Deck Staining & Sealing

Deck staining and sealing

In Minnesota a deck takes UV all summer and then sits under snow and ice for five months. Unsealed, wood grays, checks, and starts holding water. A good stain job every 2 to 3 years is the cheapest thing you can do to keep a deck alive.

Our process

1. Repair first — pop nails, replace bad boards, set loose screws
2. Clean with a wood cleaner and, where needed, a brightener to pull out gray
3. Wash carefully — we do not blast wood with a pressure washer and furr the grain
4. Dry to the right moisture content before any product goes on
5. Apply semi-transparent or solid stain, back-brushed, including the rails and stairs
6. Two coats where the product calls for it

Typical cost

Deck size	Clean and stain
Up to 200 sq ft	$400 – $800
200 – 400 sq ft	$700 – $1,400
400 – 700 sq ft with rails	$1,200 – $2,400

Railings and spindles add labor — a deck with a lot of rail costs more than its square footage suggests.

Timing

Late spring through early fall. The wood has to be dry and temperatures have to hold above the product minimum overnight, which in Minnesota effectively means May through September.