Building a deck costs about $25 to $60 per square foot installed in 2026, or roughly $3,600 to $8,640 for a 12×12 deck. HomeGuide (February 2026) puts a new pressure-treated deck at $25 to $50 per square foot and composite at $40 to $80, while Angi (September 2026) reports $30 to $60 per square foot and a national average project of $8,320. For a 16×20 deck (320 sq ft), $25 to $60 per square foot works out to $8,000 to $19,200 before upgrades like built-in benches or lighting.
Prices updated October 2026.
This guide breaks down the cost to build a deck by material, by size and by line item, from footings and framing to railings, stairs, permits and tearing out an old deck. It also covers height, DIY savings and resale value, with each figure tied to its source. You can find more outdoor project guides in our deck guides.
Deck cost per square foot by material
Material is the biggest lever on deck cost per square foot. Installed prices include frame, footings and labor, so they run far above the price of the boards alone. The sources do not agree on every material, so the table shows each one side by side. Fixr last updated its figures in 2023, so treat its column as an older, lower benchmark.
| Material | Installed per sq ft (HomeGuide) | Installed per sq ft (Fixr) | Boards only per sq ft (Angi) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated pine | $25 to $50 | $15 to $25 | $2 to $5 | HomeGuide, Fixr, Angi |
| Cedar | $30 to $47 | $19 to $29 | $3 to $7 | HomeGuide, Fixr, Angi |
| Redwood | $28 to $54 | $27 to $38 | $5 to $35 | HomeGuide, Fixr, Angi |
| Composite | $40 to $80 | $28 to $40 | $12 to $22 | HomeGuide, Fixr, Angi |
| PVC (AZEK) | $60 to $80 | $17 to $33 | Not listed | HomeGuide AZEK guide, Fixr |
| Ipe (tropical hardwood) | $50 to $70 | $30 to $55 | $10 to $20 | HomeGuide, Fixr, Angi |
| Aluminum | $100 to $125 | $25 to $30 | $15 to $20 | HomeGuide, Fixr, Angi |
Forbes Home (February 2025) puts composite at $25 to $45 per square foot including labor, and lists uncapped composite at $20 to $40, capped at $30 to $60 and PVC at $40 to $70 without saying whether labor is included. The two places the sources disagree most are aluminum, where HomeGuide is roughly four times higher than Fixr, and PVC, where Fixr lists it below composite. When a quote looks off, ask whether it includes framing, railings and stairs.
Deck cost per square foot installed, by material
Pressure-treated pine: $25 to $50
Cedar: $30 to $47
Redwood: $28 to $54
Composite: $40 to $80
Ipe: $50 to $70
PVC (AZEK): $60 to $80
Aluminum: $100 to $125
Scale: $0 to $125 per sq ft. Source: HomeGuide (February 2026; AZEK guide for PVC).
How much does a deck cost by size?
To compare sizes on equal terms, the grid below multiplies each deck area by HomeGuide’s installed price range for four common materials. For example, a 12×16 deck is 192 sq ft, so pressure-treated at $25 to $50 per square foot comes to 192 × $25 = $4,800 up to 192 × $50 = $9,600.
| Size | Area | Pressure-treated ($25 to $50) | Cedar ($30 to $47) | Composite ($40 to $80) | Ipe ($50 to $70) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10×10 | 100 sq ft | $2,500 to $5,000 | $3,000 to $4,700 | $4,000 to $8,000 | $5,000 to $7,000 | HomeGuide rates × area |
| 12×12 | 144 sq ft | $3,600 to $7,200 | $4,320 to $6,768 | $5,760 to $11,520 | $7,200 to $10,080 | HomeGuide rates × area |
| 12×16 | 192 sq ft | $4,800 to $9,600 | $5,760 to $9,024 | $7,680 to $15,360 | $9,600 to $13,440 | HomeGuide rates × area |
| 16×20 | 320 sq ft | $8,000 to $16,000 | $9,600 to $15,040 | $12,800 to $25,600 | $16,000 to $22,400 | HomeGuide rates × area |
| 20×20 | 400 sq ft | $10,000 to $20,000 | $12,000 to $18,800 | $16,000 to $32,000 | $20,000 to $28,000 | HomeGuide rates × area |
Other sources land in a similar zone. Angi lists $5,760 to $8,640 for a 12×12 deck and $16,000 to $24,000 for a 20×20. Forbes Home gives $4,500 to $9,000 for a 12×12 and $12,000 to $24,000 for a 20×20. Trex prices a professionally installed 16×20 composite deck at $9,600 to $19,200, and notes that labor and project management make up nearly two thirds of the total.
What goes into a deck build cost
A per-square-foot price hides several separate jobs. Contractors usually price these line items individually, and knowing the ranges helps you read a bid.
| Line item | Typical cost | Unit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poured concrete footing | $50 to $400 | per footing | Angi |
| Poured concrete footer | $200 to $350 | per footing | Fixr |
| Concrete deck block | $50 to $150 | per footing | Fixr |
| Screw pile | $250 to $400 | per footing | Fixr |
| Wood framing, installed | $12 to $25 | per sq ft | Fixr |
| Wood decking on an existing frame | $11.98 to $15.44 | per sq ft | Homewyse (September 2026) |
| Wood railing, installed | $20 to $50 | per linear foot | HomeGuide |
| Composite railing, installed | $25 to $60 | per linear foot | HomeGuide |
| Stairs | $1,400 to $2,600 | per staircase | HomeGuide |
| Building permit | $50 to $150 (HomeGuide); $230 to $500 (Angi) | per project | HomeGuide, Angi |
| Old deck removal | $5 to $15 | per sq ft | Angi, Fixr |
Footings and posts
Footings carry the whole deck, and their count drives the cost. Angi notes that a deck needs a footing at each corner, with footings no more than about 8 feet apart, and that buried post footings go below the local frost line. If you are pouring your own, the volume is simple geometry. Minneapolis, for example, sets a 14-inch minimum for round footings, and a 14-inch round footing holds about 1.07 cubic feet of concrete per foot of depth (3.1416 × 0.583 ft × 0.583 ft). Enter your hole size, depth and count in our concrete calculator to see how many bags you need.
Framing and decking
Framing is the joists, beams and ledger under the boards. Fixr puts installed wood framing at $12 to $25 per square foot. Homewyse (September 2026) prices wood decking laid on an existing frame at $11.98 to $15.44 per square foot, a useful benchmark if your current frame is sound and you only want new boards.
Railings and stairs
HomeGuide prices installed railing at $20 to $50 per linear foot for wood and $25 to $60 for composite or vinyl, while glass panels run $100 to $600. A staircase adds $1,400 to $2,600 according to HomeGuide; Angi puts stairs on a second-story deck at $800 to $2,000.
Demolition of an old deck
Angi and Fixr both list $5 to $15 per square foot to tear out and haul away an old deck. Forbes Home quotes a lower $2 to $6 per square foot, or about $600 to $1,000 total. HomeGuide adds that demolition typically stretches a project by one to two days.
Ground-level vs raised and second-story decks
Height adds cost because a raised deck needs longer posts, guards and stairs, and Angi notes the installation is more complex and labor-intensive. The ranges below are installed prices per square foot.
| Deck type | HomeGuide | Fixr | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floating or freestanding | $20 to $25 | $20 to $40 | HomeGuide, Fixr |
| Ground-level or platform | $25 to $30 | $10 to $30 | HomeGuide, Fixr |
| Raised or elevated | $30 to $50 | $25 to $50 | HomeGuide, Fixr |
| Second-story | $50 to $60 | $30 to $60 | HomeGuide, Fixr |
| Multi-level | $60 to $100 | $30 to $75 | HomeGuide, Fixr |
Angi (July 2026) puts a second-story deck at $40 to $50 per square foot, with an average project of $4,800, and notes that permits for these decks run about $500. Angi also says custom shapes on an elevated deck can raise the price by 50% to 100%, so a simple rectangle is the cheapest way to go up. The other big savers: pick pressure-treated pine, keep the deck low, and reuse a sound frame if you are only replacing boards.
Deck permits and code basics
Permit rules for decks are set locally. As one example, the City of Minneapolis requires a permit when a deck is more than 30 inches above grade, is attached to the house, or is part of an accessible route. The same guide requires guards on open sides more than 30 inches above the ground, at least 36 inches tall, with openings too small for a 4-inch sphere to pass through.
Permit fees also vary widely. HomeGuide lists $50 to $150, Fixr $100 to $500, and Angi $230 to $500. Call your local building department before you buy materials, since plan review can add time to the schedule.
Worked example: a 12×16 pressure-treated deck
Here is a sample line-item estimate for a 12×16 (192 sq ft) pressure-treated deck about 3 feet off the ground, attached to the house with a ledger. The outer beam sits on three poured concrete footings, 8 feet apart. Railing runs along three open sides (16 + 12 + 12 = 40 feet), minus a 4-foot stair opening, for 36 linear feet.
| Line item | Math | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Footings | 3 × $200 to $350 | $600 | $1,050 | Fixr |
| Framing | 192 sq ft × $12 to $25 | $2,304 | $4,800 | Fixr |
| Decking boards installed | 192 sq ft × $11.98 to $15.44 | $2,300 | $2,964 | Homewyse |
| Wood railing | 36 ft × $20 to $50 | $720 | $1,800 | HomeGuide |
| Stairs | One staircase | $1,400 | $2,600 | HomeGuide |
| Permit | One permit | $230 | $500 | Angi |
| New build total | $7,554 | $13,714 | Sum of lines above | |
| Old deck removal (if replacing) | 192 sq ft × $5 to $15 | $960 | $2,880 | Angi |
| Total with removal | $8,514 | $16,594 | Sum of lines above |
The new build total equals about $39 to $71 per square foot ($7,554 ÷ 192 and $13,714 ÷ 192). That is above HomeGuide’s $25 to $50 range for pressure-treated decks because this example adds railing, stairs and height. As a cross-check, the 2025 Cost vs Value report priced a 16×20 pressure-treated deck with railing, three steps, a bench and a planter at $18,263, or about $57 per square foot ($18,263 ÷ 320).
DIY vs hiring a pro
Labor is a large share of any deck build cost. Forbes Home puts labor at $8 to $22 per square foot, roughly half the bill, while Trex says labor and management make up nearly two thirds of a composite deck project. HomeGuide estimates a DIY 12×12 deck at $2,000 to $4,000 in materials, or $14 to $28 per square foot, compared with $3,600 to $7,200 installed.
Using HomeGuide’s labor rate of $11 to $22 per square foot, building a 12×12 yourself saves about $1,584 to $3,168 in labor (144 × $11 and 144 × $22). Keep a few points in mind before you take it on:
- You still need the permit and inspections your city requires, and an inspector will check footings, framing and guards.
- Footing holes must reach below the local frost line (Angi), and digging them by hand is often the hardest part of the job.
- Raised and second-story decks cost more partly because of the engineering; HomeGuide lists structural engineers at $100 to $220 per hour if your plans need one.
- Tool rental, fasteners and waste disposal are easy to leave out of a DIY budget.
Does a new deck add resale value?
The 2025 Cost vs Value report from Zonda and JLC, the most recent edition we could open, tracks a 16×20 deck addition built on pressure-treated joists and 4×4 posts set on concrete piers, with railing and three steps to grade.
| Project (16×20 deck) | Job cost | Resale value | Cost recouped | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood (pressure-treated) | $18,263 | $17,323 | 94.9% | Cost vs Value 2025 |
| Composite | $25,096 | $22,199 | 88.5% | Cost vs Value 2025 |
The wood version returned a larger share of its cost than the composite one. HomeGuide gives a much lower estimate for wood decks, 45% to 55% of the cost recovered at sale, so the real payback in your market may fall anywhere between those figures.
Related calculator: Planning footings? Our free concrete calculator works out the volume and bag count for round or square footings. You can browse every tool on our calculators page.
If a new fence is also on your list, see our fence installation cost guide. Our editorial policy explains how we gather and check prices.
Related guides: composite vs wood deck cost compares 20 years of ownership, and deck staining cost shows what keeping a wood deck stained and sealed costs.
Common questions
How much does it cost to build a 12×12 deck?
A 12×12 deck (144 sq ft) costs about $3,600 to $7,200 installed according to HomeGuide, while Angi lists $5,760 to $8,640. Composite at $40 to $80 per square foot brings it to $5,760 to $11,520.
What is the cheapest material to build a deck?
Pressure-treated pine has the lowest starting price among common decking materials at HomeGuide, Angi and Fixr. Angi puts the boards at $2 to $5 per square foot, and HomeGuide prices a finished pressure-treated deck at $25 to $50 per square foot installed.
How much does a 16×20 deck cost?
At $25 to $60 per square foot, a 16×20 deck (320 sq ft) runs about $8,000 to $19,200. The 2025 Cost vs Value report priced a 16×20 wood deck with railing and steps at $18,263, and Trex lists $9,600 to $19,200 for a pro-built composite deck of that size.
Is it cheaper to build a deck yourself?
Yes, if you have the skills. HomeGuide estimates a DIY 12×12 deck at $2,000 to $4,000 in materials versus $3,600 to $7,200 installed, so the savings is mostly labor at $11 to $22 per square foot.
Do I need a permit to build a deck?
Usually. Minneapolis, for example, requires a permit for decks more than 30 inches above grade or attached to the house. Fees run $50 to $150 per HomeGuide and $230 to $500 per Angi.
How much does it cost to remove an old deck?
Angi and Fixr both list $5 to $15 per square foot for deck demolition and removal. Forbes Home quotes a lower $2 to $6 per square foot, or about $600 to $1,000 in total.
Sources
- HomeGuide: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck? (2026) (accessed October 2026)
- Angi: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck? [2026 Data] (accessed October 2026)
- Fixr: Cost to Build Deck (accessed October 2026)
- Forbes Home: How Much Does It Cost To Build A Deck? (accessed October 2026)
- Forbes Home: How Much Does Composite Decking Cost? (accessed October 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does AZEK Decking Cost? (2026) (accessed October 2026)
- Angi: How Much Does a Second Story Deck Cost? (accessed October 2026)
- HomeGuide: Porch and Deck Railing Costs in 2026 (accessed October 2026)
- Angi: What Is a Deck Footing? (accessed October 2026)
- Angi: How Much Does Deck Replacement or Repair Cost? [2026 Data] (accessed October 2026)
- Homewyse: Cost to Install Wood Decking (2026) (accessed October 2026)
- Zonda and JLC: 2025 Cost vs Value Report, National Results (accessed October 2026)
- JLC: Cost vs Value 2025, Deck Addition (Wood) project description (accessed October 2026)
- City of Minneapolis: Wood Deck Guidelines, One and Two Family Dwellings (accessed October 2026)
- Trex: Cost to Build a Composite Deck (accessed October 2026)