $200 – $400, 12x16 (192 sq ft) at $375 – $775, 14x24 (336 sq ft) at $675 – $1,350 and 24x24 (586 sq ft) at $1,150 – $2,350. The sources overlap but do not agree: some include prep and sealing, some do not, and a few quote an all-in rate for the whole job while others split labor and materials. Compare several sources and your local competitors before you set a rate.
Per square foot, hourly, or by the job
- Per square foot for the flat boards. Measure length times width of the deck surface, and price stairs separately.
- Prep as its own line. Washing, light sanding and stripping take very different amounts of time. Naming each one lets the customer see why a weathered deck costs more.
- Railings per linear foot. Spindles and posts are slow; HomeAdvisor and Angi list $4 to $12.50 per linear foot.
- Minimum job fee. Small decks (10x10) still need setup, masking and cleanup, so set a minimum. Published 10x10 prices run $200 to $400.
- Dry time. Thumbtack notes the deck must dry after washing before stain goes on, so allow for a second visit or a longer day.
What moves the price
- Condition of the wood. Bare or weathered boards drink stain; old paint or solid finish needs stripping, the biggest single price jump.
- Stain type. Solid and oil-based products cost more per gallon, and a gallon covers roughly 150 to 300 sq ft per coat (retail guide figures), so a second coat doubles material.
- Railings and stairs. A deck with full railings can cost twice as much as boards alone.
- Height and access. Raised decks, multi-level decks and tight access slow the work.
- Location. Angi and HomeAdvisor say high cost-of-living areas can reach $7 per square foot.
Check the price against your costs
Add paid labor, the sprayer and washer, brushes and pads, stain waste, fuel, insurance, software, unbillable hours and overhead, then divide by the hours you can really bill. See how to calculate labor cost and your overhead rate, and use the hourly rate calculator to find your floor. For the washing step on its own, read how to price pressure washing.
A worked quote
Re-staining a 12x20 foot deck (240 sq ft) with light prep, using example rates (yours will differ). Staining and labor are $3.00 per square foot: 240 × $3.00 = $720.00. Railing is 30 linear feet at $6: 30 × $6 = $180.00. Power washing is included in the rate, and light sanding of rough spots is $0.50 per square foot.
| Deck boards, 240 sq ft × $3.00 | $720.00 |
| Railing, 30 ft × $6 | $180.00 |
| Light sanding of rough spots, 240 sq ft × $0.50 | $120.00 |
| Total | $1,020.00 |
|---|
Check it against the market: $3.00 per square foot is inside the $2 to $4 total range, $6 per linear foot is inside the $4 to $12.50 railing range, and $720 for boards sits inside HomeAdvisor's $475 to $950 range for a 12x20 deck. The $1,020 total is inside Angi's $800 to $1,700 stain-and-seal range. These figures are examples, not recommended prices.
Common mistakes
- Not saying whether power washing, sanding and sealing are included in the per-square-foot rate.
- Pricing railings and stairs at the flat-board rate.
- Quoting before checking for old paint or solid stain that needs stripping.
- Skipping a written estimate. Read how to write a contractor estimate for what to include.
Turn the numbers into a quote
Build the quote with the free painting estimate and invoice maker: list the deck area, railing and prep as separate lines and save a PDF. No sign-up. Working on a bigger job? Read how to price a change order.
Sources
- Angi, How Much Does It Cost to Stain a Deck?, 2026 (angi.com).
- HomeAdvisor, How Much Does It Cost to Stain a Deck?, June 2026 (homeadvisor.com).
- Thumbtack, Deck Staining Cost and Deck Refinishing Cost, 2026 (thumbtack.com).
- Fixr, Cost to Stain a Deck (fixr.com).
- HomeGuide's $1.57 to $4.04 range as summarized by Carolina Renew (carolinarenew.com), 2026, not read directly.
Prices are published averages read in November 2026 and vary by region. Read from search excerpts, not full pages. For planning only. This is not accounting, tax or legal advice.