A cedar deck is one of the better investments you can make in a backyard. It looks beautiful, resists rot naturally, and adds real resale value. But before you fall in love with a design, you need a number.
This guide covers the full installed cost of a cedar deck, not just the lumber. You will see per square foot pricing, total budgets by deck size, where every dollar actually goes, and the add-ons that quietly inflate a quote. If you are shopping raw lumber by the board foot instead, our cedar wood pricing guide covers that separately.
A word of caution up front. Published cost ranges for cedar decks vary a lot, from about $14 to over $50 per square foot installed depending on who you ask. That spread is real, and it reflects genuine differences in labor rates, deck height, and design. The figures below are planning ranges to help you budget, not a quote, and we are not financial advisors. Get a written estimate before you commit to anything.
The Short Answer: Cedar Deck Cost in 2026
- Installed, all in: roughly $25 to $50 per square foot for a typical cedar deck, with simple ground-level builds landing lower and elevated or complex decks landing higher.
- Materials only: about $5 to $10 per square foot for the cedar deck boards themselves.
- A common 12 by 16 deck: roughly $4,800 to $9,600 installed.
- The national average deck project: lands in the ballpark of $6,500 to $8,500, though cedar with upgrades runs higher.
Where the Money Actually Goes
Here is the part that surprises most homeowners. The cedar boards are not the biggest expense. Not even close.
Labor is the heavyweight, running $10 to $30 per square foot and commonly eating 40 to 70 percent of the total. Building a deck is skilled, physical work: digging footings, framing to code, cutting, fastening, and finishing. The frame beneath your cedar adds another $5 to $10 per square foot in treated posts, beams, joists, and stainless hardware.
Only then do you get to the cedar deck boards, at $5 to $10 per square foot. This is why shaving your board budget saves less than you expect. Dropping from a clear grade to a knotty grade might trim a few percent off the whole project, because roughly three quarters of the bill is everything that is not the cedar.
Cedar Deck Cost by Size
Deck size is the single biggest driver of total cost. Note that bigger decks usually cost a little less per square foot, because mobilization, design, and setup time spread across more area.
| Deck size | Square feet | Typical installed range | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 x 10 | 100 | $2,500 to $5,000 | A small sitting area or grill pad |
| 12 x 12 | 144 | $3,600 to $7,200 | A table and four chairs |
| 12 x 16 | 192 | $4,800 to $9,600 | The most common size, dining plus lounging |
| 16 x 20 | 320 | $8,000 to $16,000 | Entertaining, multiple zones |
| 20 x 20 | 400 | $10,000 to $20,000 | Large gatherings, outdoor living room |
These assume a straightforward, ground-level rectangular deck. Change any of that and the number moves.
What Pushes a Cedar Deck Budget Higher
Two decks of identical size can differ by thousands. These are the factors that explain the gap.
- Deck height. Ground-level decks under 30 inches often skip railings, stairs, and even permits. Raised decks add all three and can push the total up 20 to 50 percent. Second-story decks are the most expensive of all.
- Railings. Required by code above a certain height, and they add up at roughly $20 to $60 per linear foot. Around a large deck, that is a significant line item.
- Stairs. A full staircase commonly runs $1,400 to $2,600 installed, or roughly $25 to $50 per stair.
- Cedar species and grade. Clear, knot-free western red cedar costs meaningfully more than knotty grades. Northern white cedar is the budget species.
- Site conditions. Sloped ground, poor soil, tree removal, and grading can add $500 to $2,000 in site prep before a single board goes down.
- Tearing out an old deck. Demolition and disposal typically runs $5 to $15 per square foot.
- Illinois frost line. Cold-climate footings must extend below the frost line, which means deeper piers and more concrete than in southern states. It is a real, unavoidable cost of building here.
- Extras. Lighting adds roughly $450 to $800, and built-in benches, planters, or a pergola can add $1,000 to $5,000 or more.
A Realistic Sample Budget
Numbers land better with an example. Here is how a 12 by 16 foot ground-level cedar deck, 192 square feet, might break down at the middle of the range.
| Line item | Estimated cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar deck boards | $1,350 | 192 sq ft at about $7 per sq ft |
| Frame, footings, hardware | $1,400 | Treated posts, beams, joists, stainless screws |
| Labor | $3,400 | The largest share, as always |
| Permit | $250 | Varies by municipality, $100 to $500 |
| Railings | $1,200 | Skip this on a low ground-level deck |
| Estimated total | $7,600 | Roughly $40 per sq ft installed |
Add a staircase, lighting, or a raised platform and this climbs quickly. Build it low to the ground without railings and it drops. That single deck could honestly be quoted anywhere from about $5,000 to $11,000 depending on those choices.
Is a Cedar Deck Worth the Cost?
Two things make the case. First, decks return more at resale than most interior remodels, and wood deck additions in particular recoup a strong share of their cost. Second, cedar sits in a comfortable middle: more beautiful and stable than pressure-treated pine, less expensive to install than composite.
The honest trade-off is upkeep. Cedar needs cleaning yearly and sealing every two to three years, and a professional staining runs a few hundred dollars per cycle. Budget for that from the start. Left bare, cedar still performs, it just fades to a silvery gray that some homeowners love and others do not.
If you want to see what different budgets actually produce, explore beautiful naperville decks designed for outdoor living and compare finished projects against your own plan.
How to Save Money on a Cedar Deck
- Keep it simple and low. A rectangular, ground-level deck skips railings, stairs, and often permits. Complexity is where budgets die.
- Choose knotty over clear. Select Tight Knot cedar looks warm and rustic and costs noticeably less than clear grades.
- Do the finishing yourself. Staining and sealing after the build is the easiest task to take on, and it saves several hundred dollars.
- Build in the off-season. Peak spring and summer demand raises labor rates. Fall scheduling can save real money.
- Get three written quotes. Bids vary widely. Compare line items, not just the bottom number, and confirm what is included.
- Keep a contingency. Set aside 10 to 20 percent for surprises like soil conditions or material price swings. Lumber prices move week to week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a cedar deck cost per square foot?
Installed, a cedar deck typically runs about $25 to $50 per square foot, though published ranges start as low as $14 for simple builds. The cedar boards alone cost $5 to $10 per square foot. Labor and framing make up most of the rest.
How much does a 12×16 cedar deck cost?
A 12 by 16 foot cedar deck, 192 square feet, typically costs about $4,800 to $9,600 installed. Adding stairs, railings, or elevation pushes it toward the higher end or beyond.
Why is labor such a big part of the cost?
Deck building is skilled, physical work involving footings, code-compliant framing, precise cutting, and finishing. Labor commonly accounts for 40 to 70 percent of a cedar deck’s total cost, at roughly $10 to $30 per square foot.
Is cedar cheaper than composite decking?
To build, yes. Cedar installs for less than most composite lines. Over 20 years the gap narrows, because cedar needs regular sealing and staining while composite needs only cleaning. Your ownership timeline decides which is cheaper overall.
Do I need a permit for a cedar deck?
Usually yes, though many municipalities exempt decks under about 200 square feet that sit less than 30 inches off the ground. Permits typically cost $100 to $500. Check with your local building department, since rules vary.
What is the cheapest way to build a cedar deck?
Build a simple rectangle at ground level, choose a knotty cedar grade, skip railings and stairs where code allows, handle the staining yourself, and schedule the work outside peak season.
The Bottom Line
Plan on roughly $25 to $50 per square foot installed for a cedar deck, or about $4,800 to $9,600 for a common 12 by 16 build. Remember that labor and framing, not the boards, drive most of that number, so design simplicity saves more than cheaper lumber does.
Because lumber prices shift and every yard is different, the only figure that matters is a written estimate on your actual deck. Homeowners can explore deck options in barrington il with local experts and get a free, itemized quote before committing to a budget.