Deck Repair & Board Replacement
From $18/sqft repaired
Rotten boards, loose rails, wobbly stairs, popped fasteners - we bring older decks back to safe, code-compliant use. If it is a full rebuild, we will tell you straight.
Typical Repair
1 - 3 days
on site
Warranty
1 year on repair work
Inspection
Free with repair quote
Common Issues We Fix
Rotten Boards
Soft spots, cupped boards, end-grain rot around fasteners. We remove the affected boards, dry out the joists if needed, and install fresh lumber or composite.
Loose Rails
Railing posts that wobble under load are a serious safety issue. We re-anchor with through-bolted hardware and add blocking as needed to meet the 200-lb concentrated load rule.
Damaged Posts
Base rot from post-in-dirt installs, cracked corners from impact, or insect damage. We replace with pressure-treated or steel posts on proper concrete footings.
Soft Joists
Rot from water trapped against the ledger or between boards. We sister new joists, replace the ledger if needed, and re-flash the house-to-deck connection.
Popped Nails & Screws
The classic older-deck hazard. We pull every popped fastener, fill the hole with an oversized structural screw, and sweep the deck with a magnet to catch loose ones.
Wobbly Stairs
Stair stringers that flex under foot, missing middle stringers on wide runs, or loose connection at the deck rim. We re-anchor, add stringers, and re-shim as needed.
Safety Inspection & Code Check
Every repair starts with a full walk-through. We flag any code-compliance issue so you know what is safe, what needs a repair, and what can wait.
Rails & Guards
- 36-inch minimum rail height on residential decks
- 42-inch rail required (or recommended) on any deck 30+ inches off grade
- 4-inch sphere rule - no opening in the guard can pass a 4-inch sphere
- Graspable stair handrail between 34 and 38 inches above the nosing
- Posts resist a 200-lb concentrated load in any direction
Structure & Hardware
- Ledger bolted to house with lag screws or through-bolts - not just nails
- Z-flashing or membrane behind the ledger to keep water out of the rim joist
- Posts sit on concrete footings below frost line, not buried in dirt
- Joist hangers are stainless or galvanized, not lightweight zinc
- No visible rot, insect damage, or splitting in structural members
Repair or Rebuild?
Our rule of thumb: if more than 30 percent of the structural framing is damaged, rebuilding is usually cheaper than repairing. Patch repairs on a rotten frame tend to chain - one bad joist leads to the next, and labor to open up and reclose decking adds up fast.
Repair makes sense when
- + Fewer than 5 boards need replacement
- + Framing is solid, just needs fasteners or flashing
- + One rail section is loose, rest are solid
- + Stairs need re-anchoring, not replacement
- + Deck is under 10 years old
Rebuild is the right call when
- - 30% or more of joists show rot
- - Ledger board has failed or was never flashed
- - Posts are buried in dirt with base rot
- - Rail system is universally out of code
- - Deck is 20+ years old with original fasteners
We tell you which way the math points - in writing - before we touch a tool.
What Every Repair Includes
- Free on-site safety inspection
- Written scope with photos of each issue
- Pressure-treated replacement lumber (or composite match)
- Stainless or galvanized hardware upgrades
- Permit (if scope requires one)
- Magnet-sweep for dropped fasteners
- Debris haul-away
- 1-year workmanship warranty on repair work
Recent Project
Rotted boards and loose hardware
Safe, code-compliant deck back in service
Sample project imagery. Real project photos will be added as we complete builds.
Sample Repair Scopes & Costs
Rough math at $18/sqft of repair area, plus hardware upgrades as needed.
Minor
5 board swap + rail re-anchor
~40 sqft repair, same-day completion
$720
From ~$720
Mid-Size
Partial joist replacement + 15 boards
~120 sqft repair, 1-2 days on site
$2,160
From ~$2,160
Full Resurface
All new boards on existing frame
~320 sqft, 2-3 days on site
$5,760
From ~$5,760
Our Repair Process
Inspect
Free on-site. We walk every joint, flag code issues, and photo-document the scope.
Written Quote
You get a line-item quote with photos so there are no surprises on what we are fixing and what it costs.
Repair
Most repairs close out in 1 to 3 days on site. Structural work may require a permit and an inspection.
Hand Off
Magnet-sweep, cleanup, and walk-through. Balance due via Zelle, Venmo, or cash.
Warranty
Repair work carries a 1-year workmanship warranty - shorter than our standard 2-year new-build warranty because we cannot warrant existing framing we did not originally install. If our repair fails because of how we did the work, we come back and fix it within that window at no charge.
New lumber and hardware we install carry their own manufacturer warranties, which we register to you at close-out.
Frequently Asked
When does it make sense to rebuild instead of repair?
Our rule of thumb: if more than about 30 percent of the structural framing (joists, beams, ledger, or posts) is damaged, rebuilding usually costs less than repairing. Patch repairs on a bad frame tend to chain - one rotten joist leads to two, then four, and labor to open up and reclose decking ends up exceeding the cost of a fresh build. We will tell you honestly after an inspection which direction makes sense.
Is my older deck still up to code?
Not necessarily. Residential deck code has tightened significantly in the last 15 years - rail heights went up, baluster gap got smaller, ledger fastening became much stricter, and post-to-beam connections now require specific hardware. A 2005 deck that was fine then can be flagged today. Our safety inspection documents what is out of spec so you know what actually needs attention versus what is cosmetic.
What are the current NC and SC residential rail requirements?
For decks more than 30 inches above grade, residential rail height must be at least 36 inches (we install at 42 inches as a safer default). Balusters must be spaced so a 4-inch sphere cannot pass through. For stairs, the graspable handrail sits at 34 to 38 inches above the nosing. Our inspection measures each of these and flags anything out of spec.
Do you need a permit to replace boards?
Cosmetic board-for-board replacement usually does not require a permit because the structural frame is unchanged. Any structural repair - joist replacement, ledger re-flashing, post replacement, or rail rebuild - typically does require a permit because those elements are load-bearing. We pull the permit on any scope that requires it.
Can you match the stain on my existing deck?
For pressure-treated decks, usually yes - we can order the same manufacturer and tone and blend new boards into the existing field. There will be a visible color difference for the first year while the new boards weather in, then the match tightens up. For composite decks, we match the manufacturer, line, and color code; composite color stays stable so the match is usually instant.
Our Deck Services
Deck repair, new builds in pressure-treated or Trex composite, staining, and frameless glass railings across south Charlotte and northern York County, SC.
- Deck Repair & Board Replacement You are here
- Pressure-Treated Wood Decks
- Trex Composite Decking
- Premium Composite Decks (Trex Transcend)
- Deck Staining & Sealing
- Glass Railings for Decks
Cities We Serve
Every city within about 25 minutes of our shop in Marvin, NC (28173). If you do not see yours, call us - we may still be able to help.
- Marvin, NC
- Waxhaw, NC ~5 min
- Weddington, NC ~7 min
- Matthews, NC ~10 min
- Ballantyne, NC ~10 min
- Fort Mill, SC ~10 min
- Indian Land, SC ~12 min
- South Charlotte, NC ~13 min
- Tega Cay, SC ~15 min
- Providence, NC ~16 min
- Pineville, NC ~17 min
- Lake Wylie, SC ~20 min
- SouthPark, NC ~20 min
- Myers Park, NC ~23 min
Ready to get started?
Give us a call or request a free estimate. We'll get back to you fast - usually within 15 minutes.
Free estimates • Licensed & insured