Every job below is one we do ourselves across Lakeland.
A new deck starts with footings dug below grade, sized for the load the frame will carry. We frame with pressure-treated joists on hot-dipped galvanized hangers and lay decking in pressure-treated pine, cedar, or composite. Ledger boards get flashed against the house before a single board goes down, that's the spot most decks fail first.
Soft spots in decking, loose railings, and joists that have started to rot usually mean water's been getting in somewhere for a while. We pull the failed boards or framing, check what's underneath for termite damage, and rebuild that section to match. Sometimes a repair is a few boards, sometimes it's the whole substructure with new decking on top.
Florida sun breaks down wood fiber fast, and unsealed boards go gray and start splitting within a couple of seasons. We pressure wash first, let the wood dry fully, then apply a penetrating stain or clear sealer rated for UV and standing water. Composite decking doesn't need this, which is one reason people switch.
Multi-level decks, built-in benches, pergolas over part of the deck, stairs that turn instead of running straight down, we lay it out to fit the yard instead of a stock rectangle. We'll walk the site with you and talk through what the framing underneath has to do to support what you want on top.
Composite boards don't rot, splinter, or need staining, and they hold up better than wood against Florida humidity. The framing underneath still has to be built right, hidden fastener systems and proper joist spacing matter more with composite because the boards behave differently than lumber in heat. We install Trex, TimberTech, and similar brands.
Wobbly railings and loose balusters are usually a sign the posts weren't bolted through the frame the first time around. Railings get rebuilt to current code height and baluster spacing, whether that's wood, aluminum, or cable rail. A railing that fails an inspection now can also fail under weight later, so post attachment isn't a place to cut corners.
If the framing underneath is still solid but the decking on top is cupped, splintering, or faded past saving, we strip the old boards and lay new decking on the existing structure. It's faster and cheaper than a full rebuild when the substructure checks out. Joists get inspected for rot before we commit to resurfacing over them.
Pool decks take more splashing, standing water, and sun reflection than a regular backyard deck, so drainage and board gapping matter more here. Decking slopes slightly away from the pool edge, with fasteners and hardware rated for constant moisture. Composite or capped boards are usually the better call around a pool.
Turning a deck into a screened porch means adding a roof line and screen framing on top of a structure that has to carry that extra weight. The existing or new frame gets checked against that load before anything gets enclosed. It keeps the bugs out and gets more use out of the space during Florida rain.
Old decks come down before a rebuild, whether that's because the framing's rotted past saving or you just want a different footprint. Lumber and old hardware get hauled off, and the ledger area and siding behind it get checked for water damage before framing anything new.
Four steps, and no surprises in any of them.
You tell us what you want doing, we look at what is actually there, and we ask the awkward questions early.
In writing, itemised, free. If something might add cost later we flag it now rather than at the end.
Same crew throughout. We cover your floors, keep the dust down and tidy up before we leave each day.
You point out anything you are not happy with and we fix it before the invoice, not after.
Deck installation and repair across Lakeland and the surrounding area.
Questions that come up once a deck project is underway.
Describe the problem and we will tell you what it probably is. No obligation.
