Updated November 2026 US, UK, Canada and Australia Free calculator
Putting stain on a deck is the easy afternoon at the end of the job. The work, and the money, is in everything before it: washing, stripping or sanding the old finish, letting the wood dry, and brushing every railing spindle by hand. A deck in poor condition can take three times as long as a sound one of the same size.
To wash and stain the floor of a medium deck in sound condition, stain included, charge $610–$1,390 in the US, £220–£400 in the UK, C$720–C$1,620 in Canada and A$580–A$1,300 in Australia. Railings, steps and a failed old coating all push the price up, and the calculator shows how far.
Set the job details to get a price to quote, then check what that price leaves you per hour once driving, supplies and tax are counted.
sq ft
Length times width of the deck floor. A 12 by 25 ft deck is 300 sq ft.Length times width of the deck. A 4 by 5 m deck is 20 m².Length times width of the deck floor. A 12 by 25 ft deck is 300 sq ft.Length times width of the deck. A 5 by 6 m deck is 30 m².
We only publish going rates for the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Enter the price you plan to charge and the calculator shows what it pays you per hour, and the lowest price you should accept.
Charge about
$910
per job, stain included, for 300 sq ft
Budget$610Typical$910Premium$1,390
$
per job, stain included, in your own currency
What you really keep
$75an hour in your pocket at the typical price
Adjust the numbers above to match your job.
The price is built as a base fee plus a rate for the size of the job, then adjusted for the options you pick. Time is an estimate for one person working alone; change it if you know your own pace.
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Price list
Deck Staining prices by job size
Job
United States (USD)
United Kingdom (GBP)
Canada (CAD)
Australia (AUD)
Small deck or balcony
$270–$530about 100 sq ft
£150–£230about 10 m²
$320–$620about 100 sq ft
$300–$500about 10 m²
Medium deck
$610–$1,390about 300 sq ft
£220–£400about 20 m²
$720–$1,620about 300 sq ft
$580–$1,300about 30 m²
Large deck
$950–$2,250about 500 sq ft
£380–£740about 40 m²
$1,120–$2,600about 500 sq ft
$900–$2,100about 50 m²
Very large or two-level deck
$1,460–$3,550about 800 sq ft
£540–£1,080about 60 m²
$1,720–$4,100about 800 sq ft
$1,380–$3,300about 80 m²
Hourly rate
$40–$70what working pros bill
£20–£32what working pros bill
$35–$80what working pros bill
$45–$90what working pros bill
Minimum charge
$250smallest job worth the trip
£150smallest job worth the trip
$300smallest job worth the trip
$300smallest job worth the trip
Prices are per job, stain included in local currency, from a fair budget price to an established operator in a higher-cost area.
United States: Rates run 10 to 15 percent higher in the Northeast than the Midwest. Most decks are pressure-treated pine or cedar and need restaining every two to three years, which makes past customers worth a reminder.
United Kingdom: Decks are usually softwood and smaller than in North America, and the finish is more often decking oil than stain. Re-oiling alone runs about £8 to £15 per m². Work is squeezed into dry spells between April and September.
Canada: Published Canadian prices are thin. Figures here follow reported Ontario rates of about $3 to $7 per square foot for a maintenance recoat. The season is short, and wood must be dry and above about 10°C for stain to cure.
Australia: Hardwood decks such as merbau and spotted gum are oiled, not stained, and need doing every 6 to 12 months in full sun. That makes deck oiling steady repeat work. Sanding back and recoating runs about $35 to $65 per m².
Method
Ways to price deck staining
01By deck area
A base fee plus a rate per square foot or square metre of deck floor, with railings and steps added on top. This is how most guides and most professionals price, and it is what the calculator uses.
02Flat price after inspection
One figure for the whole job, given after you have looked at the boards, the old coating and the railings. Best for the customer, and safe for you as long as you inspect properly first.
03Priced in stages
Separate lines for washing, for stripping or sanding, and for staining. Useful when the customer wants to do part of the work, or when you cannot tell until after washing how much of the old finish will come off.
04Yearly maintenance
A light clean and a single maintenance coat every year or two, at a lower price than a full job. The deck never gets bad enough to need stripping, and you keep the customer.
Price factors
What changes the price
01The state of the old finish
Bare or evenly weathered wood needs a wash and a brightener. A peeling solid stain or old paint has to be stripped or sanded off board by board before anything new will stick. That turns a one-day job into two or three, and should cost about 60 percent more.
02Railings, spindles and steps
A railing with spindles has more surface than it looks, all of it brushed by hand from awkward angles. On many decks the railings take as long as the floor. Never include them at the floor rate.
03Weather and drying time
Wood must dry for a day or two after washing, and stain needs a dry, mild day to cure. Every deck is at least two visits, and rain can add a third. Plan your week around the forecast and price in the return trip.
04Type of stain or oil
Clear and semi-transparent finishes go on fast but show every flaw in the prep. Solid stains hide more but need careful cutting in and often two coats. Better products cost more per can and usually cover better.
05Height and access
A ground-level deck is simple. A raised deck means ladders for the outside of the railings and the fascia, and care about what drips on below. Second-storey decks should carry a clear surcharge.
06Repairs
Loose boards, popped nails and rot show up once the deck is clean. Fix small things as a priced extra, and tell the customer before you start that anything structural is outside a staining quote.
Worked examples
Real quotes, step by step
United States
Sound deck with railings
A 300 sq ft pressure-treated deck last stained three years ago. Faded but not peeling. Wash, then stain the floor, railings and steps.
The railings add a third to the price and half as much again to the time. Leaving them out of the quote is the most common way to lose money on a deck.
Base price, 300 sq ft
$910
Railings and steps as well
× 1.35
Move furniture and protect plants
+ $40
Quote, rounded
$1,270
Going range
$860–$1,920
Time, with 15 min driving
11.75 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $183
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $272
You keep
$69 an hour
United Kingdom
Small garden deck, cleaned and oiled
A 15 m² softwood deck, green and slippery after winter. Cleaned, left to dry and given two coats of decking oil.
Small decks are quick but still need two visits. The base fee is what stops the second trip from eating your profit.
Base price, 15 m²
£240
Quote, rounded
£240
Going range
£180–£320
Time, with 15 min driving
4.75 hours
Supplies and fuel
− £59
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− £45
You keep
£29 an hour
Australia
Hardwood deck, grey and neglected
A 30 m² merbau deck not oiled for four years. Grey, rough and patchy. Sanded back, then two coats of oil.
Restoration pays more but takes most of three days. Offer a yearly maintenance coat afterwards so the deck, and the customer, never get back to this state.
Base price, 30 m²
$880
Grey or peeling, needs stripping or sanding
× 1.6
Replace up to three damaged boards
+ $120
Quote, rounded
$1,530
Going range
$1,050–$2,200
Time, with 15 min driving
14.75 hours
Supplies and fuel
− $270
Set aside 25% for tax and overheads
− $315
You keep
$64 an hour
Your costs
What it costs you to do the work
If you already pressure wash, you own half the kit. Stain for each job is covered in the calculator.
Item
USA (USD)
UK (GBP)
Canada (CAD)
Australia (AUD)
Pressure washerUsed at low pressure. Too much pressure scars soft wood.
$300–$800
£200–£600
$400–$1,000
$450–$1,100
Orbital or deck sander
$80–$400
£60–£350
$100–$520
$120–$600
Stain pads, brushes, rollers and pump sprayer
$60–$150
£40–£120
$80–$200
$90–$220
Stain or oil for a medium deck
$100–$200
£50–£110
$130–$260
$180–$420
Cleaner, stripper and sheeting, per job
$20–$80
£15–£60
$25–$100
$30–$110
Liability insurance, per yearCovers stain on siding, paving and cars, which is the usual claim.
$400–$1,200
£70–£200
$500–$1,300
$400–$900
Avoid these
Pricing mistakes that cost beginners money
Quoting before testing the old finish
Scrape a hidden spot with a coin. If the old coating flakes, it all has to come off. Finding that out after you have quoted a simple wash-and-stain is how a profitable job becomes a loss.
Counting the floor and forgetting the rest
Railings, spindles, stairs, fascia and built-in benches can double the surface. Walk round the whole deck and list everything that gets stain.
Staining damp wood
Stain on wet wood peels within a season, and the customer will call you back. Wait the extra day. A second trip costs less than redoing the job for free.
No allowance for overspray and drips
Stain on house siding, paving or a car is expensive to put right. Sheeting and masking take time, and that time belongs in the price.
Questions
Common questions about deck staining prices
How much should I charge to stain a deck?
For a medium deck floor in sound condition, washed and stained with stain included, charge $610–$1,390 in the US, £220–£400 in the UK, C$720–C$1,620 in Canada and A$580–A$1,300 in Australia. Add about a third for railings and steps, and about 60 percent if the old finish must be stripped or sanded.
How much should I charge per square foot to stain a deck?
In the US, about $2 to $5 per square foot for a deck in sound condition and $4 to $8 for one that needs stripping or sanding. In Australia, about $18 to $40 per square metre to clean and oil, and $35 to $65 sanded and recoated.
How long does it take to stain a deck?
For a medium deck, allow about two hours to wash, a day or two for the wood to dry, then four to six hours to stain the floor. Railings and steps add several hours more.
Should I charge extra for railings?
Yes. Railings with spindles are slow brushwork and often take as long as the floor. Add about a third to the floor price, or price them by length.
Should the price include the stain?
It usually does. Include a named mid-range product in your price. If the customer wants a premium finish, add the difference, or let them buy it and take about 20 percent off for labour only.
What is a fair hourly rate for deck staining?
Painters and deck finishers bill about $40–$70 an hour in the US, £20–£32 in the UK, C$35–C$80 in Canada and A$45–A$90 in Australia. Most deck work is quoted by the job.
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Where these numbers come from
The rates on this page were set in November 2026 from the published price guides below, then checked so that the calculator, the price list and the examples all agree. How we work out prices.