What are the Costs of Maintaining Pressure-Treated Wood Decking?
Estimating the Cost of Wood Deck Maintenance
Sealing, Painting, and Staining
One of the key differences between composite decking and pressure-treated wood is that natural wood requires sealing and staining or painting. The first application is applied after an outdoor living structure is complete (this is not one of Archadeck’s services). Most of our clients prefer to let professionals seal, paint, and/or stain their pressure-treated wood decking, however, some choose to tackle this chore themselves. The average cost for this service in 2022 is $2.25-$5.00 per square foot, up from $2-$4 per square foot just a year ago.
On-Going Maintenance
In addition to the initial sealing, staining, and/or painting, pressure-treated wood will require whatever finish you choose to be reapplied over time. There are many factors that influence how often such maintenance will be required—two important ones are tree proximity and direct sunlight exposure. For staining and sealing, heavy sun exposure may require you to reapply the seal or stain once a year as UV damage from the sun will degrade the protective capabilities of the stain more quickly. If your deck is well protected, you may be able to go longer in between applications. One way to see if your natural wood needs a new coat of sealant, stain, or paint is to drop some water on it. If the water absorbs quickly into the wood, it is probably time for a reapplication.
In addition to the financial cost of sealing, staining, and painting, if you are doing the work yourself there is also the cost of time. When it becomes necessary to re-seal, re-stain, or re-paint, you’ll need to clean it several days beforehand to prepare the wood. You’ll then need to dedicate several days to applying the sealant and/or stain and letting it dry thoroughly.
Lifetime Costs
Over time the costs of maintaining natural wood decking can add up. You can estimate the cost for sealing, staining, or painting your pressure-treated wood decking by multiplying the square footage of your space times the likely cost and frequency of treatment. For example, using the approximate figures we cited earlier, a 250-square-foot wood deck that needs to be sealed and stained at $2.25 to $5 per square foot could cost in the range of $562-$1,250 each time the service is required. If the structure is exposed to harsh weather and sun and needs annual treatment, these costs could accumulate to $5,620-$12,500 over a 10-year period (the average lifespan of a natural wood structure is 10-15 years).
Comparing the Cost of Composite Decking and Natural Wood
Estimating the Cost of Wood Deck Maintenance
Sealing, Painting, and Staining
One of the key differences between composite decking and pressure-treated wood is that natural wood requires sealing and staining or painting. The first application is applied after an outdoor living structure is complete (service provided at later date, and would be a separate cost) Most of our clients prefer to let professionals seal, paint, and/or stain their pressure-treated wood decking, however, some choose to tackle this chore themselves.
On-Going Maintenance
In addition to the initial sealing, staining, and/or painting, pressure-treated wood will require whatever finish you choose to be reapplied over time. There are many factors that influence how often such maintenance will be required—two important ones are tree proximity and direct sunlight exposure. For staining and sealing, heavy sun exposure may require you to reapply the seal or stain once a year as UV damage from the sun will degrade the protective capabilities of the stain more quickly. If your deck is well protected, you may be able to go longer in between applications. One way to see if your natural wood needs a new coat of sealant, stain, or paint is to drop some water on it. If the water absorbs quickly into the wood, it is probably time for a reapplication.
In addition to the financial cost of sealing, staining, and painting, if you are doing the work yourself there is also the cost of time. When it becomes necessary to re-seal, re-stain, or re-paint, you’ll need to clean it several days beforehand to prepare the wood. You’ll then need to dedicate several days to applying the sealant and/or stain and letting it dry thoroughly.
Lifetime Costs
Over time the costs of maintaining natural wood decking can add up. You can estimate the cost for sealing, staining, or painting your pressure-treated wood decking by multiplying the square footage of your space times the likely cost and frequency of treatment. For example, using the approximate figures a 250-square-foot wood deck that needs to be sealed and stained at $2.25 to $5 per square foot could cost in the range of $562-$1,250 each time the service is required. If the structure is exposed to harsh weather and sun and needs annual treatment, these costs could accumulate to $5,620-$12,500 over a 10-year period (the average lifespan of a natural wood structure is 10-15 years