Loose boards, a wobbly railing, stairs that sink on one side: most Ottawa decks fail a little at a time, and almost always for the same reason. The city swings from humid 30-degree summers to minus 25 winters, and every freeze-thaw cycle works at fasteners, footings and end grain. Ottawa Decking Solutions repairs decks across Ottawa and Gatineau, and because we build decks for a living, we will tell you honestly whether yours is worth repairing at all.
What we repair
- Deck boards. Cracked, cupped or rotted boards replaced in pressure-treated, cedar, composite or PVC, matched to what is already on the deck.
- Railings. Loose posts re-anchored, damaged sections rebuilt, or upgraded to aluminum and glass.
- Stairs. Sunken stringers, separating treads, loose handrails.
- Structure. Joists, beams and the ledger connection to the house. Rot hides here, and this is where safety problems live.
- Footings. Posts heaved by frost get re-set below the frost line, so the deck stops shifting every spring.
Repair or replace? An honest answer
A deck with a sound frame is nearly always worth repairing. Boards, railings and stairs are surface work, and replacing them costs a fraction of a new build. If the rot has reached the frame itself, surface repairs are money spent twice, and replacement is the better call. We check the frame first and tell you which side of that line your deck is on. If it does need replacing, you see the new deck as a 3D design from the same deck builder in Ottawa before a single board is cut.
What deck repair costs depends on
Four things drive the price: whether the damage is structural or surface, the material being matched, access under the deck, and whether footings need work. We confirm all of it in a written quote after looking at the deck, not over the phone.
Can you repair a deck yourself?
Swapping one cracked board is a reasonable weekend job. Re-anchoring a railing post, replacing a stringer, or anything touching the ledger board is not. The ledger is what holds the deck to your house, and ledger failure is the most common cause of deck collapse. If the deck moves when you walk on it, have it looked at before the next barbecue season, not after.
Deck staining and restoration
Ottawa sun and freeze-thaw strip stain faster than the can promises. We clean, sand, repair and re-stain wood decks so the surface sheds water going into winter instead of soaking it up. If you are already booking a repair, ask about staining in the same visit. One mobilization is cheaper than two.
You can compare decking materials: composite, cedar, PVC and pressure-treated and see how each one ages in our materials guide.
