This is the story of one real project. A two story home on Colorado acreage had an elevated deck that was failing at the structural level, and our crew tore it down and rebuilt it from the ground up. New concrete footings, a steel support beam, new framing, a Trex RainEscape under-deck drainage system, composite decking, cable railing, and a fully wired outdoor room underneath. The whole build took about two and a half months. We documented every stage on camera, so everything you read here comes straight from the job site. If you are wondering what a full deck rebuild actually involves, and how a crew should handle one, this project shows you.
Why this deck needed a rebuild, not a repair
Some decks can be saved with board replacement and a fresh finish. This one could not. When we inspected the old structure, the problems started at the ground and went up.
- No real footings. The deck and its beams were resting on fasteners set on top of concrete instead of proper buried footings. As Mohamed, the owner, put it on camera: “This deck was so bad I’m surprised nobody was hurt.”
- No proper flashing. The old build skipped the flashing that keeps water out of the connection between the deck and the house.
- Rotted plywood at the house. The plywood behind the deck was in such bad shape that it all had to come off and be replaced.
- An awkward footprint. The old deck was 12 feet wide and cut off at one section, so it was not even a full rectangle. The stairs were low enough that a tall person had to duck.
When the structure itself is wrong, patching the surface just hides the problem. That is why we recommended a full rebuild. A deck holds people, furniture, and snow load, and it has to be built like it matters.
Tear-out and excavation
The rebuild started with a clean slate. The crew demolished the old deck, hauled the debris out by dumpster, and cleared the site. Then came layout and excavation: string lines, marked footing locations, and digging for the new piers. We also stripped the old trim and the failed plywood off the house wall so the new deck would attach to sound material, not rot.
Footings, steel, and framing
This is the part of a deck nobody photographs for the family album, and it is the part that decides whether the deck lasts. We poured new concrete footings using sonotube forms, each one two feet by two feet and two feet deep in solid concrete. The posts anchor with two bolts through the side of the hardware, not a single fastener sitting on top of a slab. Mohamed’s summary from the site: “You’re telling me this will move ever?”
From there the structure went up:
- A black structural steel I-beam to carry the main load.
- A new ledger board bolted to the house, sealed with butyl flashing tape so water cannot reach the framing or the wall.
- Cedar and redwood posts and beams, joined with Simpson structural hardware.
- V-braces on the beams for rigidity.
- New joists across the full frame.
We also widened the deck from 12 feet to 15 feet and squared off the cut-off section, so the finished deck is one clean rectangle, 45 feet by 15 feet.
The under-deck drainage system
Because this deck is elevated, the space underneath it is valuable. The homeowner wanted to actually use it. So the crew installed a full Trex RainEscape system between the joists: membrane troughs, sealing tape, caulk, and a downspout between each set of beams. Every downspout feeds a gutter, the gutter carries the water to one exit point, and the whole system hides inside a pine tongue and groove ceiling so you never see any of it.
Mohamed is blunt about why the prep matters: “A minor leak is gonna cause major damage in the system.” So the crew sealed every corner and then tested it two ways. First by pouring water on the deck surface and watching it exit at the downspout below. Then Colorado did the real test, with days of heavy rain during the build. Not a single leak. As Mohamed says in the walkthrough video: “Not a single drop of water from upstairs comes down below here.”
Even the ceiling boards got vetted. Tongue and groove boards interlock like puzzle pieces, so one warped board throws off the whole run. A crew member checked every single board and culled the crooked ones before installation.
New decking, railing, and stairs
For the walking surface, the homeowner chose Trex Transcend composite boards, which carry a 50 year manufacturer warranty, the longest Trex offers. Where boards needed face screws, the crew set matching Trex plugs over every screw head, so the finished surface shows no fasteners at all.
The railing is cable railing on black metal posts, run all the way around. The property sits on open Colorado acreage, and cable railing keeps that view completely clear instead of hiding it behind pickets.
The stairs got rebuilt too. The old steps left so little headroom that people had to duck walking under the deck, so the crew adjusted the stairs and regraded the step layout to give roughly seven feet of clearance. At the base, the old landing was nothing but bricks set on dirt, which shifts over time. We removed it, dug down, and poured a concrete pad, four feet by three feet and four inches thick, so the staircase stays level for the long term. In Mohamed’s words: “It’s all about the little details. That’s what makes a big difference.”
Lighting, fans, and electrical
With the RainEscape system keeping the lower level dry, the crew turned the space under the deck into what Mohamed calls “basically a second room underneath this deck.” That meant real electrical work, documented step by step on camera:
- Power taps off an existing exterior outlet upstairs, with new wiring run down through a conduit painted to match the structure.
- A kill switch below to power everything on or off.
- Two ceiling fans with remote control for speed, dimming, and light color.
- Eight recessed spotlights, four on each side. The homeowner added these mid-project, after part of the ceiling was already up, and the crew marked, drilled, and wired a separate continuous line so the layout stayed perfectly even.
- Four outlets spread around the space.
- A motorized TV mount that lowers at the press of a button, swivels left or right toward wherever you are sitting, and folds up flat to protect the TV from high winds.
Finish work: the details that make it last
The last stretch of the project was all finish, and it is where this build separates itself from a standard deck job. The crew wrapped the support posts in stone veneer and built brick steps. They laid a paver patio and finished the surrounding landscaping. The exposed structural beams got a clear transparent stain, chosen so the natural grain still shows, with a soft golden tone and about three to five years of protection per coat. This is the trade we started in, and it shows.
At the house wall, the crew installed the new plywood, flashed it, reinstalled trim, and painted everything to match, so the repair is invisible. Then they cleaned the deck, put the homeowner’s furniture back, and even mounted holders for the remotes on the wall before handing the project over.
What this project shows about how we work
A case study is only useful if it tells you what to expect on your own project. Here is what this one shows.
- We fix causes, not symptoms. The cheap path was new boards on the old frame. We do not build on a structure we would not put our own families on.
- The invisible work gets the same care as the visible work. Footings, flashing, sealed membranes, culled ceiling boards. Nobody sees them. Everybody depends on them.
- One owner-led crew handled everything. Demolition, concrete, steel, framing, drainage, decking, railing, wiring, masonry, pavers, landscaping, and finish. One team, one number, one standard of care.
- We work in the open. Mohamed filmed every stage, including the water tests. If you hire us, you will always know what is happening on your project and why.
- The homeowner gets the last word. Jeff, the homeowner, said on camera that “the experience from end to end was fantastic” and that “every last thing was done to detail,” right down to the furniture being put back and the deck cleaned at handover. He also noted that when problems came up along the way, the crew adapted and solved them. That honesty matters to us. Real projects hit surprises. The difference is how a crew responds.
Golden Stain is licensed and insured, holds a 4.9 star rating across 120+ Google reviews, and puts warranty terms in writing before work starts.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my deck needs a full rebuild instead of a repair?
Look at the structure, not the surface. Loose or undersized footings, posts resting on fasteners or bare concrete, missing flashing where the deck meets the house, soft or rotted framing, and movement when people walk on it all point to structural problems that new boards cannot fix. If the frame is sound and only the surface is worn, a repair and refinish may be all you need. We will tell you honestly which one your deck is during a free on-site look.
How long does a full deck rebuild take?
It depends on the scope. This project ran about two and a half months, but it included a steel beam, an under-deck drainage system, full electrical, stone veneer, brick steps, and a paver patio. A simpler rebuild moves faster. Once we see your deck and your wish list, we can give you a realistic timeline before any work starts.
What is an under-deck drainage system and is it worth it?
On an elevated deck, a system like Trex RainEscape catches water between the joists, channels it through downspouts into a hidden gutter, and sends it out at a single point. The space below stays dry in rain and snow, so it can hold a finished ceiling, lights, fans, outlets, and furniture. If you want to actually live in the space under your deck, it is the feature that makes everything else possible.
How much does a full deck rebuild cost?
Every rebuild is priced on its own scope, so no honest contractor can quote it sight unseen. The main cost drivers are the size of the deck, the condition of the existing structure, the decking and railing materials you choose, and extras like drainage systems, electrical, masonry, and patios. We give you a written, itemized estimate after a free on-site visit, so you can see exactly where every part of the number comes from.
Get your free estimate
If your deck feels tired, bouncy, or just unsafe, do not wait for it to become an emergency. Call Golden Stain at 720-233-5487 or email info@goldenstain.com and we will come take an honest look. Free on-site estimate. No pressure, no obligation, ever. Whether your deck needs a refinish, a repair, or a full rebuild like this one, you will get a straight answer from an owner-led crew that has done it before and filmed the proof.
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