Deck repair?

My 2nd-story deck has substantial damage from carpenter bees, mostly in the supporting joists. I'd love to tear the whole thing down and start over but with a daughter in college and another taking a trip to Italy this summer, the money just isn't there. I'm thinking of pumping insecticide into the tunnels and sealing them to kill the bees, then screwing fresh (treated and painted) 2x10s to the existing joists and overhead deck boards. That should restore the structural strength and then some, without breaking the bank. Any thoughts on the idea in general, or recommendations on materials?

SteveR St Louis

I dought carpenter bees will weaken it much but yes spray, caulk holes before they emerge in spring, and wood or aluminum sheet will help

It's hard to make assumptions about the structural design of your deck.... Cantilevered second storey decks regularly suffer rot/insect damage to the joists right at the wall junction. No amount of sistering (outside the wall) would alleviate that type of damage if it has occurred on your home. A posted or a cantilevered deck that retains enough strength could potentially be repaired in the fashion that you are considering. You may need to reattach at the building.

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Sistering would be o.k....depending on how far back your able to sister the new joist's..imho...going back about 8' would be ideal..but then I'm kinda anal about upper decks / balconies being safe..

Attaching the sistered joist's...they should be Bolted with 5/8 bolts every

check this out:

Carpenter bees are quite the engineers. They carefully bore their holes in neutral axes which, for the most part, do not interfere with structural integrity. Your first idea is best. Then dress the appearance.