5 Signs You Need Deck Repair Services

As the weather warms up, and we happily welcome summer, it's easy to envision spending long evenings sipping iced tea and barbecuing with friends. After a long, busy week, you and your family can enjoy being outside on your beautiful deck, unless you’re overdue for Dallas deck repairs.

If your deck has seen better days—perhaps its paint is peeling, a few boards have rotted through, or it needs to be sealed—it's time for a Dallas deck repair project. If your outdoor space isn't in good condition, not only will you not enjoy being outside, but it'll also be unsafe for you and your family. Splinters, exposed nails, and wood rot could cause an accident, possibly resulting in serious injury or infection.

Although it takes a little hard work to get your deck looking and functioning its best, the good news is, you don't have to do repairs on your own! The pros at Mr. Handyman of Dallas can help. Our team of Dallas handyman experts and master carpenters offer a variety of services that will make your outdoor space look good as new. Each of our service professionals have years of experience repairing decks of all shapes, sizes, and materials—especially wood. If you see any of the five most common problems, we can help.

1. Cracked or Splintered Deck Boards

Since your deck is outside, it will wear naturally due to exposure from the sun, rain, and wind. Not to mention, changes in temperature and humidity can impact all kinds of materials, including metal fittings and concrete footings. The material that suffers most from a changing environment is wood.

If well maintained, wood decks should last between 20 and 25 years. But even if your planks have been stained and sealed correctly, it's still possible for cracking and splintering to happen. When this occurs, you need prompt Dallas deck repairs. Usually, one or two cracked boards is not a big problem. Any handyman worth his or her salt should be able to make the repairs. However, if there's damage throughout your deck, you may be looking at more extensive repairs or even an installation service.

2. Rotting Beams, Posts, Steps and Planks

Wood rot is microscopic fungi that breaks down wood. This is a natural process in forested areas as it helps clear fallen trees, but no Dallas homeowner wants to deal with it when it attacks their exterior wood surfaces. Wood rot spreads, so if it's not dealt with immediately it can cause serious structural damage to any wood deck—possibly causing a collapse.

Most modern decks are built on top of wooden support posts that rest on concrete footings, but in older homes, sometimes the wooden supports rest directly on the ground. This might not sound like a big deal, but soil is damp. Over time, both treated and untreated wood will absorb the moisture in the ground. This causes rot to spread, which can be a serious safety hazard.

Signs of Wood Rot Include:

• Soft wood
• Crumbling boards
• Discoloration

Our pro technicians and carpenters can expertly remove and replace rotted areas with our Dallas deck repair services. We can also fix your outdoor living space so wooden parts don’t directly touch the ground—preventing future issues.

3. Loose or Broken Railing

Damaged railings are serious safety hazards that need to be fixed right away via Dallas deck repairs. A family member could lean against a loose railing and fall if it gives way. If the railing wobbles when you grab it, it might just be an issue with the post's connection to the frame. Our technicians will be able to check for any loose carriage bolts or screws. These elements tend to loosen over time as wooden planks go through the cycle of getting damp and then drying after it rains. The other cause of loose railings is wood rot, which may cause it to grow soft, unstable or deteriorate completely. Whether you have wood rot, loose connections or another issue, our team will provide repairs to ensure your railings are safe and secure.

4. Professional Deck Maintenance

Like anything else in your home, regular upkeep improves the quality of your deck or patio and prevents it from wearing quickly. Constant use, dirt, stains from moss and mildew, and the weather all take a toll on your outdoor living area. Keep it looking its best with the help of our expert service professionals in Dallas, TX. We can provide deck repair and maintenance services that will keep the structure in good condition for years to come.

Maintenance Includes:

• Regular sealing and applying fresh deck stain
• Sanding peeling paint and replacing it with a fresh coat
• Checking stairs, railings, boards, joists, and planks for signs of wear
• Using a hammer to flatten protruding nails

5. Deck Cleaning

An important part of regular deck maintenance is to give it a thorough cleaning from time to time. This is especially important if the structure has significant stains from moss, lichen or mildew, or if it has peeling paint and chipped stain. By far, the most efficient and effective way to clean your deck is by using a pressure washer to give it a deep clean. Pressure washing can actually prevent the need for Dallas deck repairs.

Pressure washing can work wonders for your outdoor areas, but it's integral you hire a professional to do this for you. Pressure washers need to be set to a specific level depending on the surface you're working with. Since these machines are so powerful, it's very easy to damage your property or injure yourself if you don't know how to safely use them. Instead, let the pros at Mr. Handyman of Dallas handle it for you.

Prevent Dallas Deck Repairs with Preventative Maintenance

While sometimes Dallas deck repairs are a must—especially if a storm seriously damages your outdoor living space—often maintenance can prevent wear that results in premature problems. By monitoring and caring for your outdoor structure, you can catch problems quickly and take care of them before they get worse. To learn the best way to prevent damage to your outdoor structure, keep reading.

Routine Inspection

At least twice a year, inspect your deck for signs of damage. The best way to spot problems early is by being vigilant. Consider walking through your entire property during the start of spring and the start of autumn. Seasonal changes often leave a lot of debris behind from rainfall. Not to mention, changing temperatures tend to cause damage. You could use this opportunity to complete all your other outdoor maintenance and repairs too, including gutter repair, pressure washing and fence repair.

Basic Maintenance

There are many ways that you can prevent issues like wood rot, water damage and bleaching from damaging your outdoor living space. For instance, you should regularly move your deck furniture around. Moisture can seep underneath tables, chairs, umbrellas and storage chests. By moving these objects around frequently, you give the wood beneath a chance to dry-out. Also, this helps mitigate bleaching by enabling the sunshine to reach all the different areas of your outdoor structure.

Another good tip to keep in mind is to avoid putting rugs and carpets on your outdoor living space. This is a recipe for wood rot, because when fabric gets wet it does not always dry out properly—especially in more humid environments. This means that a rug or carpet could actually be moist on the bottom, even if it looks dry on the top. Thus, it may cause wood rot to spread.

Finally, be sure to clean-up stains as soon as possible. Spilling sweet drinks like juice or soda can encourage insects to infiltrate your deck. Also, many liquids can permanently stain the structure, which detracts from its aesthetic appeal.

Seal Regularly

Along with routine maintenance, one of the most important steps you can take to maintain your deck is to refinish it every two to three years. Regular sealing is essential for wood decks, because it helps prevent damage from wood rot, scratches, bleaching and more. Refinishing is not a difficult task, but it is a lot of work. For this reason, many Dallas homeowners put off this important task. Rather than procrastinating because you don't want to spend a Saturday refinishing your outdoor structure, hire the team at Mr. Handyman to take care of this improvement job for you. We'll carefully sand down the structure to get rid of old stain/paint and light damage, and then apply a clear, UV protecting sealant to keep water damage, bleaching and wear to a minimum. Finally, we'll top off that sealant with an appealing stain or a coat of paint to ensure the structure looks great.

What Are the Benefits of Refinishing?

• Adding an attractive sheen
• Preserving your wood's natural beauty
• Protecting the structure from moisture damage

• Preventing wood rot from growing
• Avoiding sun damage from bleaching wooden structures

Why Choose Mr. Handyman of Dallas?

Hiring deck services is a great way to offload the stress of making repairs. Not to mention, many Dallas homeowners don't have the time, tools or skills to handle extensive repairs on their own. When it comes to repairing outdoor structures, you want to make sure the job is handled by the best. So, you should put your trust in our handyman team.

Many of our tradesmen are highly skilled carpenters with many years of experience fixing a wide range of issues. We're also known for ensuring we have satisfied customers from start to finish, because of our dedication to providing excellent customer service. We're known throughout Texas for our dedication to quality service and customer satisfaction. It's important to us that you're able to enjoy your entire deck in comfort and safety, and that the area remains a fun place for you and your family to be.

Not only will our team provide exceptional Dallas deck repair services, but we also help with routine upkeep. Maintenance prevents your outdoor living area from becoming a dilapidated and unsafe space for you and your family. Loose boards, wobbly railings, protruding nails and damaged concrete deck footings could cause injury. Besides, if your outdoor living space looks unpleasant, you likely won't spend a lot of time out there. And, your neighbors may judge you for having an unkempt space that detracts from your Dallas home's curb appeal.

We not only provide a range of deck repairs in Dallas, TX, but also offer deck installation services and a wide range of other home improvement services to keep your property looking its best all year round. Some additional services we offer include gutter cleaning, siding repair, fence maintenance and more.

Book the Experts at Mr. Handyman of Dallas Today!

Are you ready to give your deck a new lease on life, and start enjoying your outdoor space? Call the pros at Mr. Handyman of Dallas. Our team will diligently make the necessary Dallas deck repairs you need for your outdoor living space. Our attention to detail, quality workmanship, and years of experience mean you get the best service possible—which is why our company is known to have happy clients.

Providing quality customer service is important to us. We treat all our clients with the utmost respect and prioritize your needs, so you have a positive experience with our company from start to finish. We're honored to serve both commercial and residential clients throughout the Dallas area, including in Addison and Balch Springs. We want to be the go-to handyman service you call, which is why you can have peace of mind knowing we will always go above and beyond for our clients.

To book an appointment or to learn more about our full range of services, we invite you to call our helpful office staff at 972-627-4518. We look forward to helping transform your deck from ugly and unsafe to a beautiful space the entire family can enjoy.