Should I replace or repair?

You know your deck is not looking good. Or the boards are starting to feel unsecured. Or the railing is wobbly. You have to do something but what?

That answer will depend on the structure of your deck and your budget. If the deck was built in the last 10 years, chances are you can repair it or resurface it without too many issues. However, understand the life of the pressure treated lumber that was probably used is good for about 20 years (based on general statistics). This is not to say some do not last longer but for this post we will go with the accepted norms.

If your deck is more than 10 years old and you plan on using composite decking it is always safest to replace the structure. Residential building codes change about every 2 years, so it is more than likely your existing structure will not meet current codes. This alone is a great reason to replace as the codes change primarily for safety as the industry has more technological advances in hardware.

So replace or repair….your choice….but having a deck specialist come out and review your existing structure may give you your answer.

Share this post!