Madison Deck Builder Warns: Check Underneath Before Winter

As Madison-area homeowners close out the outdoor season, a local deck builder is urging them to take a closer look at the structural connections beneath their decks. Quigley Decks, a family-owned company serving homeowners since 1999, is highlighting research from the U.S. Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory in Madison. A 2018 study published by the U.S. Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory in Madison compared standard wood durability test specimens with a simulated post-and-beam connection recommended for residential deck construction. The specimens were cut from Southern Pine timbers and exposed above ground near Madison. Researchers found that the post-and-beam connection specimens held higher moisture levels and dried out less between wet periods than any of the standardized test specimens. The authors concluded that frequent drying can inhibit decay, and that small test pieces may underestimate the decay hazard present in larger members of aboveground structures.

For homeowners, the takeaway is practical. The parts of a deck that stay wet longest are often the joints and connections that are hardest to see from the deck surface. Tim Quigley, owner of Quigley Decks, said the findings match what he sees on older decks around Dane County. "The boards are what people look at, but the trouble usually starts underneath, where the post meets the beam and water sits," Quigley said. "By the time a homeowner notices it from the top, it's often been going on for a few seasons." Much of the company's deck repair madison wi work involves replacing framing and boards where moisture has caused damage. Railings belong in the same inspection, and the company's Railing Installation in Madison, WI service covers aluminum and stainless steel cable systems for new and existing decks.

Quigley recommends that homeowners get under the deck with a flashlight this fall, checking posts, beams, and where the deck meets the house, pressing on anything that looks dark or soft. For new construction, the company's deck installation madison wi service builds every deck on a steel frame topped with composite decking, and homeowners planning a larger outdoor space can work with the company's deck builders madison wi team on custom layouts and materials. Quigley Decks serves Madison and surrounding Dane County communities, including Cottage Grove, Fitchburg, Middleton, Sun Prairie, and Verona.