When detected early, it is possible to repair the damage without having to replace the entire deck. Remove rotten boards and replace them with new pressure-treated ones. Apply a waterproof layer over the entire platform, including support pieces. Match any point that creates water buildup.
If wood rot is still in the initial stage and is planted in a small part, it can be changed. But if the rot has spread too much, it would be good to completely replace the joist. Untreated wood is susceptible to rotting and decaying over time if exposed to moisture, mold and insects. The most common and serious rot problems involve an improperly installed ledger board that allows moisture to penetrate the wall of the house.
Because the frame of the house is left untreated, it is much more likely to rot. If your ledger board is infected with rot, you may need to replace the entire deck. You may also need to repair parts of the wall of the house. If some joists or decks are rotting, you may be able to remove and replace only the affected parts.
Deck rot can lead to costly repairs unless it is usually possible to maintain the same appearance using the same deck planks, and with enough art in color matching the filler with old wooden joists, repairs may not seem obvious even from below. Often, the wooden posts or beams of a platform may appear relatively intact from the outside, but the inside may be rotten and brittle beyond repair. Guardrails and protectors made of rotten wood are especially dangerous because people who use the deck depend on them for safety. However, it means that the repair of decking wood rot should be done as soon as possible to prevent rot from spreading.
If your deck is no longer structurally sound or if rot repair costs start to approach the price of a new deck, you'll want to replace it. The good thing is that, with regular maintenance, you can prevent your deck from needing a more expensive repair. Rotten wood poles are more difficult to remove than decking boards because they are significantly larger and are usually anchored to the ground in concrete. If the repairs are not symmetrical and are distributed over the entire width of the structure, there will be bending, twisting or deformation of the platform.
