Wood deck cost in Ohio
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (300 sq ft)
- $7,400 – $14,900
- Per sq ft
- $24.50 – $49
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −2%
- US $11,400
- Metros covered
- 8
Across Ohio, a wood deck costs about $7,400 to $14,900 for 300 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 2% below the US figure of $11,400. Carpenters earn a median $29.24 an hour in Ohio (US: $29.12).
Inside Ohio, the metros we cover range from $10,700 (Youngstown) to $11,600 (Columbus) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 300 sq ft in Ohio (statewide), standard level
$9,650 to $12,600
About $32 to $42 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,100 | $6,700 |
| Labor | $4,450 | $5,850 |
| Permits and fees | $75 | $110 |
| Total | $9,650 | $12,600 |
Cost breakdown for 300 sq ft in Ohio
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $3,950 | $5,900 | $7,850 | 53% |
| Labor | $3,450 | $5,150 | $6,850 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $45 | $95 | $140 | 1% |
| Total | $7,400 | $11,100 | $14,900 | 100% |
How Ohio compares with nearby states
Ohio ranks 25 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for wood deck, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $14,300 and the cheapest Oklahoma at $9,900, both for 300 sq ft at the midpoint. Ohio sits at $11,100. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 130 miles away | $6,800 – $13,700 | $10,300 | −8% |
| Michigan | 180 miles away | $7,450 – $15,000 | $11,200 | +1% |
| Indiana | 180 miles away | $7,500 – $15,000 | $11,300 | +1% |
| Kentucky | 210 miles away | $7,000 – $14,100 | $10,500 | −5% |
| Illinois | 280 miles away | $8,700 – $17,500 | $13,100 | +17% |
Why two Ohio quotes can differ
Wood species
Pressure-treated pine is the cheapest at $25-$50 per sq ft installed. Ipe runs $50-$70 and bamboo $27-$52 (HomeGuide).
Height and stairs
A second-story deck needs more structure. New stairs run $1,400-$2,600 installed.
Railing
A wood or vinyl railing adds $20-$60 per linear foot.
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.
Weather windows across Ohio
Weather decides when exterior installation can happen, and Ohio is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Cincinnati has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Ohio at 11 months (February through December); Youngstown has the shortest at 9 (March through November). Rainfall runs from 32 inches a year in Toledo to 43 inches in Cincinnati.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | 22 | 85 | 42 | 9: March through November |
| Cincinnati | 24 | 87 | 43 | 11: February through December |
| Cleveland | 24 | 81 | 33 | 9: March through November |
| Dayton | 20 | 87 | 42 | 9: March through November |
| Akron | 21 | 85 | 33 | 9: March through November |
| Toledo | 20 | 85 | 32 | 9: March through November |
| Canton | 20 | 84 | 42 | 9: March through November |
| Youngstown | 19 | 83 | 41 | 9: March through November |
Wood deck cost by metro in Ohio
2 of the 8 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $11,100, and the top-to-bottom gap is 8%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (300 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | $7,750 – $15,500 | $11,600 | +4% |
| Akron, OH | $7,450 – $15,000 | $11,200 | +1% |
| Cleveland, OH | $7,400 – $14,900 | $11,200 | level |
| Cincinnati, OH | $7,350 – $14,800 | $11,100 | −1% |
| Toledo, OH | $7,350 – $14,700 | $11,000 | −1% |
| Dayton, OH | $7,250 – $14,600 | $10,900 | −2% |
| Canton, OH | $7,200 – $14,400 | $10,800 | −3% |
| Youngstown, OH | $7,150 – $14,300 | $10,700 | −4% |
If you are planning more than one job in Ohio
Each project weights the trades differently, so Ohio's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, paver patio is +5% and detached garage −1%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck | 300 sq ft | $12,000 – $24,100 | level |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,150 | +3% |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $3,150 – $5,750 | +5% |
| Detached garage | 576 sq ft | $28,700 – $57,600 | −1% |
Add-ons priced for Ohio
Add-ons start from national price ranges and are scaled by 0.99 for Ohio, which is the average of the area's wage index (1.04) and goods price index (0.94). The estimator above can add them to your total.
| Add-on | Local range |
|---|---|
| Add stairs (flat) | $1,400 – $2,550 |
What carpenters and the other trades earn in Ohio
Ohio's labor line is priced from 2 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.04 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 80% of the weighting: a median of $29.24 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.42 and $36.47 an hour. About 18,450 work in the state. That is 33.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $26.96 an hour, which is 19% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.09 and $35.76 an hour. BLS counts 31,910 of them working in the state, 57.5 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($36.47 an hour) would add about $980 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($23.42) would take off about $790. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 5,550,180 jobs across Ohio (May 2025), which is 3.6% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 80% | $23.42 | $29.24 | $36.47 | $29.12 | 1.00 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.09 | $26.96 | $35.76 | $22.66 | 1.19 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.04 | |||||
Basic, standard or premium: Ohio prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from 10x12 (120 sq ft) to 20x20 (400 sq ft).
Basic
$7,400 to $10,400
Pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle
Standard
$9,650 to $12,600
Cedar or upgraded pine, stairs and a railing
Premium
$11,900 to $14,900
Hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x12 (120 sq ft) | $3,000 – $4,200 | $3,900 – $5,100 | $4,800 – $6,050 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $3,600 – $5,050 | $4,650 – $6,150 | $5,750 – $7,200 |
| 16x20 (320 sq ft) | $7,900 – $11,100 | $10,300 – $13,500 | $12,700 – $15,900 |
| 20x20 (400 sq ft) | $9,850 – $13,800 | $12,800 – $16,800 | $15,800 – $19,800 |
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Wood deck in Ohio: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a wood deck in Ohio?
$7,400 to $14,900 for 300 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Ohio can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Ohio is cheapest for wood deck?
Youngstown at about $10,700 (midpoint, 300 sq ft). The priciest is Columbus at $11,600.
+Is wood deck cheaper in Ohio than the US average?
It is 2% cheaper: $11,100 against $11,400 for 300 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Ohio?
About 46% ($5,150). Materials are 53%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.04x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Ohio?
The BLS statewide median is $29.24 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.42 to $36.47.
+Where does Ohio rank for wood deck costs?
25th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $11,100 for 300 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium wood deck work cost in Ohio?
For 300 sq ft, basic work runs $7,400 to $10,400 and premium work $11,900 to $14,900. Basic means: pressure-treated pine, low to the ground, simple rectangle. Premium means: hardwood decking, multi-level, built-in features.
+Does the season matter for wood deck in Ohio?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Ohio metros we cover, Cincinnati has the most comfortable months (11 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
+What does "add stairs" add in Ohio?
$1,400 to $2,550, from a national range scaled by the statewide wage and goods indexes.
Wood deck by city in Ohio
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