Few home projects deliver as much daily enjoyment as a deck. They return 65 to 80 percent of their cost at resale, and you get years of outdoor living space in the meantime. The biggest variable in deck cost is material choice, and this guide breaks down what you can expect to pay for each option.
The three main decking materials are pressure-treated lumber, composite, and hardwood. Each has a different upfront cost, maintenance requirement, and lifespan, and the cheapest upfront option is not always the cheapest over time.
Pressure-treated (PT) pine is the most affordable decking material at $3 to $6 per square foot for the boards alone. A 300-square-foot deck costs $900 to $1,800 in decking material. The trade-off is maintenance: PT wood needs staining or sealing every 2 to 3 years, and individual boards may warp, crack, or split over time. Lifespan: 15 to 20 years with maintenance. It is the best choice for budget-conscious homeowners who do not mind annual upkeep.
Composite decking (Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon) costs $5 to $13 per square foot for materials. A 300-square-foot deck runs $1,500 to $3,900 in boards. Composite requires zero staining, does not splinter, and resists rot and insects. Lifespan: 25 to 50 years depending on the product tier. Over a 20-year ownership, composite often costs less than PT when you factor in the stain, sealer, and replacement boards PT requires.
Tropical hardwoods like ipe, cumaru, and mahogany cost $8 to $20 per square foot for materials. A 300-square-foot deck costs $2,400 to $6,000 in boards. Hardwood is extremely dense, naturally resistant to rot and insects, and has an unmatched look and feel. It can be left to weather to a silver-gray patina or oiled annually to maintain its original color. Lifespan: 30 to 50+ years. It is the premium choice for homeowners who want a natural-wood deck with minimal maintenance.
Decking boards are only part of the total cost. The substructure (posts, beams, joists) uses pressure-treated lumber regardless of the decking material and costs $4 to $8 per square foot of deck. Fasteners, joist hangers, and hardware add $0.50 to $1 per square foot. Railing is a significant cost: basic PT railing runs $25 to $50 per linear foot installed, composite railing $50 to $80, and cable or glass railing $80 to $150. A 300-square-foot deck with 50 linear feet of railing adds $1,250 to $7,500 for railings alone. Concrete footings for the posts cost $30 to $75 each (materials), and a typical deck needs 6 to 12 footings.
Professional deck installation adds $15 to $35 per square foot for labor, which can double or triple the total project cost. Building a deck yourself is a realistic project for a handy homeowner with basic carpentry skills. The framing is repetitive and logical, and composite and PT boards install with common tools. The foundation work (digging post holes, pouring concrete footings) is the most physically demanding part. If you are not comfortable with the structural framing, consider hiring a contractor for the substructure and footings, then installing the decking boards and railing yourself to save a substantial portion of the labor cost.
Most decks require a building permit, especially if they are attached to the house or more than 30 inches above grade. Permit fees range from $100 to $500. Code requirements include specific footing depths (below frost line), joist size and spacing, ledger board attachment to the house (with proper flashing), and railing height (36 inches minimum, 42 inches in some areas). Ignoring permits can create problems at resale. A home inspector will flag an unpermitted deck and the buyer may demand it be brought up to code or removed. The permit process is not complicated: submit a basic plan with dimensions, footing locations, and materials, and schedule inspections at the footing and final stages.
Here is the real cost comparison for a 300-square-foot deck over 20 years. Pressure-treated: $5,500 initial build + $200 per year in stain and maintenance + $1,500 board replacement = $11,000 total. Composite: $8,500 initial build + $0 annual maintenance = $8,500 total. Hardwood: $10,500 initial build + $100 per year for optional oiling = $12,500 total. When you account for maintenance, composite decking is often the most cost-effective choice over a 20-year ownership period. It is also the lowest-effort option, which has real value when you would rather spend weekends on the deck than staining it.
