Decks, Fences & Exterior Work in Denver, CO

The honest answer needs a look. The things I check are the ledger where it attaches to the house, the post bases at ground level, and the railing connections. Surface boards can look rough while the structure is sound, and the reverse happens too — a deck that looks fine can be rotted at the post bases where you can't see. I'll tell you what I find either way, including if the answer is that it needs more than a repair.

Almost always drainage. If concrete was poured in a way that cups water around the post base, the wood sits wet and rots from there regardless of the treatment rating. Resetting it with the right depth, a footing that sheds water, and gravel at the base makes an enormous difference. That's why a properly reset post lasts and a quick one doesn't.

Yes, at a pressure the wood can take. Pressure washing is the fastest way to ruin a soft-wood deck — too much and you raise the grain, gouge the surface, and end up with a deck that needs sanding before it can take stain. Lower pressure with the right cleaner does a better job with none of the damage.

It depends how deep. Surface erosion of the joint face is normal aging and repointing handles it. Mortar you can rake out with a finger to any depth, or brick faces popping off, means water is getting in and freeze-thaw is working on it — that's worth addressing before it spreads. Either way, the mortar has to be matched to the original, because repointing old soft brick with hard modern mortar damages the brick.