Gardening · Updated August 2026
Decking Repair Cost UK 2026: Boards, Joists & Refurbs
Replacing damaged deck boards costs £100–£300 a patch, structural joist repairs run £300–£900, and a full refurbishment - repairs plus sand and re-oil at £8–£15 per m² - lands at £500–£1,500 for a typical deck.
Decking repair cost by job — 2026
Softwood decking of typical garden size (15–25m²); hardwood parts cost more, labour is similar.
| Repair | Typical cost | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replace damaged boards (patch) | £100–£300 | £10–£30 / board | Colour-match weathers in within a year |
| Re-fix loose boards and rails | £80–£200 | — | Screws where nails failed |
| Joist / structural repair | £300–£900 | — | Sistering or replacing rotten framing |
| Sand and re-oil / re-stain | £150–£400 | £8–£15 / m² | The every-2-3-years protection |
| Full refurb (repairs + finish) | £500–£1,500 | — | Stops short of a rebuild |
Indicative 2026 UK prices, compiled from published installer pricing (Checkatrade, MyJobQuote, MyBuilder and BookaBuilder cost guides, August 2026). BestBuilders has no quote history in this category yet, so treat these as a budgeting guide and confirm against three written quotes.
What changes the cost
| Cost factor | Typical impact | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Rot location | boards vs frame | Surface boards are cheap to swap; rot in the joists underneath is the expensive discovery |
| Timber type | ±50% on parts | Hardwood boards cost 2-3x softwood; composite repairs depend on matching a discontinued profile |
| Deck height and access | ±£100–£300 | A low ground-hugger means working blind; a raised deck can be repaired from below |
| Fixings used originally | ±£50–£150 | Nailed decks come apart destructively; screwed decks come apart politely |
| Finish condition | +£150–£400 | Grey, untreated timber needs sanding before any oil will take |
Decking repair cost by UK region — 2026
Modelled from regional labour rates rather than measured in this category — materials cost much the same everywhere, the labour does not.
| Region | Typical cost | vs UK average |
|---|---|---|
| London | £380–£1,170 | +25–30% |
| South East | £340–£1,080 | +15–20% |
| South West | £320–£940 | +5% |
| Midlands | £300–£900 | baseline |
| North England | £270–£860 | −5–10% |
| Scotland | £270–£810 | −10% |
| Wales | £270–£810 | −10% |
| Northern Ireland | £260–£760 | −15% |
Getting it priced properly
1. Probe the frame, not the boards
A screwdriver pushed into joists at post points tells you in five minutes whether this is a £200 job or a rebuild.
2. Repair in spring or autumn
Oil and stain need dry, mild days to cure - and summer is when decking firms charge peak rates.
3. Fix the cause of the rot
Blocked gaps, soil contact, planters sat on boards - a repair without drainage fixes is a subscription.
What this costs at a glance
The same table, drawn.
Decking repair — frequently asked questions
Board replacement runs £100–£300, structural joist repairs £300–£900, and a full refurb with sanding and re-oiling £500–£1,500 for a typical garden deck in 2026.
Probe the joists and posts with a screwdriver. Firm frame plus tired boards equals repairable; soft, spongy framing in several places means the deck is at end of life.
Every two to three years for softwood - £8–£15 per m² done professionally. It is the difference between a 10-year deck and a 25-year one.
Repair while the frame is sound. Once joist rot spreads past a couple of locations, replacement (or a composite rebuild) beats chasing rot patch by patch.
Related cost guides
New decks priced by material and size.
Installed per m2, prep included.
Patios priced by stone and size.
Reviewed by the BestBuilders editorial team on 18 August 2026 · Next scheduled review: November 2026 · See our editorial standards.