Roof decking replacement in Long Beach, CA

The deck is the layer of wood your roof is nailed to. If it is rotted, soft or too thin, nothing on top of it will last. Nails will not hold, shingles will sag and tile can crack. Replacing bad decking is one of the most important parts of any re-roof, and one of the least visible.

Our crews check every sheet after tear-off. Where the wood is sound, we keep it. Where it is not, we cut it out and replace it, and we show you photos so you know exactly what was found.

Plywood, OSB and old board sheathing

Most newer roofs sit on plywood or OSB sheets. Older Long Beach homes often have 1x6 or 1x8 board sheathing, either laid tight or spaced with gaps for shake or tile. Each type ages differently. Plywood can delaminate when it stays wet. OSB swells at the edges. Boards split and rot at the eave.

When we replace decking, we match the thickness to the roof load and the rafter spacing so the deck stays flat. Panels are gapped as required to allow for movement and nailed to the rafters on the proper schedule.

• Plywood: strong, can delaminate with long wetting
• OSB: common and consistent, swells at wet edges
• Tight board sheathing: found on many older homes
• Spaced boards: used under shake and some tile

How rot starts under a roof

Rot usually begins where water sits. Slow leaks at chimneys, skylights and valleys can soak the deck for years before a ceiling stain appears. Poor attic ventilation traps moisture under the roof and can make the underside of the deck dark and soft, especially in the coastal marine layer.

Eaves are another weak point. Gutters that overflow and missing drip edge let water wick into the first few feet of decking and the rafter tails beneath it.

Partial sheets versus a full redeck

On most re-roofs, only some sheets need replacing, often around penetrations, valleys and eaves. We cut back to sound wood and splice in new sheets over the rafters. On roofs with widespread damage, spaced boards or uneven old sheathing, a full redeck gives a flat, strong base.

A full redeck also makes sense when moving from shake to shingles, steel or synthetic materials that need a solid deck. We explain which option fits your roof and why.

What decking work tells you about the house

Rotted decking is a symptom. When we find it, we look for the cause: a missing flashing, a blocked vent, a clogged gutter or a past leak that was never fixed. Correcting the cause keeps the new deck dry.

While the roof is open we also look at rafter tails, fascia and the tops of walls. Dry rot on these parts is common on older wood homes in Long Beach and is far easier to repair during a re-roof than later.

When to call about roof decking replacement

Roof decking on Long Beach's older homes

Craftsman bungalows and Spanish Revival homes in California Heights, Bluff Heights, Wrigley and Belmont Heights often still have their original board sheathing, sometimes under two or three generations of roofing. Ranch homes in Los Altos and North Long Beach usually have plywood that may be on its second roof. Near the water in Naples and Belmont Shore, marine air keeps attics damp and can speed rot on poorly vented roofs.

Decking replacement is part of a re-roof, which needs a Long Beach building permit, and the city inspector may check nailing before the roof goes on. Many leaks here only show up in the first big winter storm, so decking damage is often discovered during tear-off rather than before.