This is not for the faint of heart. Repairing a rot-damaged deck, whether it be dry rot or wet rot is a process unlike any other. You must be strong and smart to achieve this without having to do a total tear down of the entire deck. Now, why does deck wood rot? There are many reasons but it starts with moister that activates bacteria that are already on your deck. They lay in wait for rain or high humidity so they can consume the softer parts of the wood leaving a green shade to the wood and ruining its appearance and stability. This can be stopped and even prevented when you first install your deck. The key here is UV resistance and moisture dispersing clear coat or sealer. This will protect the wood for years from water, humidity, salt and bacteria, and many other things like UV radiation drying the deck and warping it.
The best way to fix the deck is to start by inspecting it. Look for damaged and rotting deck boards and struts. Take boards off and check if the damage has affected both sides. If it’s just an aesthetic issue then flip the board and nail it back in place for a fresh new look to that board. IF you have found signs of dry or wet rot you will have to act fast. Find all the board and areas of the deck that are rotting and quickly spray something called wood hardener on it. This will kill the bacteria and hardens the wood so it can be filled with wood filler. This can be used to repair an entire deck that is half rotted out.
Step one, remove the nails from the affected area, no one needs to get a tetanus shot today so do it carefully. If the nails seem to be sticking out that is part of a rotting and warped deck. The wood shrinks but the nails stay the same size. So they seem to pop out when the board is popping in. The next step is as described above. Inspect every piece of wood for rot, spray wood hardener and fill with wood filler. You can then leave them to dry and give them a thorough clear coat of UV protective varnish that will also protect them from rot.
Now your deck has taken a beating and even with the wood being sealed and repaired you will want to get some new wood to reinforce the joists. This will help keep the deck secure and safe and stable. If your deck is too rotten to fix then call in a professional to take the deck down and build you a whole new one. With prices starting at ten dollars per square foot and same-day hauling who would wait, call now for deck demolition.