Deck Repair & Staining Stones Crossing's Trusted Handyman.
Cedar, composite, and ipe — refinished the right way for Indiana freeze-thaw winters and full-sun summers. Free in-person assessment. Written quote in 24 hours.
Free In-Person Deck Assessment
We walk every board with you and deliver a written quote in 24 hours. No high-pressure sales, no door-knockers.
20 Years Working on Indiana Decks. We Know the Climate.
Indiana puts decks through 40+ freeze-thaw cycles a winter, hot UV every July, and 42 inches of rain a year. Stain that's rated for "5 years" usually lasts 3 here. We've been refinishing cedar, ipe, and composite decks since 2005 — and most of our spring schedule is custom homes in the Johnson County premium subdivisions: Stones Crossing, The Reserve at Stones Crossing, Stones Crossing Estates, The Woodlands at Stones Crossing, and Center Grove.
Three trust marks: BBB A+ · Licensed & Insured · Founded 2005
The 5-Step Deck Refinish — No Shortcuts
A real deck refinish is a 5-step process. Anyone skipping steps 2 or 3 is setting up a callback in 2027.
| Step | What we do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Clean | Sodium percarbonate cleaner, low-pressure rinse (1,500 PSI, fan tip, 12" off the wood) | High-pressure damage on cedar is invisible until you stain — we don't blast it |
| 2. Strip | Paste-grade stain stripper, 20-min dwell, low-pressure rinse | This is the step almost every DIY restain skips. It's why DIY decks come out blotchy |
| 3. Brighten | Oxalic-acid wood brightener | Neutralizes alkaline residue from the stripper. Without it, the new stain darkens unpredictably |
| 4. Repair & Sand | Replace rotted/split boards, sister rot-damaged joists, re-screw popped fasteners with deck screws, belt-sand high-traffic areas | Brings the entire deck back to a uniform substrate so the new stain absorbs evenly |
| 5. Stain | Two coats of Cabot Australian Timber Oil or Defy Extreme, brush + roller + back-brush, wet-on-wet | Eliminates lap marks. Gives 3-year minimum life on cedar in Indiana |
Carpentry Repairs We Handle
Board Replacement
Typically 4–10 boards on a 4–6 year old cedar deck. We source the right cedar or composite to match.
Joist Sister-Repair
End-grain rot at the ledger or any joist — sistered and secured before new decking goes down.
Stair Tread Replacement
The highest-failure component on most decks. We replace the tread and feather the surrounding boards to match.
Fastener Re-Screw
Popped nails backed out with structural deck screws — the right fix, not a cover-up.
Railing Repair
Baluster replacement, top-rail re-secure, post tightening. Code-compliant and solid.
Trim & Skirt Board
Fascia board repair, skirt panel replacement, perimeter trim — anything visible from the yard.
What We Don't Do
We're a handyman service. We're great at refinishing, board-level repair, and structural touch-ups. We don't do:
- Brand-new deck construction from scratch
- Full structural rebuilds (joists, ledger, footings)
- Deck demolition and removal
- Permits or HOA submission paperwork (we'll prep documentation, but you submit)
If you need a full ground-up rebuild, we'll point you to the right deck builder in your area. No charge, no hard feelings.
About Stones Crossing Decks Specifically
Stones Crossing is a large premier master-planned community off State Road 135 in Greenwood with custom homes mostly built between 2015 and 2024, priced $350K–$850K. Most of the decks we see here are cedar 5/4 x 6 with hidden fasteners or face-screwed Camo system, with a smaller share of premium ipe on the larger estate lots. The HOA covenants in Stones Crossing include exterior maintenance standards, and most homeowners are entering their first re-stain cycle right now — the 2017–2020 builds are 5–8 years old, the 2021 builds are at the 4-year mark where original stain is failing.
Common patterns we see in Stones Crossing:
- Cedar with a builder-grade single-coat sealer. These look fine year one, fade by year three, peel by year four. The fix is a full strip-and-restain with a real penetrating stain.
- Mildew under shaded sections. Decks that face the wooded lots or retain morning shade trap moisture. This shows up as gray-black mottling, not real rot — a stripper + brightener pulls 90% of it.
- Stair tread wear at the back-door entry. This is the highest-failure point on every deck. We replace the tread, sand the surrounding boards to match, and feather the new wood into the existing stain.
- Composite boards starting to chalk on the 2015–2018 builds. Composite doesn't get stained — but it does get cleaned and re-sealed with composite-specific products. We do that work too.
HOA-aware approach: We document the deck condition with photos before and after, provide a written scope you can submit to the architectural review committee, and schedule the work around HOA quiet hours. We've worked through the Stones Crossing covenant standards before.
Want to Know What Your Deck Actually Needs?
Free in-person assessment. We walk every board with you and give you a written quote in 24 hours. No high-pressure sales, no door-knockers.
Pricing — Real Numbers, May 2026
These are real ranges from real recent jobs in Johnson County. Your written quote will name the exact scope — no surprises.
| Job | Typical Cost (May 2026, Johnson County) |
|---|---|
| Pressure wash only | $250 – $450 |
| Clean + restain (deck in good shape) | $850 – $1,400 |
| Strip + brighten + restain | $1,500 – $2,400 |
| Strip + brighten + 5–10 board repair + restain | $1,800 – $3,200 |
| Full strip + extensive carpentry + premium stain | $3,200 – $5,500 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I stain a cedar deck in Greenwood?
Every 2–3 years for full-sun decks, every 3–5 years for shaded decks. Indiana climate runs harder on stain than most rated lifespans assume. Indiana's freeze-thaw winters and hot UV summers degrade stain faster than the Carolinas or Texas — a stain rated for "5 years" usually lasts 3 here.
What's the best deck stain for Indiana?
Cabot Australian Timber Oil for cedar in most conditions. Defy Extreme for full-sun south-facing decks. Penofin Hardwood Formula for ipe. Avoid film-forming stains (Behr Premium, Olympic Maximum) on cedar in Indiana — they peel by year three.
Can you match the original builder's stain?
Usually yes. We bring color samples to the assessment so you can see the match on your boards before we commit to the project.
How long does the work take?
4–6 working days for a typical 400–500 sqft deck, including dry time between strip and stain. Rain delays are weather, not us — we won't stain if rain is forecast within 36 hours.
Do you handle HOA documentation?
We prep photos, scope, and product spec for your submission. The submission itself goes through you — most HOAs require homeowner signature. We've worked through the Stones Crossing covenant standards before and know what the ARC typically needs.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. BBB A+ rated, fully licensed and insured. Certificate of insurance available on request before work starts. Founded 2005.
Do you serve Greenwood and Stones Crossing specifically?
Yes — Greenwood is our headquarters and home city. We work Stones Crossing, deck repair and staining throughout Johnson County, and pressure washing across all 19 service-area cities.
Ready When You Are.
Spring openings fill fast — May and early June are usually booked by mid-April. We're scheduling assessments now.
Or email [email protected] · We respond within 24 business hours.
Nick's Handyman Service, LLC · Greenwood, IN 46142 · 317-893-3717 · [email protected]
BBB A+ · Licensed & Insured · Founded 2005 · nhsindy.com
Related Services & Service Areas
Nick's Handyman Service, LLC serves 19 Central Indiana cities with deck repair, staining, pressure washing, and more.
