Utah is hard on decks. Intense summer sun dries out wood, snow sits on the boards for weeks, and freeze-thaw cycles in spring and fall open up every crack. A lot of older decks in Utah County were built from pressure-treated lumber, and many have simply worn out, and some aren’t safe anymore. Here’s how to tell when it’s time for a new one.
Do a walk-around once a year
Spring, after the snow melts, is a good time to look your deck over. Bring a flashlight and a screwdriver, and look underneath as well as on top. Most of the serious problems are in the framing, where you can’t see them from a chair.
Signs in the framing
Soft or rotting wood. Push a screwdriver into joists, beams and posts, especially where they meet each other and where water collects. If it sinks in easily or the wood crumbles, that member has rot. Rot often starts on the top of joists, where water sits in screw holes under the boards.
A loose or rotted ledger. The ledger is the board that attaches the deck to the house. It’s the most common place for a deck to fail. Look for rot, rust streaks, missing or corroded bolts, gaps between the ledger and the house, and water stains on the wall or the basement ceiling below.
Rusted hardware. Joist hangers, post bases and bolts that are badly rusted have lost strength. Older decks often used hardware that wasn’t rated for treated lumber, and it corrodes quickly.
Posts and footings that have moved. If the deck has a dip, slopes away from the house more than it used to, or a post has pulled off its footing, the footings may have settled or heaved. Utah’s clay soils and frost both cause this.
Signs on the surface
Bouncy or sagging boards. Spongy spots underfoot can mean rotted boards or joists that are undersized or spaced too far apart.
Cracked, splintered or cupped boards. Wood that checks and splinters every summer is past the point where stain will save it.
Popped nails and screws. Fasteners working their way up are a sign the wood is shrinking and swelling with every season.
Signs in the railing and stairs
A wobbly railing. Lean on it. A guardrail that moves is a fall risk, especially on a second-story deck. Wobbly posts often mean the connection at the bottom has rotted or loosened.
Loose or uneven stairs. Stringers rot where they sit on the ground, and treads crack. Uneven steps trip people.
Openings that are too big. Older railings may have baluster spacing that doesn’t meet today’s codes, which limit openings so small children can’t slip through.
Why we only do full rebuilds
Patching a worn-out deck tends to lead to another fix the next year, and new boards on an old frame are only as good as the frame underneath. That’s why TC Decks only builds new decks and does full tear-out and rebuilds. Starting from new footings and framing means we can stand behind the whole deck.
If you replace, build it to last
A replacement is a chance to fix what wore out the first time:
- Composite or PVC decking instead of wood, so there’s no more sanding, staining and splinters. We lead with TimberTech.
- Steel framing from Fortress Evolution, which won’t rot or warp, or wood framing protected with G-Tape.
- Owens Corning OC Lumber, a Glas-Powered composite building material that is wood-free, rust-free and rot-proof. We’re on the Owens Corning OC Pro Build Team.
- Ground screw footings from American Ground Screw that hold up well in clay and frost.
- New railing that meets current code, such as Fortress FE26 steel, glass or cable.
Our builds carry a 7-year workmanship warranty, and because we’re a certified Pro Installer for TimberTech, Trex, Deckorators and Fortress Railing, we can offer manufacturer labor and material warranty coverage on qualifying projects. If the timing isn’t ideal for your budget, financing through Wisetack is available.
Don’t wait on safety problems
A rotted ledger or wobbly railing on a raised deck isn’t something to put off until next summer. If you see those signs, stay off the area and have it looked at.
Learn more about our deck tear-out and rebuild service, or contact us for a free estimate over the phone.