Deck repair and replacement
Some decks need a weekend of new boards. Others look fine from above and are failing underneath. Here's how a builder tells the difference.
Water is what wears decks out. Snow that sits on boards for weeks, meltwater running behind the ledger, and puddles around post bases slowly rot wood, and each freeze-thaw cycle opens cracks a little wider. The only honest way to judge a deck is to get underneath it with a flashlight and a probe.
What does a builder look at?
- The ledger. Is it bolted to the house rather than nailed? Is it flashed? Is the rim joist behind it soft?
- Footings and posts. Are posts sitting on loose pier blocks? Have footings heaved or tipped? Is wood rotting where it meets concrete?
- Joists and beams. Sagging, splits or soft ends, especially under board seams and near the house.
- Connectors. Corroded hangers, missing bolts and nails that weren't made for treated lumber.
- The parts you touch. Boards, stair treads and stringers, guard posts and rails.
Repair or replace?
When the footings and frame are sound, replacing boards, a stair run or a section of railing is a normal repair. When the ledger is rotted, several footings have moved, or many joists are soft, building new is usually safer and better value than patching. A replacement is also the chance to get footings to the 24-inch frost depth, add lateral bracing, and change the size or layout. Bigger repairs and full replacements generally need a permit, so ask the builder.
Pier blocks and shallow footings
Older decks around Kootenai County were sometimes set on surface pier blocks or shallow pads. Post Falls, for example, now allows pier blocks without posts only on decks of 200 square feet or less with a walking surface no more than 20 inches above grade. Decks that don't fit those limits and sit on blocks tend to drift out of level over a few winters. The fix is usually new footings at the right depth, not shims.
After a heavy snow winter
Coeur d'Alene designs for a 60 psf ground snow load, and a deck that's buried for weeks takes a beating. If joists look like they've sagged, boards have cracked, or a deck roof is showing new deflection, have it checked before the next season.
Is it safe to use?
A moving railing, a stair that rocks, or a deck pulling away from the house is a safety problem, not a cosmetic one. Keep people off that area until it's been looked at, and skip the big summer party on a deck you're unsure of.
Every deck is priced by the builder after a site visit, once they've measured, looked at the grade and the house wall, and talked through materials with you. We don't give prices, and any figure you hear before that visit is a ballpark at best.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Can I just replace the boards on my deck?
Often, if the framing and footings are in good shape. A builder should check the ledger, joists and posts first so new boards don't go onto a failing frame.
Do deck repairs need a permit in Coeur d'Alene?
Small like-for-like board swaps usually don't, but structural repairs and replacements generally do. Check with the City of Coeur d'Alene or your local building department, or ask your builder.
Related services
More background: Coeur d'Alene deck guide.
Spongy boards, a loose rail, or a lake-view deck you keep putting off?
Call and a local deck builder will talk through what your deck needs next.