Booking May to October deck staining season

Deck staining for cottages and homes across Lake Nipissing country.

Hand-cleaned with TSP. Scraped, sanded, and finished with Benjamin Moore Arborcoat or Dulux. Cedar, pressure-treated pine, railings, gazebos, and dock surfaces. A 1-year written warranty on every job. Serving North Bay and a 45-mile radius across Nipissing.

Get Free Estimate Call (705) 482-1142

Fully bonded + insured

1-year warranty

WSIB covered

Lakefront expertise

Arborcoat + Dulux

Cottage deck specialty

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No obligation · No pressure · 1-year warranty

Deck staining · North Bay, Ontario

Cottage and residential deck staining since 2016.

Deck staining in North Bay typically costs $500 to $2,500 for a residential deck and $2,500 to $6,000 for large multi-level cottage decks, depending on size, wood type, and prep. North Bay Painting Services hand-cleans with TSP and wood cleaner, scrapes any flaking finish, sands rough spots, and applies one to two coats of Benjamin Moore Arborcoat (primary) or Dulux deck stain across a 45-mile radius from North Bay — including Callander, Corbeil, Sturgeon Falls, Powassan, South River, and Mattawa. We are cottage-country specialists with deep Lake Nipissing experience: mildewcide-treated stains for high-humidity lakefront decks, dock surfaces, and boathouse decks. Every deck job is fully bonded, insured, and WSIB covered, backed by a 1-year written workmanship warranty. Owned and operated by Ahmed Khalil, owner and lead painter, who personally walks every cottage job.

North Bay Lake Nipissing Benjamin Moore Arborcoat Dulux Deck Stain Cedar Pressure-Treated Pine Composite Semi-Transparent Solid Stain Mildewcide-Treated 1-Year Warranty WSIB Covered Ahmed Khalil Cottage Country Since 2016

What's included

Every deck job. Every time. Prep is the work.

The difference between a stain that fails in 18 months and one that holds for 4 years is prep. Hand-clean, brighten, scrape, sand. We don't shortcut those steps to lower the price — and we hand-clean rather than blast deck boards with high-pressure water, because forcing water into the wood weakens fasteners and traps moisture under the finish.

Hand-clean with TSP

Brushed-on TSP or wood cleaner with mildewcide. Garden-hose rinse. Removes dirt, mildew, algae, and pollen without forcing water into joints.

Wood brightener (if needed)

Oxalic-acid brightener neutralizes greyed, weathered cedar and pressure-treated pine and restores the wood pH so stain bonds properly.

Scrape + sand flaking finish

Hand-scrape lifting or peeling finish. Random-orbit sand on flat surfaces, hand-sand railings and balusters. Knock fuzz off freshly cleaned wood.

Carpentry add-on (flagged)

Rotten boards, soft fasteners, or split joists get flagged in writing as a carpentry add-on before we book. Replacement done by our trade partner.

One to two coats Arborcoat

Benjamin Moore Arborcoat semi-transparent, solid, or translucent. Dulux deck stain on commercial. Brushed in and back-rolled for full saturation.

Railings, stairs, balusters

Every spindle, post cap, and stair tread gets the same product as the deck floor. Hand-cut transitions to siding and trim.

Composite cleaning + UV

Composite decking gets a deck wash and clear UV protectant — never stain. Stain will not bond to composite and we won't sell you a coat that fails.

1-year written warranty

Premature peeling, lifting, or blistering of our application — we come back and fix it. Written, signed, on every quote.

Decks we stain

Every deck type, every wood, every setting.

Cedar through pressure-treated pine, residential through cottage. We match the right Arborcoat or Dulux system to the substrate, the exposure, and the look you want.

Residential decks

Backyard decks 8x10 to 16x20. Cedar, pressure-treated pine, ipe. Semi-transparent or solid Arborcoat in your colour.

Cottage decks

Lake Nipissing, Trout Lake, Lake Nosbonsing, Callander Bay. Multi-level wraparounds. Mildewcide stain for lake humidity.

Lakefront + dock surfaces

Above-water dock decking, boathouse decks, swim-platform tops. UV-stable, foot-traffic-tolerant Arborcoat solid.

Railings + stairs

Pickets, top rails, stair risers, treads. Hand-brushed for full coverage. Often bundled with a full deck job.

Gazebos + pergolas

Cedar gazebos, lattice pergolas, screened porches. Stain on every face including the underside if visible.

Boathouse decks

Roof decks on boathouses, dockside decks, swim-tower platforms. Lake-spray-rated mildewcide finishes.

Composite (clean + UV)

Trex, TimberTech, Veranda. Cleaning and clear UV protectant only — composite does not accept stain.

Pressure-treated pine

Brown- or green-tint pressure-treated lumber. Wait 6 to 12 months for new builds before staining; we test moisture before applying.

Transparent pricing

Real deck staining ranges. No hidden markup.

Every estimate is free and on-site. We measure linear footage of railings, square footage of deck floor, and condition before we quote.

Small deck (≈10x12)

$500 – $900

ground-level, basic railings

Standard deck (≈12x16)

$1,200 – $2,000

railings, stairs, single coat

Large or multi-level

$2,000 – $2,500

two coats, complex railings

Cottage / wraparound

$2,500 – $6,000

multi-deck, lakefront, dock

Railings + stairs only

$2.00 – $4.00

per linear foot

Composite clean + UV

$1.25 – $2.25

per sq ft · clear protectant

Ranges reflect 2026 North Bay market pricing for full-prep deck staining. Carpentry repairs, client-arranged pressure cleaning prior to our arrival, lift access, and lakefront-only access fees are quoted separately.

Get Your Free On-Site Estimate

How we work

Six steps on every deck job.

Same process whether it's a 10x12 backyard deck or a wraparound multi-level cottage on Lake Nipissing.

On-site visit

Walk the deck. Measure square footage and railings. Photograph current condition. Test moisture on pressure-treated lumber.

Written quote

Fixed-price estimate within 24 hours. Stain spec, semi-transparent vs solid, schedule, weather contingency, carpentry flagged.

Hand-clean + brighten

Brushed-on TSP and wood cleaner. Garden-hose rinse. Oxalic-acid brightener if greyed. Scrape any flaking finish.

Sand + repair

Random-orbit sand the deck floor. Hand-sand railings. Carpentry sub replaces any rotten boards before stain.

Brush + back-roll

Cut in railings, posts, and edges by brush. Apply Arborcoat or Dulux to the floor with brush + back-roll for full saturation.

Cure + walkthrough

Allow 24 to 48 hours of cure before foot traffic. Walk every section with you. 1-year written warranty issued at sign-off.

Stain products

Benjamin Moore Arborcoat. Dulux. Built for Northern wood.

We specify by wood type, exposure, and the look you want — not by price. You see exactly which Arborcoat or Dulux product is going on which surface before the first coat.

Benjamin Moore Arborcoat

Our primary deck stain line

Arborcoat is the gold standard for cedar and pressure-treated pine in Northern Ontario's freeze-thaw climate. Available in semi-transparent, semi-solid, solid, and translucent finishes — we specify based on wood condition, grain visibility, and recoat preference.

Arborcoat Semi-Transparent — shows grain, easy to recoat, 2 to 4 year cycle
Arborcoat Solid — paint-like opacity, 4 to 6 year cycle, hides weathered wood
Arborcoat Translucent — light-tinted UV protection for new cedar
Mildewcide additive — added on lakefront and shaded north-side decks

Dulux

Our secondary deck line

Dulux is our second specification line — used on commercial decks, rental properties, and projects where the homeowner has a Dulux colour locked in. Good Northern Ontario performance, easy local sourcing in North Bay.

Dulux Solid Deck Stain — opaque coverage for older decks and fences
Dulux Semi-Transparent — grain-showing finish for newer wood
Clear UV Protectant — composite-decking-safe, no pigment
Wood brightener + cleaner — prep chemistry that pairs cleanly with stain

What customers say

4.9 stars across 47 Google reviews.

A selection of what North Bay homeowners and cottagers have said about our deck work.

Our cedar deck was grey and blotchy. Ahmed's crew brushed on a wood brightener, sanded the rough spots, and put down two coats of Arborcoat semi-transparent. Looks like new wood again — and they did it without ever pointing a power sprayer at our boards.

Sarah K.

North Bay · Cedar deck refresh

Cottage on Lake Nipissing — wraparound deck, two stair sets, boathouse roof deck. Ahmed walked the whole job himself, recommended a mildewcide-treated Arborcoat solid because of how much spray we get. Three years in and the deck still looks tight.

Mark R.

Lake Nipissing · Cottage deck

Booked our pressure-treated deck and railings in South River. Crew flagged two soft boards in their quote, replaced them through their carpentry partner, then stained the whole thing in Arborcoat solid. Honest about what stain can and can't fix.

Linda C.

South River · PT deck + railings

Frequently asked

Deck staining questions, answered.

Still have one? Call (705) 482-1142 any time.

How much does deck staining cost in North Bay?

Deck staining in North Bay typically ranges from $500 to $2,500 for a typical residential deck and $2,500 to $6,000 for large multi-level cottage decks. A small 10x12 ground-level deck runs $500 to $900. A standard 12x16 deck with railings and a set of stairs runs $1,200 to $2,000. Wraparound and multi-level cottage decks on Lake Nipissing or in South River run $2,500 to $6,000. Every quote includes hand-cleaning with TSP or wood cleaner, scraping any flaking finish, sanding rough or fuzzy spots, and one to two coats of Benjamin Moore Arborcoat or Dulux deck stain applied by brush and back-rolled. Carpentry repairs (rotten board replacement) are a separate add-on and we flag them in writing before we book — backed by a 1-year written workmanship warranty.

Semi-transparent vs solid stain — which is better for my deck?

Semi-transparent stain is the right choice for new or clean cedar and pressure-treated pine where you want to see the wood grain. It penetrates the wood, weathers naturally, and is easy to recoat in 2 to 4 years without scraping. Solid stain is the right choice for older, blotchy, weather-grey, or previously-painted decks where the grain is no longer attractive — it hides imperfections, lasts longer between recoats, and reads almost like paint. We use Benjamin Moore Arborcoat semi-transparent or solid for most jobs and Dulux as our secondary line. For composite decking we never apply stain — composite gets a cleaning and a clear UV protectant only.

How long does deck staining take?

A typical residential deck takes 2 to 3 working days. A large cottage deck with multiple levels, railings, stairs, and a gazebo or pergola can take 4 to 6 working days. The schedule breaks down as roughly: half a day to hand-clean with TSP and brighten if needed, half a day to scrape and sand, 1 day for the first coat by brush and back-roll, and 1 day for the second coat plus railings, balusters, and a final walk-through. We need 24 to 48 hours of dry weather above 10 Celsius before we apply stain — wet wood will not accept finish. Cottage decks on Lake Nipissing usually get scheduled for shoulder weeks in May, June, and September when humidity off the lake is lower.

Can you stain my cottage deck on Lake Nipissing or in South River?

Yes — cottage decks are a core specialty. We stain decks across the entire 45-mile radius around North Bay, including lakefront cottages on Lake Nipissing, Trout Lake, Lake Nosbonsing, Callander Bay, the Mattawa River, and inland communities like South River, Powassan, Sturgeon Falls, and Mattawa. For high-humidity lake-adjacent decks we specify a mildewcide-treated stain (Benjamin Moore Arborcoat with mildew inhibitor) so the finish resists the algae and grey blooms that hit untreated wood near water. Ahmed Khalil, our owner and lead painter, personally walks every cottage job to scope dock surfaces, boathouse decks, and railing systems. We coordinate lockup, send daily photo updates, and accommodate absentee homeowners.

How long will the stain last?

Semi-transparent stain on a properly prepped horizontal deck surface lasts 2 to 4 years before a maintenance coat is needed. Solid stain on the same surface lasts 4 to 6 years. Vertical surfaces — railings, balusters, fascia boards, gazebo posts — typically last 1.5 to 2 times longer than the deck floor because they don't take foot traffic, snow load, or direct UV the same way. Lake-facing decks see slightly faster wear due to UV reflection off water and high humidity. Composite decks treated with a clear UV protectant need a refresh every 2 to 3 years. Our 1-year written workmanship warranty covers premature failure of our application — peeling, lifting, or blistering caused by the way we put the stain on — for the first year after the work is completed.