Short answer
Fence staining in Naperville is priced by the linear foot, and HomeAdvisor's published planning range is $3 to $14 per foot. Pergolas are priced as a whole structure, at $860 to $4,400 in Taskrabbit's figures, with height and both-side coverage moving a job within those ranges.
What stain does for fence boards and pergola beams
Bare cedar and treated pine weather fast in open sun. The surface turns gray, loose fibers build up and end grain at the post tops splits and holds water.
A penetrating stain slows all of that. The job is mostly prep: washing off mildew and gray fibers, letting the wood dry, then brushing stain into gaps, edges and cut ends that a sprayer alone would miss.
Cedar privacy fences
Cedar privacy fences are mostly flat board faces, which makes them quick to coat and easy to get wrong. Cedar is soft, so we clean it with a fence wash and gentle pressure that will not furrow the grain, then let it dry until a splash of water soaks in rather than sitting on top. A semi-transparent stain keeps the grain visible and wears away gradually instead of peeling. Sprayed stain gets back-brushed into board edges and post tops, and we shield the siding, plantings and the neighbor's side from overspray.
Shadowbox and picket fences
Shadowbox and picket fences have far more edges per foot than a flat privacy run. Each picket has two faces and two sides, and shadowbox boards overlap, leaving narrow gaps that a roller cannot reach. We spray those gaps and brush the faces to work stain into the wood, then check the back of each board where drips collect. Painted white picket fences are a different job: they get scraped, spot primed and finished with an exterior enamel rather than stain, and both can be scheduled in the same visit.
Pergolas and gazebos
Pergolas and gazebos take sun on top and weather from every side, so rafter tops and beam ends fail long before the posts do. We work from ladders or a small scaffold, clean the structure, cover the patio or deck below, and stain the overhead pieces first so drips land on surfaces not yet coated. Joints where rafters sit on beams hold water, so those seams get extra stain worked in. A gazebo with a shingled roof is stained right up to the roof edge, never on the roofing itself.
Fence weather and the West Wind Estates years
Cabot's staining window runs from 50°F to 80°F with 24 dry hours to follow, because heat flashes stain dry and leaves lap marks. Around Naperville, that points fence work to mild spring and early fall days. In West Wind, the Estates subdivision was mostly built from the mid-1980s into the late 1990s, so original fences and pergolas there have stood through decades of weather, and a deep cleaning plus fresh stain decides whether the boards are worth keeping.
How a fence stain job runs
- Walk the line. Measure the run, check posts and note gates and the neighbor's side.
- Clean. Fence wash and gentle rinsing lift gray fibers and mildew.
- Dry. Boards sit until a splash of water soaks in instead of beading.
- Stain. Sprayed and back-brushed in sections, shade side first on warm days.
- Final check. Drips wiped, overspray cleaned off nearby surfaces and gates tested.
Fence and pergola staining, published ranges
These HomeAdvisor and Taskrabbit figures are published planning ranges, not a quote from us.
| Job | Typical range | Unit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fence painting / staining | $3 to $14 | per linear foot | HomeAdvisor |
| Pergola staining | $860 to $4,400 | total | Taskrabbit |
What moves the price
- Linear feet and fence height
- One side or both sides stained
- Picket, shadowbox or flat privacy boards
- Pergola size and how high the rafters sit
- Gray wood that needs a deeper cleaning
Which finish suits your fence or pergola
More pigment hides more wood and lasts longer in sun, while less pigment shows off the grain.
| Finish | What you see | How it wears | Good fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear water repellent | Natural wood, no added color | Grays quickly in full sun | New cedar you will recoat often |
| Semi-transparent stain | Tinted color with the grain showing | Fades gradually without peeling | Most cedar privacy fences |
| Solid stain | Opaque color over the wood texture | Holds color longest, can peel | Older or mismatched pickets |
Fence work you can handle, and where we come in
A short run on a mild weekend is fair DIY, while long runs and overhead work are where hours pile up.
Easy on your own
- Trimming plants back from the fence line
- Rinsing a short section with a garden hose
- Touching up a gate with leftover stain
Better handed to us
- Long privacy runs, both sides
- Pergola rafters overhead on ladders
- Gray cedar that needs washing and brightening
Fence stains that hold up in open sun
We often use Cabot and Ready Seal penetrating stains, Olympic or Behr solid colors, and Sherwin-Williams enamel on painted pickets.
- Sherwin-Williams
- Benjamin Moore
- PPG Paints
- Behr
- Valspar
- Cabot
- Sikkens
- Olympic
- Zinsser
- Kilz
- Romabio
- Ready Seal
Jobs that often go with this one
Deck Staining
Washed, dried and stained
Pressure Washing & Soft Washing
Siding, decks and flatwork
Deck Stripping & Restoration
Failed coatings stripped and sanded
Porch, Railing & Column Painting
Iron rails, porch floors, columns