Rotting deck - when to replace?

10 years ago

I've got an old deck made of untreated wood. I've been able to go underneath to add support where needed and so it is structurally sound. With continued reinforcements it may last many years. Underneath the deck I can add all sorts of ugly stuff with 2 x 6 beams and posts to make it strong and the planks themselves are holding up pretty well. however, I'm concerned about the potential for the rot to spread to the house and to make the eventual project larger. Siding where the deck touches the house is already rotting.

Should I keep extending the life of this deck or tear it out and rebuild it?

would you recommend I design it any differently when I rebuild?

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Comments (2)

PRO
GN Builders L.L.C
10 years ago
If the deck's substructure is made from pressure treated lumber, remove the decking and you can reface using pressure treated planking or composite and at the same time make sure the deck connection to the house is flashed properly and water cannot penetrate the dwelling.

With that said, if exterior wood siding starting to show signs of deterioration, most likely there is already a problem behind it.

Good luck
PRO
Steveworks LLC
10 years ago
I agree the GN. Also double check that the connection of the ledger board ( what the frame is sitting as it is attached to the house) is bolted on or screwed on using Ledger Lok ( brand name of a Fasten Master product) or some other code compliant fastener. I've seen too many decks fail because somebody just pounded in a bunch of nails. Make sure the bolts are not just going into the house sheathing, but into framing.

If you're doing this yourself, check out fFine Homebuilding. There are tons of articles on this. Get the flashing correct, you'll be glad you did.
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Rotting deck - when to replace?

Comments (2)

GN Builders L.L.C

Steveworks LLC

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