MediaVerifed

How To Tell Whether Or Not To Remodel Or Replace Your Deck

Has your deck robbed you of your home’s rightful property value? Is it an eyesore that’s been bothering you for years but you have put it off because you can’t afford to replace it? Well, the bad news is that you’re probably right to be concerned because a shoddy exterior can be a deal breaker for prospective buyers. However, the good news is that you probably won’t have to spend nearly as much as you think. That’s because a deck’s appearance starts to go way before its structure deteriorates. So as long your deck is structurally sound, you can probably just get it remodeled for much less than having to have the entire thing rebuilt from scratch. Here are some indicators to tip you off to the status of your deck:

Check for structural issues: Get your tape measure out and make some measurements. Once you’ve got everything documented, draw yourself a diagram of the deck to give yourself a visual reference. Include all heights, lengths, and distances of all the beams, poles, and anything else providing your deck with support. Feel free to get some help if you need it, because it’s important that this diagram is accurate. Once you’ve got it all drawn up, you will have to speak to a professional to give you an accurate analysis of whether your deck has good structural integrity. You should not try to make such an analysis on your own. You can speak to a deck replacement specialist in Woodstock, NY atBrian Hommel’s Home Improvement for an unbiased analysis of the state of your deck. If it is approved as being structurally sound, you can breathe a nice big sigh of relief.

Check the footing: This is something that can be especially noticeable in the winter. Keep your eye out for warped sections of the deck. If you notice anything that seems raised or uneven, it is probably the footing. In most cases, you can pour new footings directly next to the previous, which should even things out with little stress. The alternative is tearing up all the floorboards and replacing them with new ones, which is an expensive and physically grueling job. So avoiding that should be your priority.

Check the wood: The primary thing you should be looking for is treated wood, which always has a green tint to it. It also is usually marked, so if you do some searching you’ll hopefully find somewhere on the planks something along the lines of “.40 treated”. However, treated wood can last for up to several decades, over which time the markings can fade. Also, if the wood has been painted it will also be difficult to find the markings. In this case, you can cut out a small piece (a very small piece, so as to avoid causing any additional structural concerns to what you may already have), and check for the green tint that’s always found in treated wood. If you’ve got the right wood without any rotting or deterioration, you probably don’t have to do any replacing, just repairing and improving. Be sure to dig up the posts in the ground especially, as this region is especially sensitive to the test of time.

Follow these guidelines to get you started. If you want some additional help inspecting and determining whether you need a deck replacement in Woodstock,NY, you can contact BrIan Hommel’s Home Improvement company at any time. Just call 845-338-2211, or email them anytime at brian@brianhommel.com to set up an appointment.