One of the most common questions I get before a job is some version of "what's a fair price for this?" It's a reasonable question and I respect it — you should know what you're getting into before anyone shows up with equipment. So here are real numbers, not the deliberately vague ranges that make it impossible to plan a budget.
Standard Deck Refinishing: What to Expect
A standard deck refinishing job involves three steps: a thorough pressure wash and chemical cleaning, light sanding to open the wood grain and remove any loose fibers, and application of a quality penetrating stain. For a 12x12 deck — 144 square feet, which is a typical size for a single outdoor living space — that work runs $1,500 to $2,000 in the Madison area.
That range accounts for variables like deck condition, wood type, accessibility, and the number of railings and stairs. A deck in good condition with straightforward access lands at the lower end. A deck with significant weathering, mold, or difficult access — tight fence line, multi-level drop, awkward angle — lands higher.
| Job Type | Description | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|
| Deck Refinishing | Wash, sand, stain — existing deck with previous product | $1,500 – $2,000 |
| New Deck First Stain | Wash, light sand, stain — fresh or recently built deck | $1,200 – $1,600 |
| Deck Sealing Only | Wash and seal, no stain color — often for new PT lumber | $800 – $1,200 |
| Heavy Restoration | Strip, wash, sand, treat, stain — neglected or film-coated decks | $2,200 – $3,500+ |
| Fence Staining (New) | 200 linear ft, 6 ft high — wash and stain | $2,200 – $2,400 |
New Decks Cost Less — Here's Why
If your deck is new or relatively recently built and has never been stained before, the job is simpler and the price reflects that — roughly 80% of a standard refinishing job. There's no old product to deal with, no coating to strip, and the wood is typically in better structural condition. The prep still matters — new pressure-treated lumber needs to be dry and clean before anything goes on — but we're not fighting against what a previous product left behind.
New PT lumber often needs to dry for 6–12 months after installation before it's ready to stain. If you're in that window, it's worth scheduling a check rather than waiting until you see damage — we can assess moisture content and tell you exactly where you stand.
Fence Staining: The Full Picture
Fences are priced differently than decks because the surface area calculation works differently — you have two sides, horizontal rails, vertical pickets, posts, and often an irregular profile that takes more time to cover thoroughly than a flat deck surface.
For a standard 200 linear foot fence, 6 feet high, on a new install that's ready to stain, you're looking at $2,200 to $2,400. That's for a full wash and quality penetrating stain application. If the fence has been previously coated with a film-forming product that needs to be stripped, add significant labor cost on top of that.
The per-linear-foot math on fence staining often surprises people — it comes out higher than deck staining per square foot because fences have more surface complexity and are generally harder to access efficiently than a flat deck platform.
The Replacement Cost Comparison
Here's the number that reframes the whole conversation about whether professional staining is "worth it."
Stain & Protect It
Professional wash, sand, and stain. Extends deck life by decades with proper maintenance every 3–4 years.
Replace It
Full deck replacement in the Madison area, depending on size, material, and contractor. PT lumber on the low end; composite or cedar higher.
A fence tells the same story. Replacing a 200-foot, 6-foot privacy fence runs $8,000 to $15,000 installed in this market. Staining and protecting it properly every few years keeps it looking good and functioning correctly for 15-20 years longer than a neglected fence would last.
Unprotected wood in a Wisconsin climate doesn't age gracefully. UV exposure grays the surface, freeze-thaw cycles work moisture into the grain and create cracks, and mold and mildew accelerate the breakdown from the inside. A deck that's never been stained or sealed is giving back structural life every winter. The replacement cost conversation stops being abstract pretty quickly once you've watched a few decks rot out ahead of their time.
What Drives Cost Up — And What Doesn't
A few things legitimately add to the cost of a deck staining job:
Previous film-forming product. If your deck has solid stain, deck paint, or a heavy synthetic coating on it, it has to come off before we can apply anything that will actually last. Stripping is labor-intensive and adds real cost. This is the most common reason a job comes in at the high end of the range.
Significant mold or mildew. Heavy biological growth requires more aggressive chemical treatment and longer dwell times. It's necessary — staining over mold is one of the fastest ways to cause premature failure — but it adds time.
Structural complexity. Built-in benches, pergola attachments, decorative balusters, multiple stair runs — all of these take more time to coat properly than a straightforward rectangular deck platform.
What shouldn't drive cost up is prep shortcuts. If a contractor is quoting significantly below the ranges above and the scope is the same, the most likely explanation is that something in the prep is getting skipped. That's not a deal — it's a problem you'll pay for later.
Bottom Line on Pricing
A properly done deck staining job in the Madison area costs $1,500–$2,000 for a standard 12x12 deck. New decks run about 20% less. Fences run $2,200–$2,400 for 200 linear feet. Against the cost of replacement — or the cost of a badly done job that has to be stripped and redone — those numbers are easy to justify.
If you want an exact number for your specific deck or fence, the free estimate process takes about 15 minutes and you'll leave knowing exactly what the job involves and what it costs. No surprises on the invoice.