Deck Restoration in Northbrook, IL

Pressure-treated pine doesn't hide neglect for long, and this 385-square-foot single-level deck in Northbrook had reached the point where patching wasn't a conversation worth having. The boards had deteriorated past cupping into deep structural cracks and heavy splintering throughout — the kind of surface that catches clothing and raises real safety concerns. Beyond the decking itself, the deck sat visibly out of level, something our crew had flagged at the on-site estimate: a middle footer had heaved, lifting one section and throwing the whole frame off plane. The customer came into the job informed, which made the work straightforward to plan and execute.

We pulled the old decking off first, which gave us a clean look at the undercarriage before committing to any new material. The frame checked out where the footer hadn't shifted, and we documented everything we found before proceeding. The affected side came off, a new footer was set, and the railing was adjusted to the corrected elevation. Full deck floor replacement followed in pressure-treated pine, boards running perpendicular to the joists, along with complete replacement of the railing assembly, visible posts, stair treads, risers, and skirting. The front step and its framing were rebuilt to match the original design. New 2x6 handrails ran the perimeter, including a right outer corner section cut to fit clean against the adjoining runs without a seam — and we built a hinged door section into the railing so the water outlet behind it stays reachable. After a wash, wood brightener where the surface called for it, full power sanding on the horizontals and light sanding on the verticals, we applied one coat of Benjamin Moore WoodLuxe solid stain in Cocoa — the HOA-required shade. Debris was hauled and recycled before we left.