Common Repairs That Decks Often Need After A Few Years
Have you ever known someone with a deck that never appeared to age? Year after year, that deck continued to look sturdy and relatively new. Chances are, the deck did not last that long because it was better quality than any other deck, but rather because the owner was vigilant about having little repairs made as soon as they were needed. If you have your own deck and want to make sure it looks just as good as it ages, here are some common repairs to watch out for once your deck is a few years old.
Replacing rusty screws or nails.
Decks are often held together with stainless steel screws or nails, which will resist rusting for a long time. But if there are some nails or screws that are exposed to water for longer periods, those ones might start rusting a lot sooner than others. Rusty screws or nails don't look nice, and they will eventually rust through, at which time they will stop holding the deck together. Have a deck repair company come remove and replace any rusted, corroded, or otherwise damaged fasteners.
Replacing rotten or cracked boards.
Rot on deck boards often appears on the underside first, which means it can go unnoticed for a while unless you explicitly look for it. So, make a habit of crawling under your deck and taking a look at the underside of the boards now and then. If you see any rot on any of the boards, note which ones are damaged and have a deck repair company come replace them. You'll usually see the rot along the edges and ends first, so focus on looking at those areas.
Securing railings and guards.
Does your deck have railings along the stairs? Maybe it has guards stretching around the whole thing. If any of these railings or guards become loose, they could damage the boards they are attached to as they rock back and forth. Of course, loose railings are also a safety concern. Depending on the reason why the railings are loose, your deck repair company may need to replace them, or they may just need to re-attach them to the deck using new fasteners and hardware.
If your deck needs one or more of these repairs after a few years, don't be alarmed. This is quite normal. Instead, contact a home deck repair company near you for a quote.