Pressure-Treated Deck Cost in Columbia, SC

Pressure-treated southern yellow pine is the budget pick, and it has been for decades. A pressure-treated deck in Columbia runs from about $49 per square foot installed, so a typical 200 to 500 square foot deck lands around $9,800 to $24,500. Those are typical ranges, not a quote. Your exact number is set in writing before any work starts.

Chonko Construction is a licensed South Carolina home builder (license #52210). We build pressure-treated decks across Columbia and the Midlands, with the full scope, schedule, and price in writing before the first board goes down.

What you're paying for

Pressure-treated lumber is real southern yellow pine run through a preservative treatment that makes it resistant to rot and insects. It's the lowest-cost way to get a structurally sound deck, it takes stain or paint in any color you want, and it's what most Midlands decks are framed with regardless of what the surface ends up being.

The trade is upkeep. Wood moves, wood grays, and wood needs a coat every few years to stay looking new.

Treated lumber corrodes the wrong metal, so hardware has to be rated for it.

A detail most homeowners don't expect

Fresh pressure-treated boards go down tight, butted edge to edge with no gap. That looks wrong the day it's built, and it's correct: the lumber is wet from treatment, and it shrinks as it dries over the first months. The gaps open up on their own. A brand-new PT deck built with gaps already spaced will end up with gaps twice as wide by the following summer.

Height, stairs, and railing length move a treated deck more than decking does.

What moves the number

Square footage and shape. Square footage scales the cost, and multi-level or angled layouts add framing and labor.
Height off the ground. A raised deck needs taller posts, more footings, and code-required railings and stairs.
Railings and stairs. Material and length here move the number, and a wood railing is the cheapest system you can put on a deck.
Stain or seal at build. Finishing the deck as part of the build costs less than doing it later.
Site and access. Slope, soil, and tight Midlands yards affect footings and how fast the crew can work.
Old-deck removal. Tearing out and hauling off a failing deck is its own line.

The upkeep math

Budget a clean and re-coat on a regular cycle, more often on a deck that takes full afternoon sun, and it's real money every time if you hire it out. Over the life of the deck that's the cost that closes the gap with composite. If you'd rather never think about it, the composite deck cost guide covers the other side, and the composite vs. pressure-treated comparison puts them head to head.

Built once, built right, with the footings and flashing done properly.

What you get in a Chonko Construction quote

Full scope in plain language: framing, decking, railings, stairs, and finishes
A written schedule with a clear start and finish
A firm price agreed in writing, no surprise billing mid-job
Permits, footings, and ledger attachment handled to code
One accountable builder coordinating every step
Our named workmanship warranty in writing

Planning a wood deck? Book a free phone consultation and we'll put a clear number in writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a pressure-treated deck cost in Columbia, SC?add

A pressure-treated deck in Columbia typically runs from about $49 per square foot installed, putting a typical 200 to 500 square foot deck around $9,800 to $24,500. Size, height, railings, and finish move the number most. These are typical ranges, not a quote.

How often does a pressure-treated deck need to be stained?add

Plan on a regular clean and re-coat cycle in the Midlands, sooner on a deck that takes full afternoon sun. Staying on that schedule is what keeps a wood deck from graying and checking.

Why are the boards on my new deck touching with no gap?add

Because that's correct for wet pressure-treated lumber. The boards are installed tight and shrink as they dry over the first months, which opens the gaps on their own. Spacing them at install would leave gaps twice as wide a year later.