# Deck Staining Santa Maria | Santa Maria Deck Builders > Cleaning, staining and sealing wood decks in Santa Maria, mildew cleaned off first. Clean and stain a typical deck for $700 to $2,200. URL: https://santamariadeckbuilders.com/deck-staining-and-sealing/ # Deck staining in Santa Maria starts with a clean deck and the mildew off. Santa Maria Deck Builders [/ →](/) cleans, stains and seals wood decks. Mildew gets cleaned off first, then a penetrating stain goes on. The boards, the railing and the stairs are all part of the job. - Free Estimates - Over 10 Years in Business - Licensed - Insured ![Wood deck half cleaned and stained, rich brown boards next to gray weathered ones](/images/misc/wood-deck-half-cleaned-and-stained-with-rich-brown.webp) ## Get Your FREE Estimate Tell us your town and the deck work you have in mind. Estimates are free. Thanks, we got your request. We'll be in touch about your estimate. ![Freshly cleaned wood deck boards drying in the sun, bucket and scrub brush near the railing](/images/misc/freshly-cleaned-wood-deck-boards-drying-in-the-sun.webp) ## What deck staining and sealing covers A good stain job is mostly prep. The cleaning comes first, and it matters as much as the stain. - Deck cleaning - Mildew cleaned off - Penetrating stain - Sealing - Railings and stairs included in the work Get Your FREE Estimate [#estimate-form →](#estimate-form) See the typical prices [#prices →](#prices) ## Cleaning comes first Before any stain goes on, the deck gets cleaned. That means the dirt and the gray, weathered surface on the boards, and it means the mildew. Mildew grows where a deck stays damp longest: in shade, out of the wind, near plants. It’s what turns the corner by the planters or the strip under the eaves black. It stains wood black but doesn’t rot it, so once it’s cleaned off, the wood underneath is ready for stain. ![Shady corner of a wood deck with black mildew stains next to a cleaned section](/images/misc/shady-corner-of-a-wood-deck-near-the-house-with-bl.webp) ## Then the stain and sealing Once the deck is clean and dry, we put a penetrating stain on the boards, the railing and the stairs. The railing and stairs aren’t an extra; they’re part of the job, because a deck with fresh boards and a gray railing doesn’t look finished. If an old finish on the deck has failed and has to be stripped off first, that’s more work. Stripping a failed finish before staining costs more than the staining range. ## How often a deck needs it A wood deck wants a fresh coat of stain every few years. You’ll usually see it before you think about it: the boards start to look gray, the stain wears through where people walk, or the shady spots go dark again. ![Freshly stained deck boards with a warm, even color, green hills and blue sky behind](/images/misc/freshly-stained-redwood-deck-boards-with-a-warm-ev.webp) ## Signs a deck is ready for stain ### Gray, weathered boards On the coast, weathered wood often turns a silvery gray. If the whole deck has gone gray, it’s ready to be cleaned and stained. ### Black spots in the shady corners Those dark patches by the planters, under the eaves or behind the furniture are usually mildew. They come off in the cleaning. ### Stain worn through where you walk A deck lies flat under sun and weather, and flat wood is often the hardest hit. The paths you walk most, from the door to the stairs, usually show it first. ### Boards that feel soft If a board feels soft or spongy underfoot, that’s not a staining problem. That’s a board to look at before anything else, and our deck repair [/deck-repair/ →](/deck-repair/) work handles it. We can do the repair and the staining in the same job. ## Wood decks only Staining and sealing is for wood decks: redwood, cedar and pressure-treated lumber. If you’re building new and still choosing the wood, see our redwood and wood decks [/redwood-and-wood-decks/ →](/redwood-and-wood-decks/) page. ## What deck staining costs A typical deck is about 16 by 20 feet off the back of the house, with a few steps down to the yard and railing around it. ### Clean and stain a typical deck $700 to $2,200 Cleaning, mildew off, and penetrating stain on the boards, railing and stairs of a typical deck. Stripping a failed finish before staining costs more than this range. Bigger decks run above it. Get Your FREE Estimate [#estimate-form →](#estimate-form) ## Why decks here go gray and black The weather in this part of California is mild, but it's steady work on a wood deck's finish. ### Fog and damp air Low cloud and fog come in at night and usually burn off by midday, and the air stays damp most of the year. ### Where mildew grows Mildew grows where a deck stays damp longest: in shade, out of the wind, near plants. It stains wood black but doesn't rot it, and it gets cleaned off before stain goes on. ### Salt, sand, wetting and drying Salt, sand and repeated wetting and drying are hard on wood and shorten the life of its finish. A deck lies flat under sun and weather, and flat wood is often the hardest hit. ### Silvery gray boards On the coast, weathered wood often turns a silvery gray. Cleaning and a fresh coat of penetrating stain are how a gray deck gets its stain back. ![Wood deck beside potted plants with one shady corner darker than the sunlit boards](/images/misc/wood-deck-beside-a-row-of-potted-plants-with-one-s.webp) ![Freshly stained wood deck railing and stairs in warm brown leading down to a lawn](/images/misc/freshly-stained-wood-deck-railing-and-stairs-in-a-.webp) ## How a deck staining job goes 1. 1 ### Send the estimate form Tell us your town, the work you want and anything you know about the deck. 2. 2 ### We look at the deck or the yard We look at the frame, the footings and the space, and check what permit rules apply. 3. 3 ### You get a free estimate A clear price for the work, in wood or composite where that's a choice. 4. 4 ### We do the work Footings, frame, boards, stairs, railing, stain or cover, whatever the job is. ## A question about staining & sealing ### What is the best finish for an old wood deck? A penetrating stain, put on after the deck is cleaned and the mildew is taken off. Paint and other film finishes tend to peel on a surface you walk on. Plan on a fresh coat of penetrating stain every few years. ## Related deck work ![Weathered wood deck with a few new boards set in among older gray boards, railing in view](/images/misc/close-view-of-a-weathered-wood-deck-with-a-few-new.webp) ### Deck Repair Loose or split boards, wobbly railings, tired stairs, posts, joists and footings, on the deck that's already there. Deck Repair [/deck-repair/ →](/deck-repair/) ![Warm reddish-brown redwood deck with wood railing and steps to a lawn, oaks on the hills behind](/images/misc/warm-reddish-brown-redwood-deck-with-wood-railing-.webp) ### Redwood and Wood Decks Redwood, cedar and pressure-treated wood decks. Redwood and Wood Decks [/redwood-and-wood-decks/ →](/redwood-and-wood-decks/) ![New pressure-treated wood deck with railing and steps down to a green lawn behind a single-story stucco home](/images/misc/new-pressure-treated-wood-deck-off-the-back-of-a-s.webp) ### Deck Building New decks from bare ground: footings, frame, boards, stairs and railings, in wood or composite, plus new railings and stairs on decks already there. Deck Building [/deck-building/ →](/deck-building/) ## Is your deck gray, black in the corners, or both? Send the estimate form with your town and a note about the deck. We'll look at it and give you a free estimate to clean and stain it. Get Your FREE Estimate [#estimate-form →](#estimate-form)