Between UV in July and freeze-thaw in January, an unsealed Treasure Valley deck ages roughly twice as fast as it needs to.
Outdoor wood in this climate takes punishment from both directions. Summer sun at this elevation is intense and dries the surface out; winter drives moisture into the checks and cracks that dryness opened, then freezes and expands it.
The practical result is that decks here need attention on a shorter cycle than the label on the stain can suggests. Catching a few soft boards early is a few hundred dollars. Waiting until the framing underneath is compromised is a rebuild.
Flat rates from our published catalog, quoted in writing before any work starts. A $95 minimum service call applies per visit — bundling several tasks into one visit is always better value.
Prices assume normal access and sound existing conditions. Anything that needs eyes on it first — active leaks, rot, hidden damage — is quoted as preliminary until we’ve seen it.
First, the posts. Push firmly against each railing post and each fence post. Movement at ground level means rot at the soil line, which is where posts almost always fail here — it's wet in spring, bone dry by August, and that cycle destroys the wood right at the transition.
Second, probe the boards. A screwdriver pressed into a deck board near the joists should meet firm resistance. If it sinks in, that board is done and the joist below it deserves a look too.
Wildfire season adds a third consideration for foothills properties: deck skirting and the space underneath collect windblown debris, and that's an ember trap. Clearing it is part of defensible space, not just tidiness.
Most Treasure Valley decks want it every two to three years, sooner on full-sun southern exposures. The test: sprinkle water on the boards. If it beads, the seal is intact. If it soaks in and darkens the wood, you're overdue.
Repairs, board replacement, railings and posts — yes. A full tear-off and rebuild is a larger project than our flat-rate catalog covers, and we'll quote it separately or refer you if it's better suited to a deck builder.
Almost always repair, if the posts are sound. Posts are the expensive part because they're set in concrete. If the posts have rotted at the soil line, the economics shift toward replacing the section.