Data report · updated October 11, 2026
2026 Deck Cost Report: Composite vs Wood
A composite deck costs about 118% more to build than pressure-treated wood in 2026: $9,216 against $4,224 for a 12×16 ft deck. Even after 25 years of staining and a partial board replacement, wood still comes out $345 cheaper: $9,562 against $9,907.
Every figure below comes from the same model that runs the site's deck cost calculator and its state cost pages. They are estimates for budgeting, not quotes. Download the full data (CSV).
Key findings
- Installed composite runs $43.2–$55.2 per sq ft; pressure-treated pine runs $19.8–$25.3.
- On a 12×16 deck the up-front composite premium is about $4,992 nationally.
- Over 25 years the wood deck totals about $9,562 and composite about $9,907, a difference of $345.
- Cheapest states for a 12×16 composite deck: Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi. Dearest: Hawaii, Alaska, Illinois.
- At resale a wood deck recoups about 95% of its cost and a composite deck about 89% (Zonda / JLC Cost vs. Value 2025).
- Composite buys back time, not money: about 12 fewer weekends of staining over the deck's life.
Cost per square foot by material
WoodComposite / PVCReference deck: 16×12 ft (192 sq ft) where noted
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| Material | Installed $/sq ft | 12×16 deck (192 sq ft) |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure-Treated Pine | $19.8 – $25.3 | $3,802 – $4,858 |
| Cedar | $28.8 – $36.8 | $5,530 – $7,066 |
| Redwood | $34.2 – $43.7 | $6,566 – $8,390 |
| Composite (Trex/TimberTech) | $43.2 – $55.2 | $8,294 – $10,598 |
| PVC / Cellular | $52.2 – $66.7 | $10,022 – $12,806 |
| Ipe / Tropical Hardwood | $58.5 – $74.75 | $11,232 – $14,352 |
25-year cost: composite vs pressure-treated wood
The wood line steps up every 2 years for stain or sealer ($1.40/sq ft) and jumps in year 15 for partial board replacement (half the original install). Composite steps up only for a wash ($0.30/sq ft). These are the assumptions of the composite vs wood calculator, so you can rerun them for your own deck size. Even after 25 years of staining and a partial board replacement, wood still comes out $345 cheaper: $9,562 against $9,907.
WoodComposite / PVCReference deck: 16×12 ft (192 sq ft) where noted
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| Year | Pressure-treated, cumulative | Composite, cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | $4,224 | $9,216 |
| 5 | $4,762 | $9,331 |
| 10 | $5,568 | $9,504 |
| 15 | $8,218 | $9,619 |
| 20 | $9,024 | $9,792 |
| 25 | $9,562 | $9,907 |
Cost by deck size
| Size | Sq ft | Pressure-treated | Cedar | Composite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8x10 | 80 | $1,584 – $2,024 | $2,304 – $2,944 | $3,456 – $4,416 |
| 10x10 | 100 | $1,980 – $2,530 | $2,880 – $3,680 | $4,320 – $5,520 |
| 12x12 | 144 | $2,851 – $3,643 | $4,147 – $5,299 | $6,221 – $7,949 |
| 12x16 | 192 | $3,802 – $4,858 | $5,530 – $7,066 | $8,294 – $10,598 |
| 16x16 | 256 | $5,069 – $6,477 | $7,373 – $9,421 | $11,059 – $14,131 |
| 16x20 | 320 | $6,336 – $8,096 | $9,216 – $11,776 | $13,824 – $17,664 |
| 20x20 | 400 | $7,920 – $10,120 | $11,520 – $14,720 | $17,280 – $22,080 |
Deck cost by state (12×16 ft, standard height)
WoodComposite / PVCReference deck: 16×12 ft (192 sq ft) where noted
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| State | Pressure-treated | Cedar | Composite | Composite premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | $3,508 | $5,241 | $8,009 | +$4,502 (128%) |
| Alabama | $3,448 | $5,212 | $8,028 | +$4,580 (133%) |
| Mississippi | $3,462 | $5,227 | $8,044 | +$4,582 (132%) |
| Louisiana | $3,530 | $5,274 | $8,060 | +$4,530 (128%) |
| North Carolina | $3,500 | $5,265 | $8,083 | +$4,583 (131%) |
| Oklahoma | $3,604 | $5,347 | $8,131 | +$4,527 (126%) |
| Texas | $3,575 | $5,371 | $8,238 | +$4,664 (131%) |
| South Carolina | $3,604 | $5,393 | $8,249 | +$4,645 (129%) |
| Tennessee | $3,627 | $5,408 | $8,252 | +$4,624 (127%) |
| Florida | $3,578 | $5,547 | $8,259 | +$4,680 (131%) |
| West Virginia | $3,693 | $5,467 | $8,300 | +$4,608 (125%) |
| Georgia | $3,643 | $5,462 | $8,367 | +$4,724 (130%) |
| South Dakota | $3,827 | $5,576 | $8,369 | +$4,542 (119%) |
| New Mexico | $3,752 | $5,550 | $8,422 | +$4,670 (125%) |
| Kentucky | $3,782 | $5,573 | $8,433 | +$4,651 (123%) |
| Nebraska | $3,888 | $5,650 | $8,465 | +$4,577 (118%) |
| Idaho | $3,819 | $5,353 | $8,483 | +$4,663 (122%) |
| Kansas | $3,882 | $5,664 | $8,512 | +$4,630 (119%) |
| Utah | $3,910 | $5,719 | $8,610 | +$4,700 (120%) |
| Iowa | $4,007 | $5,781 | $8,618 | +$4,611 (115%) |
| Arizona | $3,909 | $5,889 | $8,636 | +$4,727 (121%) |
| Virginia | $3,849 | $5,707 | $8,673 | +$4,824 (125%) |
| Ohio | $4,042 | $5,837 | $8,710 | +$4,668 (116%) |
| Indiana | $4,130 | $5,970 | $8,914 | +$4,784 (116%) |
| Montana | $4,172 | $5,836 | $8,919 | +$4,746 (114%) |
| Wyoming | $4,212 | $6,039 | $8,961 | +$4,749 (113%) |
| Colorado | $4,100 | $5,971 | $8,963 | +$4,862 (119%) |
| Delaware | $4,153 | $6,016 | $8,998 | +$4,845 (117%) |
| Michigan | $4,240 | $6,090 | $9,050 | +$4,810 (113%) |
| North Dakota | $4,363 | $6,189 | $9,109 | +$4,747 (109%) |
| Maine | $4,297 | $6,149 | $9,111 | +$4,814 (112%) |
| Missouri | $4,240 | $6,115 | $9,117 | +$4,877 (115%) |
| Wisconsin | $4,418 | $6,261 | $9,212 | +$4,793 (109%) |
| Nevada | $4,288 | $6,189 | $9,233 | +$4,945 (115%) |
| Vermont | $4,392 | $6,263 | $9,257 | +$4,865 (111%) |
| Pennsylvania | $4,315 | $6,223 | $9,275 | +$4,960 (115%) |
| New Hampshire | $4,398 | $6,285 | $9,303 | +$4,906 (112%) |
| Rhode Island | $4,385 | $6,282 | $9,317 | +$4,932 (113%) |
| Connecticut | $4,427 | $6,493 | $9,372 | +$4,945 (112%) |
| Maryland | $4,304 | $6,262 | $9,392 | +$5,089 (118%) |
| Oregon | $4,393 | $5,991 | $9,663 | +$5,269 (120%) |
| Minnesota | $4,700 | $6,672 | $9,830 | +$5,130 (109%) |
| Massachusetts | $4,922 | $7,090 | $10,129 | +$5,207 (106%) |
| Washington | $4,779 | $6,439 | $10,204 | +$5,425 (114%) |
| New Jersey | $4,812 | $6,905 | $10,257 | +$5,445 (113%) |
| California | $4,787 | $6,718 | $10,281 | +$5,495 (115%) |
| New York | $4,904 | $7,183 | $10,358 | +$5,454 (111%) |
| Illinois | $4,954 | $7,033 | $10,366 | +$5,412 (109%) |
| Alaska | $5,252 | $7,181 | $10,740 | +$5,488 (105%) |
| Hawaii | $5,162 | $7,416 | $11,030 | +$5,868 (114%) |
Sorted by composite cost, cheapest first. Mid-point estimates; the calculator shows a range of about −12% to +15% around each.
Methodology
- National prices. Installed $/sq ft per material is the deck cost calculator's model (pressure-treated $22, cedar $32, composite $48, PVC $58 mid-point), shown as −10% to +15%. It includes framing, fasteners, a railing and one stair. HomeAdvisor's 2026 cost guide puts deck labor alone at $15–$35 per sq ft, which brackets the labor share used here.
- States. Each state's price = national price × (material share × goods price index + labor share × carpenter wage index), plus the extra digging for frost-depth footings. Wages are BLS OEWS May 2024 mean carpenter wages; the goods index is BEA's 2024 Regional Price Parities. Material shares: pressure-treated 45%, cedar 55%, composite 62%.
- Lifetime. Wood: stain or sealer at $1.40/sq ft every 2 years (12 cycles) and half the install cost again at year 15 for board replacement (pressure-treated boards last 10–15 years). Composite (25–30 year boards): a wash at $0.30/sq ft every 2 years. No inflation or discounting, so the figures are 2026 dollars.
- Resale. Share of cost recouped at sale from the Zonda / JLC Cost vs. Value Report 2025 (national averages).
- Limits. No survey of real invoices sits behind these numbers. Local lumber prices, builder backlog, site access and height move real quotes. Use them to sanity-check a quote, and get two or three written quotes.
Sources
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 state estimates
- BLS OEWS: Carpenters (47-2031)
- BLS OEWS: Construction Laborers (47-2061)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024
- HomeAdvisor, “How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck?”
- American Wood Council, DCA 6 Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide
Use this data
Journalists, bloggers and contractors may quote, chart or republish these figures with a link to this page. Suggested credit: “Source: 2026 Deck Cost Report, Smart Decking Calculator” linking to https://smartdeckingcalculator.com/2026-deck-cost-report.
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Questions
Is composite decking cheaper than wood in the long run?
Not on cost alone, on this report's model. A 12×16 ft composite deck costs about $9,216 installed against $4,224 for pressure-treated pine. Wood then needs staining or sealing about every 2 years and some new boards around year 15, while composite only needs washing. Even after 25 years of staining and a partial board replacement, wood still comes out $345 cheaper: $9,562 against $9,907. Composite's case is the time saved on upkeep, not the money; and at resale a wood deck recoups about 95% of its cost against 89% for composite (Cost vs. Value 2025).
How much more does a composite deck cost than wood in 2026?
About 118% more up front nationally: $9,216 vs $4,224 for a 12×16 ft deck at standard height. The gap ranges from $4,502 to $5,868 by state, because composite boards are a bigger share of the price and lumber prices vary less between states than carpentry wages.
What is the cheapest state to build a deck in?
Arkansas, on this model: about $3,508 for a 12×16 pressure-treated deck and $8,009 in composite. The dearest is Hawaii at $5,162 and $11,030. The spread comes mostly from carpenter wages (BLS) and, in a few states, deep frost-depth footings.
Can I use these numbers in an article?
Yes. Quote them with a link to this page as the source. The CSV download has every figure, and each chart has embed code that keeps the credit line. They are planning estimates from a published model, not contractor quotes or survey results.