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Replacing Deck Boards Is DIY

Q: Do I need a permit for a deck board replacement in Orange County, FL?

No permit for like-for-like boards. Replacing walking-surface boards like-for-like is repair. Touching the STRUCTURE — joists, ledger, posts, stairs, or guardrails — or building new is structural work: Orange County requires building permits for all structural changes, and the under-$7,500 exemption never covers structural work.

Q: What does a deck board replacement cost?

DIY: Composite deck boards alone run $4–$16 per sq ft in materials (HomeGuide's composite-decking survey); wood boards are the cheapest option Hiring it out: $175–$875 per board typical for pro replacement, or $25–$125 per sq ft installed — wood $25–$50, composite $40–$80, PVC $50–$80 per sq ft installed Wood vs composite is the main price fork: composite costs more up front but is usually replaced only for fading, not rot. Published national figures (HomeGuide, checked Aug 2026) — local prices vary, and the free DIYrr planner pulls current retail prices for your exact repair.

Updated 2026-09-03 · Sources verified 2026-07-20

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Short answer: no permit for like-for-like boards. Replacing walking-surface boards like-for-like is repair. The full answer and its source are below, with the code requirements and mistakes that trip up Orlando homeowners.

The permit answer

No permit for like-for-like boards. Replacing walking-surface boards like-for-like is repair. Touching the STRUCTURE — joists, ledger, posts, stairs, or guardrails — or building new is structural work: Orange County requires building permits for all structural changes, and the under-$7,500 exemption never covers structural work.
Source: https://www.orangecountyfl.net/PermitsLicenses/DivisionOfBuildingSafety.aspx

Orange County and the City of Orlando run separate permit offices with separate portals — and your mailing address alone doesn't tell you which one covers your home. Check which permit office covers your address →

Key facts before you start

"Above ground" is not decided by whether the wood touches dirt. AWPA U1 Note 1 forces GROUND CONTACT UC4A on physically-above-ground parts when soil/vegetation/leaf litter "may build up and remain in contact"; when the build "will not allow air to circulate underneath the construction and between decking boards"; when parts sit "less than six inches above ground (final grade after landscaping) and supported on permeable building materials... without a moisture break"; on contact with non-durable/decayed wood; on frequent wetting; or "in tropical climates". A low, skirted FL deck usually trips two or three. AWPA's component map: deck boards, joists/beams, stairs and railing UC3B minimum — posts AND the ledger UC4A. Read the end tag ("AWPA U1, UC3B" + preservative + retention), not the aisle sign.
FBC-R R317.3.1: fasteners for preservative-treated wood must be "hot-dipped, zinc-coated galvanized steel, stainless steel, silicon bronze or copper" and "Staples shall be of stainless steel"; zinc coating weights per ASTM A153; connectors follow the connector maker, else minimum ASTM A653 G185. Exception: steel bolts 1/2 in. diameter or greater. Simpson adds the two DIY traps — "Electroplated/electro galvanized and mechanically galvanized coatings should not be considered to be hot-dip galvanized," and do not mix metals: "You should not use galvanized fasteners with stainless steel connectors" (zinc corrodes against stainless). Types 304, 305 and 316 stainless are the tested performers.
Measure joist spacing BEFORE buying boards — the legal span changes with the material. FBC-R Table R507.7: 1-1/4 in. (5/4) wood decking = 16 in. o.c. max perpendicular / 12 in. diagonal; 2 in. wood = 24 in. / 16 in.; fasten every board at every joist with two 8d threaded nails or two No. 8 screws. Composite is NOT in that table: R507.2 requires ASTM D7032 compliance and R507.2.1 puts "the allowable load and maximum allowable span" on the label. Trex's own chart caps 1 in. boards at 16 in. o.c. residential (only 2x6 boards get 24 in.), subtracts 4 in. at 45° and half at 30°, and requires that "Trex decking must span at least three joists." So re-decking 24 in. o.c. joists in standard composite is an unsupported, non-compliant deck.
Sealing cuts is code, not a courtesy — FBC-R R317.1.1: "Field-cut ends, notches and drilled holes of preservative-treated wood shall be treated in the field in accordance with AWPA M4." Gap by the wood's moisture state, not by habit: wet treated boards butt TIGHT because "As drying occurs, some shrinkage can be expected"; KDAT (kiln-dried-after-treatment) boards get gapped "the width of an 8 penny nail (1/8\")" and must stay dry before and during install. Attach bark side up ("annual rings arc upward, like a rainbow") to reduce cupping, and pre-drill pilot holes near ends and edges to stop splitting.
Trex gapping per the current install guide: width-to-width minimum 3/16 in. "for both hot and cold weather installations," 3/8 in. for docks and heavily wooded areas, and "No gapping should ever exceed 1/2\""; end-to-end 1/8 in. above 40°F / 3/16 in. below; abutting a wall or other solid object 1/4 in. above 40°F / 1/2 in. below; maximum perpendicular overhang 3/4 in. Hidden fasteners set the gap themselves. "All decks require air circulation to keep them dry" — leave openings under the decking or widen gaps to 3/8 in. Pressure washing above 3,100 psi voids the warranty. Other composite brands publish different numbers — use theirs.
Boards off is the one chance to inspect the frame: probe joist tops and the ledger for rot and termites. FBC-R R507.8.1.3 requires deck ledger fasteners "hot-dipped galvanized or stainless steel" and "Ledgers shall be flashed in accordance with Section R703.4 to prevent water from contacting the house band joist" — unflashed, nail-only, or a spongy band joist means stop and call a pro. Orange County permits ALL structures and lists a deck as an accessory structure: <=120 sq ft footprint = zoning permit with no engineered plans (Ord. 2024-04), larger = building permit (Building Safety 407-836-5550; an "Orlando" address may be City of Orlando, a different office). HB 803's under-$7,500 exemption cannot cover structural deck work at any value, cannot apply in a flood hazard area, and "A construction project may not be divided into more than one project" to slip under it.

What it costs

DIY: Composite deck boards alone run $4–$16 per sq ft in materials (HomeGuide's composite-decking survey); wood boards are the cheapest option
Hiring it out: $175–$875 per board typical for pro replacement, or $25–$125 per sq ft installed — wood $25–$50, composite $40–$80, PVC $50–$80 per sq ft installed
Wood vs composite is the main price fork: composite costs more up front but is usually replaced only for fading, not rot.
Published national figures (HomeGuide, checked Aug 2026): https://homeguide.com/costs/deck-repair-cost. Prices move — the free planner pulls current retail prices for your exact repair.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit for a deck board replacement in Orange County, FL?

No permit for like-for-like boards. Replacing walking-surface boards like-for-like is repair. Touching the STRUCTURE — joists, ledger, posts, stairs, or guardrails — or building new is structural work: Orange County requires building permits for all structural changes, and the under-$7,500 exemption never covers structural work.

Are there specific building-code requirements for a deck board replacement?

FBC-R R317.3.1: fasteners for preservative-treated wood must be "hot-dipped, zinc-coated galvanized steel, stainless steel, silicon bronze or copper" and "Staples shall be of stainless steel"; zinc coating weights per ASTM A153; connectors follow the connector maker, else minimum ASTM A653 G185.

What does a deck board replacement cost?

DIY: Composite deck boards alone run $4–$16 per sq ft in materials (HomeGuide's composite-decking survey); wood boards are the cheapest option Hiring it out: $175–$875 per board typical for pro replacement, or $25–$125 per sq ft installed — wood $25–$50, composite $40–$80, PVC $50–$80 per sq ft installed Wood vs composite is the main price fork: composite costs more up front but is usually replaced only for fading, not rot. Published national figures (HomeGuide, checked Aug 2026) — local prices vary, and the free DIYrr planner pulls current retail prices for your exact repair.

Related repairs

Sources

https://awpa.com/images/standards/U1excerpt.pdf
https://awpa.com/images/standards/ResidentialInfographic2021.pdf
https://awpa.com/info/technical/homeowners
https://www.strongtie.com/products/product-use-information/corrosion-information/pressure-treated-wood-faq
https://www.yellawood.com/resources/building-with-yellawood/building-tips/
https://www.yellawood.com/resources/building-with-yellawood/kdattips/
https://images.trex.com/is/content/trexcompany/2024_Trex_Decking_Installation_Guide(update)pdf
https://up.codes/viewer/florida/fl-residential-code-2023/chapter/3/building-planning
https://up.codes/viewer/florida/fl-residential-code-2023/chapter/5/floors
https://www.ocfl.net/PermitsLicenses/Permits/ResidentialAccessoryStructures.aspx
https://laws.flrules.org/2026/63

This guide is general informational content, not professional or legal advice. Codes and county rules change — confirm permit requirements with your local building department, and use a licensed professional for electrical, gas, structural, or main-line plumbing work.

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