Deck Repair & Resurfacing

The USDA Forest Products Laboratory says the best way to prevent checking and get a long service life from a wooden deck is to keep water beading on the surface instead of soaking in, and that penetrating finishes are recommended for decks because film-forming finishes are very difficult to maintain there.

Its finish table gives these re-coat intervals for decking: tinted deck finishes every 1 to 2 years on new smooth boards and 2 to 3 years on weathered boards; semitransparent stain every 2 to 3 years on new boards and 3 to 6 years on weathered ones. A water-repellent preservative lasts only 1 to 2 years. These are US figures, and the source says the expected life depends on climate and exposure. For older CCA-treated decks, Health Canada suggests applying a sealant every year with an oil- or water-based stain; paints and other film-formers are not recommended.

Repair is also where guards and stairs get checked against today's rules: a guard wherever the drop is more than 600 mm within 1.2 m, openings that stop a 100 mm sphere, and stair rise and run inside Ontario's limits. The City does not say whether replacing boards alone needs a permit, so ask Building Code Services. Too few published Ottawa repair prices exist to quote a range.