Deck Board Replacement for Apartment Balconies and Shared Decks
A tenant put a foot through a balcony board, or the inspector flagged the shared deck. We replace what is rotted, tighten what is loose, and tell you straight when a balcony needs more than boards.
JMB Builders does deck board replacement for apartment balconies and shared decks across the Twin Cities metro. Soft or rotted boards come out and new treated boards go in on the existing joists, loose balusters are replaced and the rail refastened, and every balcony gets a photo. When we find a rotted joist, a ledger pulling off the wall or a soft post, we stop and tell you it needs a structural engineer. Priced per balcony, quoted from photos.
- Priced per balcony or per shared deck
- Treated decking, balusters and rail fasteners
- Framing problems referred to an engineer
- Photos of every balcony in the job folder
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Walk-up balconies and shared decks on apartment buildings all take the same beating: snow sits on them, the boards go gray and check, the ends near the wall rot first, and the balusters loosen from being leaned on. The usual call is a tenant reporting a soft board or a baluster that came off in a hand. The manager needs it fixed before the next inspection and needs to know which other balconies are close behind.
Board and baluster replacement is straightforward carpentry. We pull the bad boards, check the joists under them with an awl, replace the boards with treated decking fastened with the right coated screws, put in matching balusters, and refasten the rail where it moves. We do a row of balconies in one pass and give you a list of which ones we replaced boards on, which had a baluster or two, and which are fine.
What we do not do is guess about structure. If the ledger is pulling off the wall, the joists are soft where they meet it, a post or beam is rotted, or the rail post will not tighten because the framing behind it is gone, that balcony gets taped off and referred to a structural engineer. We will do the repair the engineer specifies; we will not put new boards over a frame that is failing.
What you supply
- Photos of the balcony from above showing the boards, one from below showing the framing, and one of the rail
- The number of balconies or decks on the list, or let us walk the building once
- Tenant notice and access to the units whose balconies are being worked on
- Any inspection letter or engineer's report you already have
What JMB supplies
- Treated decking to match the width and thickness of the existing boards, and coated deck screws
- Replacement balusters in wood or matching metal, and the fasteners to hang them
- Rail cap and rail fasteners replaced or retightened where the rail moves
- A probe check of every joist under a replaced board and a note on what we found
- A balcony-by-balcony report: boards replaced, balusters replaced, and anything referred out
- Tape-off and a written note when a balcony needs a structural engineer before it is used
- Photos of every balcony, before and after, in your job folder
- Deck stain or sealer on new boards as its own line on the quote
How it is priced: per unit
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- How many boards per balcony: a few near the wall vs. the whole surface
- Balusters and rail cap replaced along with the boards
- Whether the existing decking is a standard treated size or has to be ripped to match
- Access: ground-floor decks vs. upper balconies that need a ladder or lift set up
- How many balconies in one visit; the second balcony is cheaper than the first
- Staining or sealing the new boards, quoted as its own line
Send the top, the underside and the rail of the worst balcony and a count of how many others are on the list. The quote comes back per balcony with a note on anything we can already see that may need an engineer.
How long it takes
A few boards and balusters on one balcony: a couple of hours. A row of walk-up balconies with boards on each: a day or two depending on access. Any balcony referred to an engineer waits for the report.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Board replacement only
The soft or rotted boards come out and new treated boards go in, fastened with coated screws, ends cut to match the existing overhang. The joists under them are probed and the sound ones are left alone.
Balusters and rail refastening
Missing, split or loose balusters replaced to match the spacing on the rest of the rail, and the rail cap and rail-to-post connections refastened so the rail stops moving. We flag a rail that will not tighten because the post is soft.
Full re-deck on the existing frame
When most of the boards are gone but the joists, beam and ledger check sound, all the decking comes off and new treated boards go on the old frame. Fast, and it lets us look at every joist while the deck is open.
Referred to an engineer
A ledger pulling off the wall, rotted joist ends, a soft post or a sagging beam is a structural problem. We tape the balcony off, write down what we found with photos, and you bring in a structural engineer. We do the repair the engineer specifies.
Deck Board Replacement for Apartment Balconies and Shared Decks: questions, answered
Can you replace rotted boards on apartment balconies?
Yes. JMB Builders replaces rotted and soft deck boards and loose rail balusters on walk-up balconies and shared decks at apartment buildings across the Twin Cities metro. We pull the bad boards, probe the joists under them, fasten new treated boards with coated screws, replace balusters to match, and send a photo and a note for every balcony. It is priced per balcony, and framing problems are referred to a structural engineer.
How do you know if a balcony needs more than new boards?
We look under it. Soft joist ends at the ledger, a ledger with a gap opening between it and the wall, a post that takes an awl easily, or a beam with a sag all mean the frame is the problem, not the boards. Those balconies get taped off and referred to a structural engineer, and we tell you in writing with photos. We do not lay new decking over a frame we do not trust.
Do you fix loose balcony railings?
Yes, when the fix is carpentry. A rail that moves because the balusters are loose, the cap is split or the rail-to-post screws have backed out gets new balusters, a new cap section and refastened connections. A rail post that will not tighten because the framing it bolts to has rotted is a structural repair and goes to an engineer first.
Can you do all the balconies on the building in one visit?
That is the best way to run it. Send us the count and photos of the worst one, we quote per balcony, and we go down the row with boards and balusters on the truck. Each balcony gets a line in the report: boards replaced, balusters replaced, sound, or referred to an engineer. Tenants are notified once and the office gets one invoice.
Will the new boards match the old ones?
New treated boards are the same size as the old ones but lighter in color until they weather, and they will darken over a season. If the balcony is stained, we quote staining the new boards to blend as a separate line, or the whole surface can be restained after the new wood dries out. We match the board width and the overhang at the edge so the repair does not read as a patch.
Are you a structural engineer?
No. JMB Builders is a licensed Minnesota residential building contractor, BC809005. We do carpentry: decking, balusters, rails and repairs an engineer has specified. When a balcony's ledger, joists, beam or posts look wrong, we say so in writing and you bring in a licensed structural engineer to assess it. We are glad to do the repair on their drawings.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All property managers pages
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