Deck building and repair in Duluth, Minnesota

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your town and what you want built, or what's going wrong with the deck you have.

2. We connect you

   Your request goes to an independent deck builder that covers your part of the Twin Ports.

3. They call you back

   The builder visits, measures and prices the work with you directly.

Who uses this site?

Homeowners in Duluth, Hermantown, Proctor and Superior who want a new deck, need an old one repaired or rebuilt, want stairs and guards they can trust, or want a roof or screens over the deck they already have. Duluth had 86,697 residents at the 2020 census and is the St. Louis County seat. Most of the city is built on a hillside that rises from Lake Superior: the airport by the lake on Park Point sits at 607 feet, and Duluth International Airport up on the hill sits at 1,427 feet. That climb shapes almost every deck in town.

What can a deck builder handle?

• New decks. Framing on footings dug 60 inches deep, from a small landing at a side door to a tall deck off the main floor of a house on a slope. More on new decks.
• Composite and PVC decking. Boards that skip the staining routine, on a new frame or on a sound existing one. More on composite decks.
• Repairs and rebuilds. Soft boards, sagging joists, a ledger that's letting go, or a full tear-off. More on repair and replacement.
• Stairs and railings. Stair runs that land on solid ground and guards built to Minnesota's rules. More on stairs and railings.
• Covered and screened decks. A roof over the grill, or screens to keep out bugs on summer evenings. More on covered and screened decks.

Why are Duluth decks harder to build than most?

Three reasons: the hill, the cold and the snow.

• Steep lots. On a hillside, a deck that starts level with the kitchen floor can be ten or more feet above the yard at its outer edge. The City of Duluth's deck packet calls for diagonal or corner bracing on decks more than 6 feet above grade and a full design by a Minnesota licensed structural engineer once a deck is more than 14 feet up.
• Deep frost. St. Louis County is in Minnesota's colder frost zone, where the state building code sets the minimum footing depth at five feet. Duluth's deck rules spell it out as 60 inches below grade, and Hermantown lists the same depth. Footings that stop short get lifted by frozen soil, and the deck racks, tilts or pulls off the house.
• Long winters. Duluth's average January temperature is about 11°F and the city averages roughly 90 inches of snow a year. Snow that sits on a deck for months melts a little on sunny afternoons and soaks into board ends, joist tops and the gap behind the ledger. That's where rot starts.
• Cool, damp summers by the lake. Lake Superior keeps the shoreline cooler, and shaded decks near the water or under trees can stay damp long after a rain, which invites mildew and decay.

Signs your deck needs a closer look

• Boards that bounce, feel soft, or let a screwdriver sink in
• A guard post you can rock back and forth by hand
• Stairs that shift, or a gap where the stringers meet the deck
• A corner that dropped or a deck that tilts after the spring thaw
• A gap opening between the ledger board and the house wall
• Rusted joist hangers, or bolts and screws backing out
• Posts sitting on blocks or dirt instead of concrete piers

Do you need a permit for a deck in Duluth?

Usually. The City of Duluth requires a permit for a deck that's attached to a building, more than 30 inches above grade, or part of an accessible route. Applications go through the city's online system at least two weeks before work starts, and a typical deck gets three inspections: footings before concrete is poured, framing, and final. Hermantown, Proctor and Superior each run their own permits, and Superior follows Wisconsin's code rather than Minnesota's. The Duluth deck guide lays out the rules side by side.

Wood or composite on the North Shore?

Both can last decades if the frame underneath is built right. Treated wood costs less up front and is simple to patch, but expect to clean and seal it regularly through Duluth's wet springs. Composite and PVC cost more and don't need stain, which is a real advantage on a deck that's hard to reach because it's two stories in the air. Either way, the framing is treated lumber, so footings, ledger flashing and joist protection matter as much as the boards you pick.

When is the best time to call?

Before the snow melts. Footing holes can't be dug in frozen ground, and in Duluth that holds up the building season until spring. The city asks for permit applications two weeks ahead, and on a tall or complicated deck an engineer may need to design it first. Calling in winter leaves time for a site visit, drawings and the permit so the crew can dig when the ground is ready.

Are you a deck company?

No. Duluth Deck Builders is a referral service. We pass your request to an independent builder who serves your address, and that builder designs, prices, builds and warranties the work. Read our tips for hiring a deck builder before you sign anything.

Areas we cover

• Duluth
• Superior
• Hermantown
• Proctor

Planning ahead? Read our Duluth deck guide.