Wood deck cost in St. Louis, MO
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (300 sq ft)
- $8,250 – $16,500
- Per sq ft
- $27.50 – $54.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +9%
- US $11,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #32
- 1 = most expensive
A wood deck in St. Louis, MO usually costs $8,250 to $16,500 for 300 sq ft. That works out to about $27.50 to $54.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $1,050 more. Carpenters earn a median of $34.13 an hour in the St. Louis area, 17% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in St. Louis, MO, standard level
$10,700 to $14,000
About $35.50 to $46.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 48% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,450 | $7,150 |
| Labor | $5,200 | $6,800 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $110 |
| Total | $10,700 | $14,000 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in St. Louis, MO
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,200 | $6,300 | $8,400 | 51% |
| Labor | $4,000 | $6,000 | $8,000 | 48% |
| Permits and fees | $50 | $95 | $140 | 1% |
| Total | $8,250 | $12,400 | $16,500 | 100% |
Why St. Louis prices look the way they do
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 80%, construction laborers at 20%. Weighted together, St. Louis wages are 1.21 times the national level. Labor makes up about 48% of the midpoint estimate (44% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. St. Louis is at 100.0 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $6,300 nationally becomes $6,300 here (midpoint, 300 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 95.1: $50 to $140.
St. Louis weather and the wood deck calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, St Louis Sci Ctr (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in St. Louis are February through June and August through December: 10 of 12. Outside them, January has an average daytime high under 45°F, and July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
In January the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
St. Louis gets about 44 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are April, May and June (4.9 inches in May). Inside the workable window, February and December are the driest, at 2.3 and 2.6 inches. The station averages about 47 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41 | 25 | 2.7 | Cold |
| Feb | 46 | 28 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Mar | 56 | 38 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Apr | 68 | 48 | 4.8 | Workable |
| May | 77 | 59 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 86 | 67 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Jul | 90 | 72 | 4.2 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 70 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Sep | 82 | 62 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Oct | 70 | 50 | 3.2 | Workable |
| Nov | 56 | 39 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Dec | 45 | 30 | 2.6 | Workable |
St. Louis: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to St. Louis. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 10x12 (120 sq ft) to 20x20 (400 sq ft).
Basic
$8,250 to $11,600
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$10,700 to $14,000
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$13,200 to $16,500
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $3,350 – $4,700 | $4,350 – $5,700 | $5,350 – $6,700 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $4,000 – $5,600 | $5,200 – $6,800 | $6,400 – $8,000 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $8,800 – $12,300 | $11,400 – $15,000 | $14,100 – $17,600 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $11,000 – $15,400 | $14,300 – $18,700 | $17,600 – $22,000 |
Extras that change the St. Louis total
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 1.11 for St. Louis, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.21) and goods price index (1.00). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add stairs (flat) | $1,550 – $2,850 |
Specs and site conditions that change a St. Louis bid
Replacement versus new
Deck replacement costs $30-$55 per sq ft because of demolition and haul-away.
Permit
Deck permits average $50-$150. Many cities skip the permit for small, low, freestanding decks.
Wood species
Pressure-treated pine is the cheapest at $25-$50 per sq ft installed. Ipe runs $50-$70 and bamboo $27-$52 (HomeGuide).
Related projects, priced for St. Louis
Jobs that often go together with wood deck are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same St. Louis wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, paver patio comes out highest (+15%) and detached garage lowest (+10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $13,600 – $27,200 | +13% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,350 – $4,500 | +12% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,450 – $6,300 | +15% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $31,800 – $63,800 | +10% |
What local crews earn in St. Louis
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For St. Louis the blend is 1.21.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $34.13 an hour, 17% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $25.32 and $44.28 an hour. About 7,210 work in the metro. That is 53.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $31.01 an hour, which is 37% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $23.00 and $39.22 an hour. BLS counts 8,670 of them working in the area, 64.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $1,400 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,200. That is a swing of roughly 9.7% to 11.1% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
St. Louis has 1,341,320 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 23rd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $25.32 | $34.13 | $44.28 | $29.12 | 1.17 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $23.00 | $31.01 | $39.22 | $22.66 | 1.37 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.21 | |||||
How St. Louis compares
Same job, same size (300 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. St. Louis is the priciest of the group. Columbia is the cheapest at $10,900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MOthis page | $8,250 – $16,500 | $12,400 | |
| Springfield, IL85 miles | $8,200 – $16,400 | $12,300 | −1% |
| Jefferson City, MO95 miles | $7,300 – $14,600 | $11,000 | −11% |
| Columbia, MO120 miles | $7,250 – $14,500 | $10,900 | −12% |
| Bloomington, IL145 miles | $8,100 – $16,300 | $12,200 | −2% |
| Peoria, IL150 miles | $8,150 – $16,300 | $12,200 | −1% |
| Missouri (statewide) | $7,550 – $15,100 | $11,300 | −9% |
| United States | $7,550 – $15,200 | $11,400 | −8% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, St. Louis ranks #32 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, St. Louis is 9% above the Missouri figure.
Elsewhere in Missouri
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO | 1,096,110 jobs | $7,400 – $14,800 | $11,100 | −10% |
| Springfield, MO | 223,030 jobs | $6,950 – $13,900 | $10,400 | −16% |
| Columbia, MO | 107,680 jobs | $7,250 – $14,500 | $10,900 | −12% |
| Joplin, MO | 87,190 jobs | $6,800 – $13,700 | $10,200 | −17% |
| Jefferson City, MO | 80,220 jobs | $7,300 – $14,600 | $11,000 | −11% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is St. Louis against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore, MD | 1,356,680 jobs | $7,700 – $15,500 | $11,600 | −6% |
| Austin, TX | 1,293,690 jobs | $6,800 – $13,600 | $10,200 | −18% |
| Charlotte, NC | 1,358,370 jobs | $6,950 – $14,000 | $10,500 | −15% |
| Portland, OR | 1,208,410 jobs | $8,450 – $16,900 | $12,700 | +2% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Wood deck in St. Louis: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in St. Louis?
For 300 sq ft, expect $8,250 to $16,500 in the St. Louis area. A standard-spec job lands at $10,700 to $14,000. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for wood deck in St. Louis?
About $27.50 to $54.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $50 to $140 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $25 to $50.
+Is wood deck cheaper in St. Louis or Springfield?
Springfield is 85 miles away. The midpoint for 300 sq ft there is $12,300, which is 1% less than St. Louis ($12,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in St. Louis?
About 48% at the midpoint, or $6,000 out of $12,400. Materials are 51% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 44%.
+What would 16x20 (320 sq ft) cost in St. Louis?
$8,800 to $17,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does wood deck need a permit in St. Louis?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $50 to $140 for fees in the St. Louis area (our national range of $50 to $150 scaled by the local price level).
+Is St. Louis expensive for wood deck compared with the rest of Missouri?
St. Louis is 9% above the Missouri statewide estimate ($11,300 at the midpoint). We cover 6 metros in Missouri; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in St. Louis?
The BLS median is $34.13 an hour in the St. Louis area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $25.32 to $44.28.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in St. Louis?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $8,250 to $11,600 and premium work $13,200 to $16,500. Basic means: pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle. Premium means: hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features.
+When is the best time to build a wood deck in St. Louis?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through June and August through December. February and December are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
+What does "add stairs" add in St. Louis?
$1,550 to $2,850, from a national range scaled by the local wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck near St. Louis
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Deck? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Composite Decking Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020