Estimate installed cost per square foot, wood or composite
| Material | Low / sq ft | Typical / sq ft | High / sq ft | 300 sq ft Deck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated pine | $18 | $30 | $42 | $5,400 – $12,600 |
| Cedar or redwood | $25 | $40 | $55 | $7,500 – $16,500 |
| Composite | $25 | $38 | $55 | $7,500 – $16,500 |
| PVC / polymer | $32 | $48 | $65 | $9,600 – $19,500 |
| Hardwood (ipe) | $40 | $55 | $75 | $12,000 – $22,500 |
National 2025-26 installed ranges including framing, footings, standard railing, and labor for a ground-level deck. Raised decks add about 10% and second-story decks about 55% (deeper footings, taller structure, full perimeter guardrail).
| Pressure-Treated Wood | Composite | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront, 300 sq ft installed | ~$9,000 | ~$11,400 |
| Yearly upkeep | $250 – $600 (clean & seal every 2–3 yrs) | $50 – $150 (soap & rinse) |
| Typical lifespan | 15 – 20 years | 25 – 30 years |
| Est. 20-year total | ~$17,500 | ~$13,400 |
| Resale recoup | ~75% – 85% | ~50% – 65% |
| Fade & splinter | Weathers gray without sealing | Holds color, no splinters |
20-year totals use typical mid-range installs plus midpoint upkeep ($425/yr wood, $100/yr composite); recoup figures follow Remodeling magazine's Cost vs. Value Report trends. Composite's edge grows if you'd otherwise pay someone to seal the wood.
Deck pricing runs by the square foot, installed, with height and railing as the big modifiers. This calculator prices the five common decking materials at ground level and scales for height, stairs, and railing upgrades.
Total = length × width × material rate ($30/sq ft pressure-treated, $38 composite, and so on, each with low and high bounds) × height factor (1.00 ground, 1.10 raised, 1.55 second story) + stairs ($400–$900 per set wood, $600–$1,300 composite or PVC) + railing upgrade per linear foot of guarded edge. Railing length assumes an attached deck railed on three sides: length + 2 × width.
Enter the deck's finished dimensions. Pick ground level for walk-out platforms under 2 ft, raised for the common 3 to 6 ft backyard deck, and second story for balcony-height builds. Standard builder's rail is already in the base price; only add a railing upgrade if you want cable, glass, or metal balusters, which are priced per foot of edge.
A 12×20 (240 sq ft) ground-level pressure-treated deck with one stair set and standard railing: $18–$42 per sq ft plus $400–$900 for stairs, or $4,720 to $10,980, with about $7,800 typical. That's the median American backyard deck.
Now the premium version: a 20×15 (300 sq ft) second-story composite deck with a stair set and cable railing. 300 × $25–$55 × 1.55 = $11,625 to $25,575, plus $600–$1,300 for composite stairs and cable rail at $55/LF across the 50 ft guarded edge ($2,750 typical). Total: about $21,320 typical, ranging $14,975 to $29,625. Height and railing did most of that, not the square footage.
Numbers are national planning ranges; lumber and composite pricing move with the commodity market, so collect three bids.
A 12x12 (144 sq ft) pressure-treated wood deck at ground level runs about $2,600 to $6,000 installed, with $4,300 typical. The same footprint in composite runs $3,600 to $7,900. Raised or second-story builds, extra stairs, and upgraded railings add from there.
Up front, no: composite runs $25–$55 per sq ft installed versus $18–$42 for pressure-treated pine. Over 20 years, usually yes. On a 300 sq ft deck, wood costs about $9,000 up front plus $250–$600 a year in cleaning and sealing, while composite costs about $11,400 up front plus $50–$150 a year to maintain. That's roughly $17,500 for wood versus $13,400 for composite over two decades.
About 55% more than a ground-level deck in the same material, or roughly $45 per sq ft for pressure-treated wood (versus $30 at grade). The premium pays for deeper footings, taller posts or steel framing, a ledger attachment with proper flashing, engineering, and guardrails on all open sides.
The framing and substructure: posts, footings, beams, and joists typically run a third of the total. This is also why raised and second-story decks cost so much more: the geometry of support grows while the visible decking surface stays the same.
Wood decks are one of the better-value exterior projects: Remodeling's Cost vs. Value Report shows a wood deck addition recouping roughly 75% to 85% of cost. Composite decks recoup less, closer to 50% to 65%, since buyers pay for the deck, not the brand of board.
Composite decking lasts 25 to 30 years with basic care, versus 15 to 20 years for pressure-treated pine that's cleaned and sealed every 2 to 3 years, 20 to 30 for cedar, and 40-plus for hardwoods like ipe. Warranties on composite often run 25 to 30 years against fading and staining.