Why Is My Deck Sagging in the Middle?
Why is my deck sagging in the middle? How much sag is too much, how to measure it, and whether joists, the beam, a footing or rot is the cause.
Do You Need a Permit to Build a Deck in Illinois?
Do you need a permit to build a deck in Illinois? Who issues it, why the 200 sq ft exemption rarely applies, and what a permit and the inspections involve.
Illinois Deck Railing Code: Heights, Baluster Spacing and Handrails
Illinois deck railing code in plain terms: guard height, baluster spacing, stair guards, graspable handrails and the 200 pound load test.
Fall Deck Maintenance: Getting a Deck Ready for Snow, Salt and Ice
Fall deck maintenance for an Illinois winter: what to move off the boards, which ice melt to use, when to shovel, and what to fix before the freeze.
The Cheapest Way to Redo a Deck, and What Each Option Costs Later
The cheapest deck redo depends on the frame underneath. Stain, paint, board swaps and re-decking compared, with what each one costs you later.
How a Rotted Deck Joist Gets Repaired, and When It Cannot Be
How a rotted deck joist gets repaired: sistering, splicing or replacing it, what makes each one hold, and when a repair is ruled out.
Trex vs a Wood Deck: What Ten Years Actually Costs
Composite or wood decking, compared over ten years in DuPage County: staining, the frame underneath, joist spacing and what the warranty covers.
Wobbly Deck Railing: Is It the Fixings or the Framing?
Why tightening the bolts never cures a wobbly deck railing, how to tell a post problem from a framing one, and what a code guard connection needs.
Repair or Replace a Rotted Deck Beam? The Plies Decide
When a rotted deck beam can be sistered, when the whole beam has to come out, and why a new ply that misses the post does nothing at all.
Repair or Replace a Rotted Deck Post? The Foot Decides
When a rotted deck post can be spliced, when it has to come out with its footing, and why the bottom few inches decide the price of the job.
What Deck Replacement Costs, and When Repair Stops Winning
What a full deck rebuild costs per square foot, what a surface re-deck costs instead, and the point where repair spending stops making sense.
Deck Repair Cost in Naperville: What Each Job Actually Runs
Naperville deck repair prices job by job, the permit rule that catches joists and railings, and the point where rebuilding wins.
Deck Pulling Away From the House: What Actually Moved
A gap at the wall means the deck moved or the house did. How to tell which, what is safe to use meanwhile, and what each fix costs.
Rotted Ledger Board: The Most Dangerous Defect on a Deck
The ledger carries half the deck and hides behind siding. How to check the fasteners, the flashing and the band joist before the connection lets go.
How to Tell If Your Deck Joists Are Rotten: The Pick Test
Deck joists rot on the top edge, the one face the decking hides. How to run the pick test, read the break, and tell a repair from a replacement.
Naperville Deck Permits: What Needs One and What Does Not
Naperville requires a permit for a new deck and for most structural repair. What needs one, what the application needs, and how long review takes.
Should You Repair or Replace Your Deck? The Frame Decides
Deck boards are the worst guide to replacing a deck. How to read the ledger, joists and footings, what each repair costs, and when a rebuild wins.