Once you have successfully had a deck constructed in your yard, you will understand how invaluable these outdoor spaces really are. However, a deck will only last for so long, which is why you are going to need to ask the question of whether yours needs to be repaired or if you should replace it completely.
This is not going to be an easy decision to make! After all, your current deck is going to have tons of memories attached to it! A few of those memories could include the first party you threw or your child’s first steps along the flooring of that same deck or simply sitting out there with a loved one under the stars. The possibilities for those memories are endless, but you will need to move past them all and do what is best for you and your deck.

As you are asking yourself whether you should repair or replace your deck, there are a few things that you should look at.

Here are 4 things that we suggest you start with:

Your Deck’s Surface

The surface of your deck includes the deck boards, the handrails, and even the railings. If any of these items contain rot and are faded, you should know that the quality of the materials is deteriorating. A little deterioration most likely means that repairs can be completed successfully, but major deterioration will require a complete replacement.

Your Deck’s Posts

The posts are the pieces that are holding your deck up off the ground and while they normally do not receive a lot of sunlight or water damage, there are two areas that often have issues. Those areas include where the posts are attached to the beams and at the base where rain water normally collects. Those two spots can end up with water damage and end up rotting, which means that the posts will need to be replaced.

Your Deck’s Beams and Joists

These two items are the horizontal pieces of your deck and they are used to support your deck boards. They will normally begin to rot on the ends and that rot works inward. Any rotting materials will need to be replaced or your deck could eventually collapse.

Your Deck’s Fascia Board

This wide thin board goes all the way around the perimeter of your deck and can conceal all your deck boards. This thin layer of wood can actually trap water, which will then cause rotting. This is the most common place to see damage sooner than later and oftentimes needs to be the first thing replaced.

Now, we get that you are not a professional contractor, so we encourage you to call a local deck construction contractor if you have any questions or concerns over what you are seeing. The reason for this is that you may not think that the damage is that bad, but a local deck construction contractor can point out the problematic issues and tell you what will happen if they are not repaired or replaced immediately.

Once you have an idea of what is wrong with your deck, you can then make an informed decision as to whether you should repair it or replace it. If you only have a little bit of rot, then you can normally get away with a few minor repairs that do not cost a lot of money. However, there are times when you may think that you can simply replace a couple of the posts or the beams underneath and you will be good to go, but that isn’t really the best option.

The reason why you may want to reconsider doing something like that is because the cost could end up being almost as much as an entirely brand-new deck. After all, we would need to find a way to keep your deck up and in one piece, as we remove the old posts and beams, and then put the new ones in. This is a costly procedure that takes quite a bit of time and skill. It isn’t that we will not do it, if that is what you want, but you may be better off just tearing your old deck down and building a new one.

Obviously, if you are noticing quite a bit of rotting materials and lots of water damage, you are going to know that it is time to retire your old deck and have a new one installed. The good news is that you can have it built to look the same or you can choose to make some changes that will make your new deck even better than your old one!

Here at Pointvertex Construction Business, we specialize in local deck construction and repairs, we are based in Oakland California, and we serve the East bay . We are always ready to help out with any exterior improvements and want to help you determine whether or not your deck can easily be repaired or if a replacement is in your future. For any further questions feel free to reach out Edgar at 510 859 7448.