Deck Repair in Brighton, ON

Damp Framing Under Brighton's Lakeside Decks

Decks this close to Lake Ontario stay damp longer after rain and on humid days. Moisture works into end grain, around screws and under the deck boards, and the joists underneath can stay wet for long stretches. That's where rot gets started. On waterfront and lakeshore homes, we look under the deck before quoting, because surface boards can look fine while the framing below has gone soft. Gaps between boards packed with debris also hold water, so we clear them as we go.

Hardware is the other weak spot. Joist hangers, post bases and railing bolts corrode faster in damp conditions, and a railing that wobbles is often a fastener problem more than a wood problem. We replace corroded hardware with exterior-rated connectors and through-bolt the railing posts so they stay solid. New railings run about $20 to $50 per linear foot, and replacement boards about $15 to $30 each.

If you want the deck solid for the busy months, have it looked at in early spring, after the frost is out of the ground. That's when heaved posts and loose stairs are easiest to spot. Swapping out a handful of boards might cost $200 to $500. When the joists are soft or the ledger is pulling away from the house, rebuilding a 10x12 pressure-treated deck from scratch is typically $3,000 to $7,000.

Pedro handles deck repairs, board replacement, railings and new deck builds. For how he approaches deck repair in general, see our deck repair & building page.