Most of the decks we replace were repaired at least once first. New boards over a failing subframe buy a couple of years at best. Here is what we look for when we assess an existing deck.
1. Boards feel soft or spongy underfoot
Softness usually means moisture has been sitting in the timber. If it's isolated to a board or two, that's a repair. If it's across an area, the joists below are likely gone too.
2. The deck moves or bounces
Movement points at the structure: over-spanned joists, missing bracing, loose bearer connections or footings that have shifted. Boards will not fix it.
3. Rot at the posts and bearers
Check where posts meet concrete and where bearers meet the house. Those two junctions hold water and fail first. Rot there is a rebuild conversation.
4. Rusted or lifting fixings
Weeping rust stains and screws sitting proud mean the fixings have given up. On coastal jobs this is common where non-stainless fixings were used.
5. Cupping, splitting and wide gaps
Cupping across many boards suggests the wrong joist spacing or a subframe that no longer sits flat, not simply old timber.
6. Water pooling or no drainage under the deck
Decks need airflow underneath. If the ground under yours stays wet, whatever you build on top will rot on the same schedule as the last one.
7. It doesn't suit how you use the yard anymore
Plenty of our rebuilds start here — the old deck is the wrong size, wrong level or in the wrong place. If you're spending money anyway, spend it on a deck you'll actually use.
Common questions
Can you just replace the deck boards?
- Yes, when the subframe, footings and fixings check out. We assess the structure first and tell you honestly whether a re-board is worth doing.
How long should a deck last?
- A properly built hardwood or composite deck on sound footings should give 20 years or more. Decks that fail early almost always fail in the subframe or the fixings.
Do you handle demolition and removal?
- Yes — full demolition, removal and disposal of the old deck, paving or pergola is part of the job on most of our rebuilds.