Deck repair in Baltimore

Boards, railings, stairs, and structure. We repair what's unsafe or worn and tell you straight if more of the deck is done.

What this service covers

Decks around Baltimore take a beating. Summer sun dries the boards out, spring and fall rain soak them, and winter freeze-thaw works the nails and screws loose. After enough years a deck starts to feel different underfoot, and that's usually when people text me.

I've been fixing roofs and exteriors around Baltimore for 24+ years, and over my career I've worked on thousands of homes. I repair decks. I don't build new ones. Most of the time a deck doesn't need to come down. It needs the bad boards, loose railings or soft posts fixed so it's solid again. If more of it is done than you hoped, I'll tell you straight and show you pictures.

You'll get a price after we look, before any work starts. I'm licensed and insured, MHIC #154344.

What I fix

Signs it's time to have your deck looked at

• Boards that feel soft or spongy when you step on them.
• A railing that moves when you lean on it.
• Steps that bounce, tilt or pull away from the deck.
• Posts that are dark, cracked or soft near the ground.
• Nails and screws popping up.
• Boards that are cupped, split or splintering.
• Spots that stay wet or green long after it rains.
• The deck shakes or sways when people walk across it.

A simple check you can do yourself: press a screwdriver into a board or post near the ground. If it sinks in easily, that wood is rotting.

If I had to pick one thing to fix first, it's a loose railing. People lean on railings without thinking, and that's how falls happen.

Baltimore weather and your deck

Our weather is hard on wood. Humid summers keep shaded decks damp, and the freeze-thaw swings we get every winter open up small cracks and let water deeper into the boards. Snow that sits on a deck for days soaks in. The places where water collects, like along the house and at the bottom of posts and stairs, are where rot starts.

Gutters play a part too. A clogged or overflowing gutter that dumps water onto a deck all season speeds up rot underneath. If that's what's going on, I'll point it out, and we can fix the gutter too. See gutter cleaning and repair.

After a bad storm, look for limbs that hit the railings or boards. Storm damage to a deck gets repaired the same way as wear: replace what's broken and check what's around it.

Deck repair questions

Do you build new decks?

No. I repair decks. I don't build new ones. If your deck needs boards, railings, steps or rotted posts and framing fixed, that's the work I do.

Can you match the wood?

We match the boards that are there as close as supply allows.

Is a wobbly railing an emergency?

It's a safety issue. Keep people off that part of the deck, and if it's urgent, say so in the text.

Should I repair or replace my deck?

If the posts and framing are solid, replacing the bad boards, railings or steps usually makes sense. If the framing is rotted in a lot of places, I'll show you pictures and tell you honestly whether repair still makes sense.

How do I get a price?

Call or text 443-900-4815 with your address and a few pictures. You'll get a price after we look, before any work starts.

Related services

Want this looked at?

Call or text 443-900-4815 with your address and a few pictures.

I'm often up on a roof, so a text usually reaches me fastest, but call anytime.