Deck repair
Under Atlanta's tree cover a wood deck grows mildew and algae, holds spring pine pollen in every gap, and goes grey within a couple of seasons of being sealed. Staining is only worth doing on a deck that is structurally sound, so we treat it as the last step of a repair visit rather than a paint job: fix loose or soft boards and popped fasteners first, clean the wood properly, let it dry, then apply a penetrating stain suited to a shaded deck. We will tell you honestly if the boards are past the point where stain will help.
Heavy tree cover is one of the best things about living here and one of the hardest things on a wood deck. Boards under a canopy stay damp for days after a storm, which is exactly what mildew and algae need. Each spring the pines drop a coat of yellow pollen that settles into every gap. Leaves pile up against rails and hold water. Unprotected, the boards grey, check, and start to soften.
Stain does not fix anything structural, and staining a deck that needs repair only hides the problem for a season. So we treat staining as the last step. Loose boards get re-fastened, popped nails replaced with screws, soft boards swapped out, and any frame concern flagged - if a lot of boards are soft, the next step is a resurface or a repair rather than a stain.
The prep decides how long the stain lasts. We clean the mildew and old grey fibres off properly, brighten the wood, and then wait for it to dry before coating - which in an Atlanta spring or summer can mean waiting for the right stretch of weather. A penetrating stain suits shaded decks better than a film that peels. Rail caps and stair treads get extra attention, because bare softwood there is what carpenter bees go for.
Most requested under the big trees in Dunwoody, Decatur, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Atlanta and Smyrna. If the railing needs work, we do it before the stain goes on.
How long does it take? Two visits is typical - clean and repair, then stain once the wood is dry. Weather decides the gap.
These usually turn up on the same inspection:
New boards on a frame that is still sound - the good-value repair, once we have confirmed the frame deserves it.
Learn More →Soft boards, loose railings, bouncy framing - we find the cause underneath and fix that, not just the symptom on top.
Learn More →Loose railing posts, flexing treads and stairs down a slope - rebuilt so they do not move when someone leans.
Learn More →Free - No Obligation
Two minutes. We call you back the same day.