Skip to main content

Our deck repair in Santa Maria fixes the deck you already have.

Santa Maria Deck Builders repairs the deck that's already there: loose or split boards, wobbly railings, tired stairs, and the posts, joists and footings underneath.

We fix the parts that need it and leave the rest of the deck alone.

  • Free Estimates
  • Over 10 Years in Business
  • Licensed
  • Insured
Weathered wood deck with a few new boards set in among older gray boards, railing in view

Get Your FREE Estimate

Tell us your town and the deck work you have in mind. Estimates are free.

Wood railing post being fastened back to the deck frame on a backyard deck

What we repair on a deck

Repairs cover the parts you walk on and the parts underneath that hold it all up.

  • Split or loose boards replaced
  • Wobbly railings fixed, or new railing put on
  • Stairs repaired or rebuilt
  • Posts, joists and footings repaired
  • Rot found under the boards dealt with once it's found
Get Your FREE Estimate See the typical prices

Fixing the deck you already have

Most repair jobs start with one thing you’ve noticed: a split board, a railing that moves when you lean on it, a stair tread that feels soft underfoot. We look at that, and then we look at the rest of the deck, because the boards you can see sit on posts, beams and joists you can’t.

Then we fix what needs fixing. Split or loose boards come out and new ones go in. Railing posts get tied back into the frame, and broken balusters get replaced. Stair treads and stair stringers get repaired, or the stairs get rebuilt. Underneath, a post, a joist or a footing that’s given out gets repaired or replaced.

Repair is work we do for you from start to finish. We don’t sell parts or hand out how-to steps, and we won’t push a bigger job than the deck needs.

New wood stair treads on repaired stringers leading from an older deck down to a lawn

Common deck problems we fix

Split or loose boards

A board that’s split, cupped or loose is the most visible problem on a deck, and usually the simplest repair. We take out the bad boards and put new ones in.

A railing that moves

A railing that wobbles gets fixed where the railing post meets the deck frame, and any loose or broken balusters get replaced. If the whole railing is tired, new railing is an option: wood railing for a typical deck runs $1,700 to $3,000, and composite railing runs $4,500 to $10,000. Metal, cable and glass railings cost more than wood.

Tired stairs

Stairs take a lot of traffic. We replace worn treads, repair the stair stringers that carry them, or rebuild the stairs when that makes more sense.

Posts, joists and footings

The frame is what holds the deck up. When a post, a beam, a joist or a footing has given out, we repair or replace that part of the frame.

Rot under the boards

Rot in the frame often only shows once boards come up. When we find it, we show you what we found before we go any further.

Deck boards lifted to show the joists and beam underneath during a frame repair

Repair, or time for a new deck?

Repair makes sense for a lot of decks. But when rot runs through much of the frame, patching it piece by piece stops being the right fix. When the frame itself is past fixing, deck replacement is the way to go: the old deck comes off and a new one goes on, in wood or composite.

Black stains are mildew, not rot

A deck that’s gone black in the shady corners can look like it’s falling apart. Mildew stains wood black but doesn’t rot it, and it comes off when the deck is cleaned and stained. If your boards are stained but solid underfoot, deck staining and sealing may be what the deck needs. If you’re not sure, tell us on the estimate form and we’ll look at both.

What deck repair costs

Repairs fall into two rough sizes. Railing prices are for a typical deck, about 16 by 20 feet off the back of the house with a few steps down to the yard.

Small repair

$600 to $2,000

A few boards, a post, or a loose railing section.

Larger repair

$2,000 to $6,000

Rot in the frame, a run of railing, or stairs.

Wood railing for a typical deck

$1,700 to $3,000

New wood railing on the deck that's already there, or replacing the old railing.

Composite railing for a typical deck

$4,500 to $10,000

New composite railing on the deck that's already there, or replacing the old railing.

Putting all new boards on an old frame doesn't have a set range; we price that once we've seen the frame. Metal, cable and glass railings cost more than wood.

Get Your FREE Estimate

Damp air, mildew and the wood on your deck

Some of what looks like damage on a deck around here is something else entirely.

Black stains are often mildew

Low cloud and fog come in at night and usually burn off by midday, and the air stays damp most of the year.

Mildew grows where a deck stays damp longest: in shade, out of the wind, near plants. It stains wood black but doesn't rot it, and it comes off when the deck is cleaned and stained. That's deck staining and sealing work, not repair.

What wears on a deck

A deck lies flat under sun and weather, and flat wood is often the hardest hit.

Salt, sand and repeated wetting and drying are hard on wood and shorten the life of its finish. When the boards themselves are split or loose, that's when repair comes in.

Shaded corner of a wood deck beside potted plants with dark mildew stains on the boards
Stack of new deck boards and a drill set down on an older wood deck mid-repair

How a deck repair goes

  1. Send the estimate form

    Tell us your town, the work you want and anything you know about the deck.

  2. We look at the deck or the yard

    We look at the frame, the footings and the space, and check what permit rules apply.

  3. You get a free estimate

    A clear price for the work, in wood or composite where that's a choice.

  4. We do the work

    Footings, frame, boards, stairs, railing, stain or cover, whatever the job is.

Questions about deck repair

How can I repair my wooden deck?

We fix what's actually failing: split or loose boards come out and new ones go in, a wobbly railing gets fixed, and a tired post, the joists, the footings or the stairs get repaired. If we find rot once boards come up, fixing it is extra. If a repair will do, we'll tell you.

Can I just replace the boards on my deck?

Yes, if the frame under them is sound. New boards or a refinish on a sound frame costs less than starting over, so the frame is the real question, and it's the first thing we look at. On permits, we check what applies to your deck and your town.

Related deck work

New warm brown composite deck with railing and steps to a lawn behind a two-story wood-sided home

Deck Replacement

The old deck comes off and a new one goes on, in wood or composite.

Deck Replacement
New pressure-treated wood deck with railing and steps down to a green lawn behind a single-story stucco home

Deck Building

New decks from bare ground: footings, frame, boards, stairs and railings, in wood or composite, plus new railings and stairs on decks already there.

Deck Building

Got a board, railing or stair that needs fixing?

Send the estimate form and tell us what's wrong with the deck. We'll come look and give you a free estimate.

Get Your FREE Estimate
Get Free Estimate