DIY vs Hiring a Professional: What is the Cost of Staining a Deck, Fence, and Dock?
Josh Richards • Dec 26, 2022
DIY vs Hiring a Professional: What is the Cost of Staining a Deck, Fence, and Dock?
Be it your deck, fence, or dock, you need to apply stain to protect it from elements and give it a fresh appeal. You may choose to make it your next DIY project or hire an expert. But you’ve to do it. Else, the wood would expire soon, and you may have to reinvest in the entire project.
Now to the big questions: is it better to DIY or hire a professional, and what is the expected cost of staining a deck, fence, or dock? If you aren’t an expert and try to self-stain the wood, you may ruin the project and waste the entire investment. Redoing that job or calling an expert for that will cost you tons.
In this post, we give you a comparison between DIY and hiring a staining company. The staining projects we have considered in this post include:
What is the Cost to Stain Deck?
Here’s a comparison between staining the deck yourself and hiring a professional.
Cost to Stain a Deck Yourself
We suggest saving some bucks if you’re confident to stain the deck perfectly. Here’s the list of items you’ll need along with their relevant cost (cost is based on June 2021):
Tools and SuppliesCost
Plastic sheeting (10’x25’)$13Deck cleaner$10Deck scrub brush$8Orbital sander$75Three-pack sanding discs$5Paint sprayerBuy it for $250 – $300 or rent it for $100 per dayPower washer$70 – $300 per day rentPaint roller frame and rollers$15Paintbrush three-pack$20Stain and sealer$40 per gallon
Note: One gallon is enough to stain a deck of size between 200 and 300 square feet, depending on wood and stain type.
The total cost, excluding the paint sprayer, power washer, and stain and sealer, is $146 (give or take). Add the cost of the missing items, and your cost will go up.
Renting the paint sprayer is cheaper, but if you plan to stain the deck next year, it may cost you more. The power washer would treat your budget the same. You may acquire a power washer for as low as $100 from Amazon or go as high as your requirement.
The stain and sealer cost varies depending on the size of the deck. The average deck size in the US is between 300 and 400 square feet. So you may have to buy two gallons, which may cost nearly $80.
The total cost of the entire DIY project (considering you buy everything) may cost you nearly $576. The average cost of self-staining the deck, according to Bobvila, is $775.
Cost of Staining a Deck from a Professional
Professionals usually charge clients based on square feet. The average price range to stain a deck in the US is between $2-$4 sqft just for staining. So if your deck size is 300 square feet, expect a cost range of $600-$1200. A full restoration (cleaning and staining) would range from $5-$7 sqft. $1500-$2100. Hiring a professional wood staining team is more expensive than DIY deck staining cost. But if you’re a newbie and think you ruin the entire project, a DIY project would cost you more than hiring a team of experts.
This cost doesn’t include deck repairing or replacement costs.
What is the Cost of Staining a Fence?
Here is the cost breakdown of staining a fence yourself and the cost of fence staining when you hire a professional.
Cost to Stain a Fence Yourself
Fence staining could be slightly tough to handle than deck staining. You stand under the sun, vertically angling your brush or sprayer for the whole project.
Fence staining could cost you between $130 and $430 for a 100 square feet fence. The cost breakdown is as follows:
Tools and SuppliesCost
Brushes$2 – $15Buckets (5-gallon)$6 – $8Cardboard (overspray protection)$1 – $20Disposable masks$5 – $25Gloves$5 – $20Orbital sander$50 – $150Paint roller kit$10 – $25Paint trays$2 – $5Painter's tape$3 – $10Plastic drop cloths$5 – $30Pole sander$10 – $30Pump sprayer (for staining)$10 – $30Sandpaper$5 – $15Safety glasses$5 – $30Scrapers$6 – $20Trisodium phosphate (TSP)$5 – $12Gallon of primer (before painting)$20 – $50Gallon of Sealant (after staining)$20 – $50Gallon of exterior paint$30 – $80Gallon of exterior stain$20 – $50Paint sprayer / power roller rental per day$30 – $50Pressure washer rental per day$80 to $180
Note: Most fences require at least a couple of stain coats.
The fixed cost of staining a fence (excluding rentals and safety items) is between $105 and $310. If you want to stain fences, you may buy the pressure washer and paint sprayer from an online store like Amazon or Lowes.
According to Angi, the average cost of staining a fence in the US is $750.
Cost of Staining a Fence from a Professional
The cost to stain a 200 foot fence is higher if you hire a professional team. The team will charge you based on square feet. The average price of staining a 200 foot fence on both sides is $1440-$2400. The average price range on a 200 foot fence to do a full restoration (clean and stain) stain both sides a fence in the US is between $2400-$3000.
What is the Cost of Staining a Boat Dock?
Do you own a personal dock? Protect it from mold and other harmful elements and save thousands per year. Staining is the best way of protecting it and giving it a beautiful look.
Here’s an estimated cost of staining a dock:
Cost to Stain a Boat Dock Yourself
The cost breakdown of dock staining is as follows:
Tools and SuppliesCost
Plastic sheeting (10’x25’)$13Deck cleaner$10Deck scrub brush$8Orbital sander$75Three-pack sanding discs$5Paint sprayerBuy it for $250 – $300 or rent it for $100 per dayPower washer$70 – $300 per day rentPaint roller frame and rollers$15Paintbrush three-pack$20Stain and sealer$40 per gallon
The average cost to stain a boat dock of size 300 square feet is $146.
The average cost to stain the dock (300 sq.ft.) is similar to the cost of staining a deck, i.e., $775.
Cost of Boat Dock Staining from a Professional
The material cost to boat dock staining will remain the same (they may get it at lower prices). However, they will charge you more for labor costs.
The average cost of boat dock staining is nearly [please state your price per square feet] or [totol cost] for a 300 square feet dock.
What Should You Do: DIY or Hire Staining Professionals?
Everyone wants to save money and often thinks of staining the wood themself. But if you do the professional’s job, who’s going to do your job?
We suggest hiring a staining professional because they are experts and will do the job with less effort, time, and perfection. And if you’re a rookie, you may ruin the entire project.
Contact Precison Staining LLC for more help at 407-222-4058.
FAQs
Should you DIY or hire a staining professional?
It is always good to hire experts. DIY may lead to damaging the wood or wasting the material. The cost of hiring a professional staining company is high but justified by the results you get at the end of the project.
How long does it take to stain a deck at home?
Staining is usually a one-day job. However, you may want extra days to prepare the deck and apply sealer at the end of the project.
When is the best time to stain an exterior wood?
Fall is considered to be the best time to stain the outside wood. We also suggest starting the project early in the morning.