Repair & resurfacing
Give your tired deck a second life
Soft boards, wobbly railings or stairs that creak? A lot of Seattle decks don't need to be torn out. They need the right fix, and someone to tell you honestly which fix that is.
What we fix
From a few boards to a whole new surface
Board replacement
Swapping out cracked, rotted or splintering boards. On older decks we try to match what's there, or suggest a clean way to change the look.
Joists & beams
Replacing or reinforcing framing members that have gone soft, usually where water has been sitting for years.
Stairs
Rebuilding stringers and treads that have loosened or rotted, so the steps feel solid under every foot.
Railings
Tightening or replacing wobbly railings, or upgrading to aluminum, cable or composite for a fresh look.
Drainage fixes
Addressing the spots where water pools or drips, so the repair isn't back in the same place in a few years.
Resurfacing
Taking off old boards and railings and laying new composite over a sound frame. More on that below.
Resurfacing with composite
New top, same bones
If the posts, beams and joists are healthy, we can remove the old decking and railing and put down new composite boards. You get the low-upkeep surface without paying for a whole new structure.
Before we recommend it, we check the frame closely: probing for soft wood, looking at how the deck attaches to the house, and making sure the joist spacing works for composite. Where spacing is too wide, extra joists can often be added.
Repair or rebuild?
How we help you decide
Nobody likes paying twice. Here's the simple way we think about it:
- Repair makes sense when the problems are local: a few boards, one set of stairs, a railing section.
- Resurfacing fits when the surface is worn out but the frame underneath is strong.
- Rebuilding is the honest answer when the framing is soft in many places, the footings have shifted, or the ledger connection to the house is a concern.
Safety first: if a deck bounces, leans, or has railings that move when you lean on them, keep people off it until it's checked. We're happy to come take a look.
Some repairs need a permit, especially structural ones. We'll help you check with the City of Seattle or King County before work begins; see how our process works.
Good questions
Deck repair questions
Can you just replace the boards that are bad?
Yes, if the rest of the deck is sound. We'll let you know if the new boards will look noticeably different while the old ones weather.
My deck is pretty old. Is it worth fixing?
Age alone doesn't decide it. The condition of the framing and footings does. We'll look closely and tell you plainly what we see.
Can I resurface with composite if my deck has wide joist spacing?
Often, by adding joists between the existing ones. We check spacing at the visit and include any framing work in the estimate.
Related
Keep exploring
Not sure what your deck needs?
We'll check the frame, the boards and the railings, and give you a straight answer in writing.