Old deck off, new deck on
A deck replacement starts with the tear-off. The old boards, railing and stairs come off, then the old frame. What’s left is the ground the deck sat on, and sometimes the old footings.
From there it’s a new deck. New footings and a new frame go in where they’re needed: posts, beams and joists. Then new deck boards in wood or composite, new stairs down to the yard and new railing around the edge.
Taking an old deck apart sometimes turns up rot or damage that couldn’t be seen from above. If it does, we show you what we found before we go any further.
Same footprint, or a new layout
You can keep the new deck the same shape as the old one, or you can change it. Some people want it bigger. Some want the stairs on a different side, or a step down to a second level, or room for a table out of the wind. A replacement is the one time it’s easy to rethink all of that.
Bigger, higher or covered decks run above the typical replacement ranges. Deck permit rules differ from one town to the next, and we check what applies to yours.
Wood or composite this time
A replacement is also the time to pick the boards again. Pressure-treated lumber, redwood and cedar are all wood options: redwood costs more than pressure-treated lumber, and cedar costs a little more than pressure-treated and less than redwood. Composite boards, made from a blend of wood fiber and plastic, cost more than wood.
Our composite decks and redwood and wood decks pages go into each one, and we can price your new deck both ways.
Repair first, if it will do
Not every old deck needs to come off. If the frame is sound, a repair or new boards may be all you need, and our deck repair work covers that. When the frame is done, replacement is the way to go.
Common reasons people replace a deck
Rot through the frame
When the posts, beams or joists have rot in more than a spot or two, the deck needs a new frame, and a new frame means a new deck.
Boards, stairs and railing worn out all over
When most of the boards are split or loose, the stairs are tired and the railing moves, fixing each part one at a time stops making sense. A new deck takes care of all of it at once.
A deck that doesn’t fit how you use the yard
Sometimes the old deck is sound but the wrong size, the wrong shape or in the wrong spot. A replacement lets you start over with the layout.
Moving from wood to composite
Some people simply want composite boards this time. A replacement puts them on a new frame, with stairs and railing to match.
