Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How To Repair A Hole In Your Deck

Again? Already?!? If you had told me 10 months ago that I’d be doing deck construction again less than a year later, I would’ve punched you in the face.

Side by side of John building two decks

Okay, not literally. I’m not the punching type. But I would’ve thrown you a look that said “I would be punching you in the face right now if I were the punching type.”

It’s not that I didn’t enjoy the process of building a deck in the heat of summer… I just wasn’t really looking forward to doing it again so soon. But at least it wasn’t an entire deck this time. It was more of a patch job. Remember this puppy?

Hole in wooden deck left by removed tree

That’s the hole leftover from the big tree that we had to remove. The tree guys were nice enough to disassemble the bench that surrounded it (okay, technically they had to demolish it to remove the tree). Only downside is that it left us with this pretty pile of bench scrap.

Pile of broken deck boards from hole repair

Rather than rebuild the bench, we decided it would make the deck more functional to just cover the hole so we could place a table on a centered spot out there (if the hole stayed it would squish the outdoor dining area over in a not-as-centered-and-more-cramped way. My biggest worry was trying to find deck boards that were the same width as the existing who-knows-how-old decking. I even attempted to salvage some full boards from the scrap pile, but I came up three short.

Count of boards needed to repair hole in wood deck

So I headed off to Lowe’s to get my supplies and (with an old scrap piece of board in hand) quickly discovered they were a standard width that I could buy right off the shelf. Score! So into my car I packed:

  • Seven 8 foot long deck boards – $42
  • One 8 foot long 2 x 8″ board that was cut in half (those pieces would act as my joists) – $9
  • Four metal hangers to hold the joists in place – $4.50
  • TOTAL: $55.50

First up, I cut my 2 x 8s to the width of the hole and secured them with the hangers, using some decking nails that we had leftover from last summer.

Nailing in metal hangers to repair a hole in the deck

I probably only needed to do one joist (the space was just a little over three feet wide) but the tree guys had cut the stump down at a weird angle so I couldn’t put a joist right across the middle – so this ended up being my weird spacing. As long as it keeps the deck boards from falling, it’s cool by me.

Creating new joists for hole in wooden deck

For stability and appearance reasons, I knew I wanted my new boards to extend beyond the hole. That way my patch-job would looked a smidge more natural and the new boards could rest on an existing joist at either end for even more stability. So that decision involved cutting back some of the other planks to lay in my fresh new boards and camouflage the hole.

Cutting back existing deck boards to repair hole in wood deck

To do this, I broke out my Dremel Sawmax and cut a deep slice. It wasn’t deep enough to go all the way through, but it was enough to make the board snap right where I wanted it (hence the slightly rough edge you see above).

Dremel Sawmax tool using to cut deck board

This process saved me from having to pry up the entire length of each board. Instead, I just had to pry the sections that I wanted to remove.

Prying up deck board with crowbar

When it came time to fit the new board, I just laid it across the space and marked it with a pen. No measuring tape needed.

Marking line for cut of new deck board

Then using the stairs as a makeshift sawhorse, I cut each board down with my circular saw.

Cutting deck board with circular saw

Then it was just a matter of putting my puzzle pieces together as I went.

Patched hole in wooden deck with new boards

Well, that and screwing them down. I was thankful that I had kept all of my leftover screws from last summer (maybe the universe knew I’d be doing deck-work sooner than I thought?). It saved me a few bucks and most of all it saved me from doing one of those annoying extra trips to the store because I forgot to grab something.

John screwing in new deck boards

So here she be. Certainly not the prettiest home improvement “after” but the mismatched boards are at least an improvement over a gaping hole. Oh, and don’t mind that weird long board on the bottom left. One of the old boards cracked while I was prying it up so I had to patch a little more than originally planned.

Patched hole in wooden deck

We’re hoping that once the whole deck gets a good cleaning / stripping / restaining the new boards will blend right in with the old ones. Or maybe I should say that hopefully the old boards will look newer and they’ll all fit right in.

Another view of patched hole in wooden deck

But for now, we’re just enjoying being able to have people over without worrying that someone’s about to fall through the deck. Check out Sherry’s chair bravely sitting right where the old hole used to be (she took this photo, which is why she’s missing).

Gathering of people on patched hole in wooden deck

So next on the deck to-do list is to give the whole thing a deep cleaning/stripping and then stain & seal it to hopefully bring back some like-new glory. And eventually we’d love to open up the back of the deck by adding extra wide stairs that lead down to the backyard. Sort of like this. Maybe from the thick post that’s in front of Sherry’s left elbow to the thick post that’s in front of the pot of herbs in the photo below? But that’ll probably be a “Phase Two” thing for us down the line.

We also later added two gates to the deck to keep the dog from running away!

Sherring and child sunbathing on wooden deck

Is anyone else tackling a project they didn’t foresee in their future? Something that was a pleasant (or maybe not so pleasant) surprise? As much as I didn’t enjoy having a deck to-do on my list again, I definitely appreciated the fact that this one only took me one afternoon to complete.

Comments

  2. Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says

    Fingers crossed a good powerwash will make it all match up. At least it was a patch job and not the whole deck, right? :)

    We had an unpleasant surprise Friday. The left track of our garage door decided it was done staying screwed into the ceiling so it fell out and the whole left side fell down. Yay. The Mr got the brace screwed into the ceiling into a stud but we knew not to mess with the spring. The guy came out yesterday and said that if you’re able to get the garage door open, just hook the spring on the hook since there’s no tension to worry about. It was a $55 lesson but I guess I’d rather have the knowledge and pray we never have to use it again.

    Reply

  3. John @ Our Home from Scratch says

    Maybe a slap across the ear then?

    We are three years into our home and still deck-less. Thinking about this fall or next spring. I like what you did there. If it doesn’t ever blend well, you could always re-plank the whole deck. I’m sure after it’s cleaned up and stained it will be pretty close though.

    Reply

  4. Kelly {the Centsible Life} says

    Not the most fun project, but definitely better than a gaping hole! I keep seeing commercials for a Rustoleum product that’s supposed to be awesome for renewing your deck. I have no experience with it (we don’t have a deck) but thought I’d mention it, since it looks so easy to use.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I hear that too! And Behr just came out with something too (supposedly it’s a little less gritty and easier to use) so we’re looking into those options! Will keep you guys posted!

      xo
      s

  7. Lindsey says

    I love how every kid in the history of the world feels the need to wear the sand bucket on their head.

    Oh yeah, nice job on the deck! Haha.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That seems to be my favorite method, just because putting the drill down and picking it back up feels less time efficient than placing them all and just keeping the drill in my hands and driving them all in at one time.

      -John

  10. Ashley says

    We just had a dumpster delivered this morning for our deck tear down! I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Independence Day than some demolition! We’re putting in a fab tiered patio. Tetanus is already UTD!
    Your home is looking so much better already! Love following along!

    Reply

  11. Annelies says

    Love the idea of adding wide steps. I already have that in my mind to for any future garden. You are so lucky to have such a beautiful large deck, and the view ! Good job John !

    Reply

  12. Kristi @ Addicted 2 Decorating says

    Rather than going to the trouble of stripping and restaining, have you considered using that new(ish) Rustoleum product that you just paint right over decks? It comes in lots of different colors, and I think they said it protects for up to 15 years. Ethan at One Project Closer used it recently on his deck, and the result is quite amazing: http://www.oneprojectcloser.com/rust-oleum-deck-restore/

    Just seems a heck of a lot easier than stripping and restaining. :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, that looks awesome and we hear Behr has a similar product that just came out (we hear it’s a bit less gritty and easier to apply) so we’re definitely weighing those options!

      xo
      s

    • Cathy says

      Kristi, I’ve actually recently used Rustoleum’s product you mention, called Restore and really liked it. You can actually have it mixed in any color you like and contrary to the many negative reviews I read, it’s not a big deal to apply. I almost did not use it because of the reviews, but it’s just like painting with peanut butter. No big deal. One big complaint I read over and over was that the coverage estimates were incorrect, but I used exactly what they estimated I would need. I used it on cracked, ugly, mismatched concrete and it improved the area enormously. As you mention, Sherry, it is gritty, and if you don’t want that under foot, the Behr would be better. It is pricier in my neck of the woods, however. My thought was that the texture of the Restore would help hide the imperfections and it did just that.

    • Carla says

      I think the look of Rustoleum is like that of paint (versus stain). At least that’s how it photographs? A friend of ours had his deck painted and hates it; when I went over to see it I had to agree with him. I had this weird feeling like I wanted to rip off the paint and let. the. wood. breathe! :) To me there is no substitute for beautiful stained decks. If I remember correctly you intentionally chose natural wood for your former deck?

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Rustoleum’s look is a lot like a textured paint but the Berh stuff is like a solid stain, so it has a lot more natural look to us (we have seen them both in person). We’ll definitely keep you posted on our decision – and all of the why-we-picked-that-one stuff – once we make a choice :)

      xo
      s

    • Brandi says

      Thanks so much for sharing that link, Kristi! My deck is in bad shape again after staining it 2 summers ago. I am going to look into that product.

      Good luck with your deck project John and Sherry! Can’t wait to see which product you choose.

  13. Nicole says

    Loving the new house! It reminds me of our wooded neighborhood in Maryland. I have to ask, do you guys have those pesky daytime mosquitoes (Asian Tiger mosquitoes)? They can be brutal around the wooded areas. We have them and they drive us bananas!

    Reply

  14. Brittany says

    This is going to sound lame, but snaps to you guys for being such hard workers! I know it’s your full-time job now and all, but I am always so impressed at how you guys always seem to be working so hard :)
    P.S. I FINALLY got your book a couple of weeks ago! My sister surprised me with it for an early birthday present. She knew I had been wanting it since it came out but couldn’t justify spending the money in my head (we’re trying to become debt-free) I was so excited and looked through the whole thing that night! Thanks for all the great ideas!

    Reply

  15. Heather says

    Looks great! Newbie question here: When you were pulling up the older boards to use additional joists for support, how did you know how far apart the old joists were to begin with so that you knew where to cut your boards? Sorry if this is a totally obvious question!

    I’m moving into a (rent) house with a deck VERY similar in appearance and age so, I’m glad to hear that having an older deck doesn’t mean you absolutely have to tear down and start from scratch. Looking forward to your deck restoration post :)

    Reply

  16. Carole says

    Be sure to try that spiffy new pressure washer. It will coat your legs with wood shavings but will clean up the deck really well. It does tend to leave grooves if you concentrate in one area too long but an easy first step to clean-up!

    Reply

  18. Stephanie says

    Right in the middle of building a paver patio, one of our pear trees along the street split down the middle. We came out one morning to find half of it lying across the road, blocking traffic. Not what we needed while we were working on such a major project. And between the tree, the bagster full of debris, the yard waste awaiting pickup and the generally unkempt state of our yard due to the patio project, I’m sure our neighbors were less than thrilled with us.

    Great repair on the deck. Looks completely professional.

    Reply

  19. Tandra@LittleHousesBigDogs says

    I’m sorry I was secretly hoping a YHL bench rebuild, but I can totally see now why you wouldn’t want to. We are in the process of planning a new spa deck/pergola, love the first deck how to, printed it out and put it on the TV remote for the hubby.

    Reply

  20. Abby J. says

    We just had our first unexpected homeowner’s emergency, though it was really a blessing in disguise. Husband came home during his lunch break to grab something from the house and everything is fine. When he returns just a few hours later (I work farther away), the hot water valve to what used to be the sink is gushing water everywhere over our freshly gutted, newly drywalled kitchen. He immediately shut off the water main, used my hairdryer to save the portion of drywall that had gotten wet, and three hours and two trips to Home Depot later, had replaced the shutoff valve, which had given out.

    I say it’s a blessing in disguise, because obviously the shutoff valve was ready to go at any second, but thank heavens it happened when our kitchen was gutted. No cabinets or flooring to damage (we’re on slab) and it was gushing only for a matter of minutes or hours, not days as it might have been if we weren’t already living in the house.

    All this was just last night! Woke up this morning, showered, and rushed downstairs still in my towel just to make sure running the shower hadn’t caused some other problems. But the Husband fixed it good – the valves were perfectly dry.

    Reply

  21. Erin says

    Solidarity shout out… We are in the trenches with you guys on deck work right now. We have a wraparound deck and front landing that probably haven’t been cleaned in 10 years. Hubs is outside with his new love interest, a Craftsman pressure washer, right now. It’s taking forever, which is why we bought the washer instead of renting, but the difference is amazeballs.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We’re on the mailing list for both of them (we have credit cards there, are a member of the Home Depot garden club, etc) so they show up in the mail for us. We also get an additional 5% off just by using our credit cards there (which we pay off in full each month to keep from paying any interest). Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  23. shanna haycraft says

    We just took out our deck last week to put in a stamped concrete patio – The whole deck was a giant splinter/Tetanus shot waiting to happen for our 2 year old. I love your guys’ wooded lot – can’t wait to see more progress! Where did you get your outdoor dining table & chairs?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      The stamped patio sounds awesome! As for the dining table, that was from World Market on clearance last year, and the chairs are from Joss & Main (they came in a set of four for a really cheap price).

      xo
      s

  24. Ava says

    Aren’t you worried the stump would grow back into a tree and burst a new hole in deck? My question should tell you that I basically have no knowledge of stumps but a quick search told me a stump growing new tree is always a possibility

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Without any light it shouldn’t have any chance of growing back – although we can access it from under the deck if we need to drill holes into the trunk and add epsom salt, which we hear can speed up the decomposition.

      xo
      s

    • Katie says

      I’m also surprised that you didn’t get them to grind the tree stump. Did you get the other stumps ground after the trees were felled? In addition to suckers popping up, I’d also be a little concerned about fungus.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We got all the other stumps ground but they weren’t physically able to grind this one because it would have damaged our deck (to access it with their machine/blade they basically would have had to tear the deck apart in a 2′ radius all around the stump). A friend of ours had the same thing done though (an old tree removed from a deck hole and then boarded over it) and it has never grown back in 4 years – or had any issues with fungus since it’s ventilated under the deck – so we’re hoping we have the same luck.

      xo
      s

  26. Derek says

    Nice work! I’m considering building a ground-level deck off the back of our house – have any experience with that? I think they look nicer than brick or stone, but worried about rotting.

    Reply

  28. Tanya says

    Not to be one of “those people”, but I beleive you crosscut the boards instead of ripping them. A rip cut is a lengthwise cut with the grain – or this is at least what I am remembering from industrial arts from about 20 years ago. Ripping does sound 100% cooler though – I just wanted to help with lingo. I am also posting this with the understanding that I may be totally incorrect or mis-understood the step you were talking about.

    Reply

  29. Julianne says

    Gotta love those unexpected side jobs that seem to pop up left, right & centre. *urgh*…but I’m sure you’re glad that it’s finally done. Karma’s way of making sure you don’t forget your deck-building skills! ;O)

    Reply

  30. Meagan {Green Motherhood} says

    Oh man! I totally get the move into a new house and get all the little projects complete first experience.
    We put up our own blinds too! And we’ve slowly been putting things away, unpacking and finally (finally!) have hung some pictures.
    The one thing hanging over our heads? The YARD! Ugh! It’s like weed city out there. So embarrassing.

    Wondering after seeing an upclose shot if the deck is still in good shape or if you’re going to need to do some more repair/salvaging of the rest of it?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We definitely have a few more boards to replace (some of the railings have cupping/warping issues) but we’re looking into some awesome products that should get the deck back into great shape after we patch those planks, clean it, and apply them to stain/seal things in.

      xo
      s

  31. Sarah says

    We had some super heavy rain here in Ontario on Friday, and we made the not-so-pleasant discovery that our basement is leaking. AGAIN. We had foundation cracks fixed TWICE about 18 months ago, waited about a year to be safe, then refinished our basement (new drywall, carpet, furniture). To find soggy carpet and mouldy drywall 6 months later… NOT COOL.

    Reply

  32. Claire says

    I feel your pain. My deck was built around not one, but two trees, with a third large tree that hovered precariously adjacent to one side of the deck . . . and that third one came down in a microburst 80 mph winds that hit our neighborhood a few years ago and lifted up my deck. Went through 10 months of tree removal, covenant committee approval, permits, winter, contractor hiring, waiting to rebuild. After all of that, my contractor had literally put the final new boards down on a Thursday and on Friday morning the landscape committee guy was out on the new deck wrapping a caution tape around one of the other trees and left a notice saying they wanted to remove it in the next 10 days. Color me apoplectic. I gave a pretty calm tongue lashing. We reached a “compromise” that they would cut the tree down and leave stump about Sher-Dog waist high. My contractor came back out and built a table top off of it after I put a sealer on top of the stump. But good to see how you can do a patch job that doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb if the table and stump ever need to come out or God forbid the other tree falls on its sword too. Thanks for showing the how to!

    Reply

  33. Traci says

    We are just in the process of restaining our old deck. We ended up using Deck Over by Behr from the Home Depot. AMAZING stuff – if you use that, no one will ever know there is a patch there. It’s seriously made our deck look like a brand new deck. And with a lifetime warranty (when prepped and used correctly obviously), we’re excited that we never ever have to do anything with the deck again. Such a pain! Can’t wait to see how it all turns out!

    Reply

  34. Hanna says

    It looks great John! Just curious, I can’t remember — did you power wash the deck back when you rented the power washer, or is this a pre-powerwash look?

    Also, I remember watching an HGTV episode a couple years ago (the one where they help you get your house ready for sale for less than $2k), where they added steps to the center of deck. The steps gradually lengthened until the last step was about twice the length of the first step (sorta like a fan effect).

    They did it to create an “opening” feel, which I remember because it made me giggle. What WAS really nice about it was that it looked awesome with potted flowers layered down the sides.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That sounds really nice! As for the power washing thing, John did run the power washer over about a quarter of the deck before abandoning it (it wasn’t taking any of the stain off or making much of a difference at all, so he thought it would take 5 hours to do the whole thing and since it wasn’t stripping off the stain or anything it worked a lot better on brick/concrete for us – although it really cleaned the wood deck at our previous house, so I think it depends what shape the wood’s in and what it’s sealed with).

      xo
      s

  35. Virg says

    I have to comment about the bucket on Clara’s head. My son, who is now in college, wore a bucket on his head EVERYWHERE when he was 3. We have so many bucket head photos, that as a family we just laugh and laugh. So, way to rock the bucket Clara!

    Reply

  36. Jenna says

    I redid our old deck this spring. I was worried about my crawling baby getting splinters so I used the Behr deck cleaner and then used Deck Over paint. It works great. The cleaner made the wood, that I considered throwing away, look brand new and the Deck Over made the wood really smooth. I dont have to worry about the old wood splintering.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Love the reviews on Deck Over! It’s one of the front runners that we’re considering and hearing from real people who have loved it is awesome.

      xos

  39. Faith@The Stirring Place says

    Well it’s not much of a project (for us at least) but we sold our house and are temporarily renting. But we discovered there may be lead paint in/on the house so we have to have it tested this weekend. Oh, and did I mention I’m 18wks pregnant. There has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Fingers crossed all is well.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh man Faith, stay safe! Hope it’s all ok (apparently lead paint isn’t bad as long as it’s not flaking and peeling and it’s painted over – so it’s sealed inside – so maybe if the landlord has things painted and nothing is flaking off you’re ok?).

      xo
      s

  40. Keeley @ My Life on a Plate says

    There’s also the option of using a solid (opaque) stain instead of a transparent color. We bought a house in 2005 that had a very rough looking deck that even power washing couldn’t save. We went with a Behr solid stain (I think the color was Terra Cotta) and we loved it. It covered all the imperfections and even our neighbor (who initially thought it was a dumb idea) thought it looked great. Several of our neighbors ended up using the same product once they saw our deck.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We have heard awesome things about solid stains too (lasting longer, looking flawless, etc) so those are definitely in the running! So awesome that you (and the neighbors) have loved using it!

      xo
      s

    • Phyllis says

      Just wanted to chime in with my experience using the solid stain option. We just recently had our deck washed and stained using Sherwin Williams “Deckscapes” product in a solid color. It looks great and the coverage is exceptional.

      But one caveat (and you may already know this), solid stains are usually water based and will not adhere to a deck that’s been stained with an oil based semi-transparent. And power washing may not remove all of the original stain (as was your experience a few comments up thread). We had the same experience with the old stain not coming off with a power washer, so our deck contractor used a product that is non-toxic and biodegradable (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Krud-Kutter-32-oz-Original-Concentrate-Cleaner-Degreaser-KK32-12/203396788?N=6yg). It worked great and it took off all the old stain.

      Your deck is coming along quite nice! There are so many options out there, but I wanted to vouch for the solid stain option. So far we’ve been pleased with the durability, especially with an 85 lb dog!

  41. Kari says

    I hear ya on unexpected house jobs. When we bought our house 2 years ago we were enamored by our Caroma 2 button flush toilets that were water efficient – we felt so European! That is until we had a major clog in the line upstairs at 1am on a Monday morning in December and we had sewage dripping from our ceiling in our family room. When the emergency plumber came out to auger, his 1in auger head couldn’t fit into the diameter of our toilet upstairs. Now I’m not trying to be graphic, but if a 1in auger head can’t fit, you know we have some problems! He told us we needed to replace our toilets upstairs. Fast forward to now and I’m going today to look at toilets. It’s not a huge deal, it’s just not what I call an “exciting” project to spend my money on…especially when I’ve been trying to get new wood floors in my dining room. Buzz kill.

    Your deck patchwork looks awesome! Your-all’s go-get-’em spirit amazes me! I love how adventurous you are and how that has led you to become so knowledgable on home repairs! Kuddos to you!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh man Kari, that stinks! Literally. Ok, not funny but I couldn’t resist. Good luck with toilet shopping! Oddly enough that sounds fun to me.

      xo
      s

  44. Mary | lemongroveblog says

    Woot! First step done! Good to get rid of the big old hole in the middle – can’t wait to see this guy when it’s all stained with the nice set of stairs in the back. What a great outdoor space y’all will have!

    Reply

  46. Maureen @ Altes Haus says

    We have needed a new deck since we moved in…. 9 years ago. We have just gotten around to replacing the floor boards after my husband (who is 5″3″ like me and weighs only about 140) fell through the deck while throwing tomahawks. lol He found it pretty hysterical and wished he had it on video. So anyway, that prompted us to finally chew into the little savings we had and get the boards done. It’s gorgeous already even with the old railings and stairs (which will be replaced in spring).

    Reply

  47. Laura says

    My husband and I are also redoing our pool deck! We pulled up the old decking because it was rotting to find many surprises underneath, including rotting supports underneath and nothing holding those supports together! This is when it feels good to DIY! We will know its safe:) we’re also building a cabana hut !!

    Reply

  49. Kelli says

    You guys have become real experts…the deck patch looks great! Just wanted to thank you for producing such a wonderful blog! I look forward to reading your post every morning and sipping my cup of coffee. I don’t even have to wait since I am way over here in Anaheim, Calif.! Thanks for letting us ” hang out” with you!

    Reply

  50. Kristen says

    We have a gigantic deck on the front of our house that we thought was great when we purchased the house. Now it has become a gigantic project. We found many boards were rotting through so we have replaced about 15 of them. Now we are in the process of cleaning and painting the beast…it might just take us all summer as we have to chase around a 2 1/2 year old and a 3 month old!

    Reply

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