Most deck staining companies in Chicago will not put a number on a page. We do, because the number is the first thing every homeowner wants to know and because our estimates are itemised anyway. The prices below come straight from the rate card our estimators use. They assume a one-story deck in the suburbs and a standard finish; a walkthrough confirms the size and condition, and the written estimate you get is the price you pay.
Key Takeaways
- A full refinish (wash, brightener and stain) on a typical 200 to 400 square foot deck with a railing runs about $1,700 to $2,100. Small decks under 200 square feet start around $1,400. Large decks of 800 square feet or more run $2,400 to $3,000 and up.
- Per square foot, most decks land between $4 and $7. Small decks cost more per foot because minimums apply; very large decks come in under $3.
- A deck without a railing costs about $400 to $500 less than the same deck with one.
- Stripping a failed finish adds about $4 per square foot. A light sanding over a sound oil finish adds $1.25 per square foot.
- Cleaning alone starts at $450 with a railing and $400 without. Jobs inside the city of Chicago run about 10% more; second-story and rooftop decks are priced on site.
What a Full Refinish Includes
Every staining price on this page is for the whole job, not the coat of stain. The deck is washed with a wood cleaner at low pressure, treated with a brightener that opens the grain and restores the color, left to dry to a measured moisture level, then stained and back-brushed so the finish penetrates instead of sitting on top. The cleaner, brightener and dry time are what make the stain last; skipping them is how a deck ends up peeling in a season. Our deck preparation guide explains each step.
Deck Staining Prices by Deck Size
The table assumes a deck with a railing, one story off the ground, in the suburbs. The low end of each range is a water-based solid stain; the high end is a penetrating oil such as Rymar Xtreme Weather, which costs about twice as much per gallon and takes longer to apply. Most of the wood decks we finish get the penetrating oil, so expect the upper half of the range. Stairs are counted in the square footage.
| Deck size (with railing) | Wash, brighten and stain | Per square foot |
|---|---|---|
| Under 200 sq ft | $1,400 to $1,700 | $9 to $11 |
| 200 to 400 sq ft | $1,700 to $2,100 | $5 to $7 |
| 400 to 600 sq ft | $1,900 to $2,300 | $4 to $5 |
| 600 to 800 sq ft | $2,100 to $2,600 | $3 to $4 |
| 800 to 1,000 sq ft and up | $2,400 to $3,000+ | $2.50 to $3 |
The per-square-foot number falls as the deck gets bigger because the wash and the setup are priced in size bands rather than by the foot. A 150 square foot balcony deck takes almost as long to set up, mask and clean as a 300 square foot one, which is why small decks look expensive per foot and why we quote the job, not the square footage.
Where the Money Goes on a 300 Square Foot Deck
This is the itemised estimate for the most common deck we see: about 300 square feet, a railing, one story up, in the suburbs.
| Line item | Typical cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Wash | $600 | Wood cleaner, low-pressure wash of the floor and railing |
| Brightener and supplies | $70 | Brightener, masking, applicators |
| Staining labor | $900 to $1,050 | Application and back-brushing, floor and railing |
| Stain | $150 to $300 | Two gallons, water-based solid to penetrating oil |
| Total | $1,700 to $2,000 | Written estimate confirmed after the walkthrough |
Stain is billed by the whole gallon at roughly 250 square feet per gallon, so a 300 square foot deck uses two gallons whether it needs 1.2 or 2. The leftover comes back to you for touch-ups.
Decks Without a Railing
A ground-level deck or a platform deck with no railing is a smaller job: less to wash, less to brush, and no balusters to work around. The same 300 square foot deck without a railing runs about $1,300 to $1,550, and the saving holds across sizes at roughly $400 to $500. Other vertical wood is measured as area and added at the deck's rate: a privacy wall 30 feet long and 6 feet high adds 180 square feet, and lattice skirting or a pergola is measured the same way.
What Adds to the Price
Stripping and sanding
The single biggest add-on is removing an old finish that has failed. A penetrating stain that has faded evenly needs no stripping; a peeling solid stain, a film-forming sealer or paint has to come off before anything new goes on. Sanding prices depend on what is on the wood now.
| Condition of the deck | Sanding or removal | On a 300 sq ft deck |
|---|---|---|
| Peeling film finish, solid stain or paint that must come off | $4.00 per sq ft plus supplies | About $1,300 |
| Previously coated with a latex or acrylic stain that is still sound | $2.00 per sq ft plus supplies | About $700 |
| Previously oiled, light sanding to open the grain | $1.25 per sq ft, $300 minimum, plus supplies | About $475 |
| New, never-finished wood with mill glaze or raised grain | $0.75 per sq ft, $150 minimum, plus supplies | About $325 |
Supplies for removal run about $100 per 300 square feet. Everything in this table is on top of the wash, brighten and stain price above, which is why a deck that has been let go until the finish peels costs nearly twice what a deck on a regular schedule costs. Our guide to why decks peel shows what that failure looks like.
Height and access
The prices above are for a deck one story off the ground. Second-story decks and rooftop decks take ladder or hoist work, longer setups and more masking, and we price them on site. Rooftop decks downtown also tend to be smaller and windier, which changes the product choice; see our downtown Chicago page for how those jobs run.
Inside the city
Jobs inside the Chicago city limits run about 10% more than the same job in the suburbs. Parking, permits for parking, carry-in access through gangways and tighter working days are the reasons. Staining itself needs no building permit anywhere in Chicagoland.
Product choice
Benjamin Moore Woodluxe, our water-based option, is the low end of every range above. Rymar Xtreme Weather, the penetrating oil we use on most wood decks, is the high end: the material costs about $150 a gallon against $75, and it takes more time to apply properly. Our products page explains when each one is the right call. Clear finishes are priced the same as stains, because the labor is the same; only the product changes.
Cleaning Only
If the finish is still beading water and the deck just needs a wash, the price is the wash line alone, plus brightener. Prices are for one story in the suburbs.
| Deck size | With railing | Without railing |
|---|---|---|
| Under 200 sq ft | $450 | $400 |
| 200 to 400 sq ft | $600 | $500 |
| 400 sq ft and up | $700 | $600 |
| New deck, light clean before a first coat | From about $315 | From about $280 |
A wash is also the cheapest maintenance a deck gets. Dirt and mildew hold water against the finish, and a yearly wash is often the difference between a maintenance coat in year three and a strip in year four. Our deck maintenance page covers the schedule.
Why Two Quotes for the Same Deck Can Be $800 Apart
When a quote comes in far below the ranges on this page, look for what it leaves out. The usual gaps: no brightener, so the wood is clean but the grain is closed and the stain sits on top; no drying time, so the stain goes on over wet wood; one thin coat of whatever is on the truck; no moisture meter; and no warranty in writing. A cheap job that peels in a year costs the full stripping price to undo, which is more than the difference between the two quotes. Every Deck Doc refinish carries an 18-month warranty against peeling, and the estimate lists each step so you can compare like with like. Our warranty page has the terms.
Doing It Yourself
The materials are the small part of the bill. Stain runs $75 to $150 a gallon, cleaner and brightener about $70 for a typical deck, and a rented pressure washer for a day. The cost is the two or three weekends, and the risk is the finish. Most of the stripping jobs we do are decks where a film-forming product went on over wood that was not clean or dry, and at $4 a square foot to remove, one failed coat costs more than a professional job would have. If you do go ahead, our guide to the best way to apply deck stain is the process we use.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to stain a 300 square foot deck in Chicago?
About $1,700 to $2,100 with a railing, or $1,300 to $1,550 without, for a full wash, brighten and stain on a one-story deck in the suburbs. Add about 10% inside the city.
What is the cost per square foot to stain a deck?
Most decks come in between $4 and $7 per square foot for the complete job. Decks under 200 square feet run $9 to $11 per foot because the minimums apply, and decks over 800 square feet come in under $3.
Is sealing cheaper than staining?
No. A clear sealer takes the same wash, brightener, drying and application as a stain, so the price is the same. It also needs redoing about every year, where a pigmented penetrating stain lasts two to four years, so clear costs more over time. Our post on clear deck sealers explains when clear is still the right choice.
Does the price include cleaning?
Yes. Every staining price on this page includes the wash and brightener. We do not stain a deck we have not cleaned.
Is there a minimum charge?
A wash starts at $450 with a railing and $400 without. The smallest full refinish is about $1,400.
When is the cheapest time to have a deck stained?
Prices do not change by season, but scheduling does. Late August through September has the most reliable weather and the shortest wait; see our guide to the best time of year to stain a deck in Chicago.
For a written, itemised price on your deck, request a free estimate. We measure the deck, check the finish that is on it now, and give you the number before any work is scheduled. Details of the service are on our deck staining page.
