Deck Repair or Rebuild: How to Tell
Framing tells you more than the boards do
Most decks we look at need framing attention, not new boards — and homeowners are usually surprised which way it goes.
Start underneath, not on top. Boards are cosmetic and cheap. Joists, beams, posts and the ledger are structural and expensive. Judge the deck by what is under it.
The ledger is the thing that matters most. That is the board bolted to your house. If it was nailed instead of bolted, or if there is no flashing above it, that is the repair to make first regardless of how the surface looks.
Movement is the warning. A deck that sways when you walk has a connection problem, not a board problem.
When boards alone are the answer: framing is sound and dry, boards are cupped or splintering. That is a resurface, and it is the best value in decking.
When it is a rebuild: rot at multiple posts or the ledger, undersized framing, or a structure that was never built to span what it spans.
Composite versus wood: composite solves the surface maintenance problem and nothing else. It goes on the same framing and that framing still has to be right.
We will get under it and tell you which one you have before you commit to anything.
