It moves when you lean on it
The most common call we get. Usually the post connection at the rim joist, not the railing itself.
Loose posts, rotted rails, wobbly stairs, or a railing that no longer meets code — we repair and replace deck railings across ME.
On most decks we look at, the boards are in better shape than the railing. Posts work loose where they bolt to the frame, water sits in the end grain of the top rail, and fasteners rust out long before the decking does. It happens quietly, and the first sign is usually somebody leaning on it.
A railing is also the one part of a deck that is genuinely a safety component. A wobbly rail on a deck three feet off the ground is not a cosmetic problem. We treat it as structural work — fixing what is actually causing the movement rather than adding another screw and hoping.
The most common call we get. Usually the post connection at the rim joist, not the railing itself.
Rot starts at the post base and the top-rail end grain, where water sits longest. If a screwdriver sinks in, the piece is done.
Older decks often have spacing that would not pass today. It matters most if small children use the deck.
Residential guards are generally 36 inches on decks more than 30 inches above grade — but your town’s code governs, and we check it.
Non-coated hardware in pressure-treated lumber corrodes. Fasteners standing proud are a sign the connection is failing.
Stair rails and stringers take more load than anything else on a deck. Movement there gets looked at first.
If the posts and framing are sound and the problem is a handful of rails, balusters or connections, a repair is usually the right call and the cheaper one. We would rather tell you that than sell you a rebuild.
Replacement makes sense when the post bases have gone, when the spacing or height would not pass today, or when you are refinishing the deck anyway and the railing is the tired part. A new railing changes how the whole deck looks more than new boards do.
We will tell you what the deck can carry and what it will cost either way, then leave the choice with you.
For residential decks more than 30 inches above grade, the guard is generally 36 inches. Codes are adopted and enforced locally, so we confirm against your town’s requirements before we build.
Usually, if the profile is still available. Send a photo with your quote request and we will tell you honestly whether a matched repair will blend or look patched.
A like-for-like railing repair often does not, but it depends entirely on your municipality and on whether the work is structural. We help sort permitting where it is needed.
Yes, and it is one of the most cost-effective things you can do to an older deck — provided the framing and post connections underneath are sound. We check that first.
Most railing replacements are a one- or two-day job once materials are in. Repairs are often a single visit.
Serving Newport, Skowhegan, Old Town, Bangor, Waterville, and the surrounding central Maine area.
See more of what we do or browse recent work.
Send a photo with your request and we can usually tell you repair-or-replace before we visit.