Decks in this part of Georgia live a hard life. Heat, humidity, pollen, afternoon storms and a long growing season for anything that likes to eat wood. A deck that looks tired from the top might be perfectly sound underneath, and a deck with fresh stain might be held to the house by a rusted lag bolt. This post is the inspection we do before quoting, so you can do most of it yourself and know which conversation to have.
Where decks fail first
In order of how serious the failure is:
- 1The ledger. The board bolted to the house that carries one end of the deck. If it is nailed instead of bolted, if the flashing above it is missing, or if the rim joist behind it is rotten, the deck can separate from the house. This is the failure that hurts people.
- 2Posts at the ground. Posts set in concrete or sitting on grade wick water and rot from the bottom. Probe the base of each post with a screwdriver. Soft wood is a structural problem.
- 3Beams and joists. Check the tops of the joists where the deck boards sit and the ends where they meet the beam or ledger. Water sits on the top of a joist under every board gap.
- 4Stairs. Stringers rot at the bottom and at the notches. Stairs also take the most impact and are usually the first thing to feel bouncy.
- 5Railings. Loose posts are a fall hazard. A railing post notched around the rim and held by two bolts loosens with every lean.
- 6Deck boards. The most visible and the least structural. Cupped, split or soft boards get replaced individually.
The tests that matter
- Probe. A screwdriver pushed into sound wood stops. Into rotten wood it sinks. Check post bases, joist ends, the ledger, stringer bottoms.
- Look at the fasteners. Rusted nails, corroded joist hangers, and lag bolts with rust streaks are all signs the hardware is nearing the end. Modern treated lumber is hard on ordinary galvanised hardware.
- Bounce. Walk the deck. Movement in the middle of a span means undersized or failing joists. Movement at the house means the ledger.
- Check the flashing. Look for a metal or membrane flashing over the ledger. If water has been running behind the ledger for years, the house rim joist may be worse than the deck.
- Look under it. Standing water, dark staining, fungal growth or insect galleries on the underside of the framing all count.
When repair is the right answer
The framing is sound, the ledger is properly bolted and flashed, the posts are solid, and the problems are boards, rails, stairs or hardware. In that case:
- Replace individual boards, or re-deck the whole surface over the existing frame with new wood or composite.
- Rebuild the stairs on new stringers.
- Replace or reinforce railing posts with proper through-bolts and blocking.
- Swap corroded hangers and add missing hardware.
- Sister a joist or two that have rot at the ends.
Re-decking with composite over a sound frame is a popular middle path. It gets you a new-looking, low-maintenance surface without new footings, though the joist spacing has to suit the composite you choose.
When rebuild is the right answer
- Ledger or house framing damage.
- More than a couple of rotten posts or a beam with rot at a bearing point.
- The deck was built without permits or hardware and does not meet current code for a structure you want to keep for years.
- You want a different size, height or layout. Retrofitting a bigger deck onto an old frame rarely works.
- The cost of the repair list is approaching the cost of new framing.
A rebuild needs a permit and an inspection, and our post on deck permits in Coweta County walks through that.
Questions we get
Can I put composite on my old frame?
If the frame is sound and the joists are spaced correctly for the product, yes. Many composites want 16 inches on centre or tighter, and diagonal patterns want tighter still. Sometimes that means adding joists.
How long does treated wood last here?
It depends on drainage, sun exposure and maintenance more than on the wood. A deck that is cleaned and sealed and does not sit under a leaking gutter lasts far longer than one that is never touched.
Do you do small deck repairs?
Yes. Stairs, rails, a few boards or a loose post are all normal handyman visits. A full rebuild is a remodeling project.
Get the deck looked at
Wright Way Services repairs and builds decks across Newnan, Sharpsburg, Senoia, Peachtree City, Tyrone and Fayetteville. Call (770) 301-4638.
Open 24 hours · Newnan, GA
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