Owner-operated · Homeowner guide · Kennesaw
Is It Rot, Termites or Carpenter Bees on Your Kennesaw Deck?Kennesaw · Cobb County
Kennesaw: Soft boards, tiny holes and sawdust piles all look alarming, but they point to different problems with different fixes. Owner-operated, with a free written estimate.
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Homeowner guide · Kennesaw
Is it rot, termites or carpenter bees chewing my deck?
This page shows Kennesaw homeowners how to tell wood rot from insect damage with their own eyes and a screwdriver, and why the hidden frame matters more than the boards you walk on.
- The owner comes to the visit and writes the estimate himself
- Crews with 10+ years of combined experience
- Insured (general liability)
- Rated 5.0 on Google across 31 reviews as of Nov 2026
- Photos from our own jobs, not stock images
Kennesaw
How can I tell rot from insect damage by looking?
Start with the pattern. Rot is a moisture problem, so it tends to show up where water sits: board ends, spots under planters, the low corner where a downspout splashes, and the gaps where boards meet. Rotted wood often looks darker, feels spongy, and may crumble or split into cubes. Carpenter bees leave a neat round hole, about as round as a drilled hole, with coarse sawdust and yellowish streaks below it. Termites usually work out of sight and leave the surface thin, hollow or layered. Decks on homes around Legacy Park and similar shaded lots can stay damp longer, so look closely there.
Next, look at what surrounds the damage. A single clean hole in a rail cap or fascia, with a bee hovering nearby, usually points to carpenter bees. Long, soft, discolored stretches along a board edge usually point to water. Mud tubes on posts, concrete or the house wall suggest termites, and they deserve a prompt call. Peeling stain and gray, fuzzy wood can mean moisture has been getting in for a while. Do not assume one cause, because rot can invite insects, and insects can open the wood to more water.
Kennesaw
What does probing the wood tell me?
A simple probe test is the most useful thing a homeowner can do. Take a sturdy screwdriver and press the tip into the suspect wood with moderate force, then press it into wood you know is sound. Healthy wood resists and the tip barely marks it. Rotted wood lets the tip sink in easily, and a piece may pull away in soft, stringy or crumbly bits. Wood that sounds hollow when you tap it with the screwdriver handle can mean insects have tunneled inside, even when the surface looks fine.
Probe in several spots, not just one. Check the underside of boards, the tops and sides of joists, and the bottoms of posts where they meet the ground or a footing. Press along the edge of a board near a fastener, since water tends to follow screws and nails. Wear gloves and eye protection, because loose wood and bee holes can surprise you. Do not pry or dig aggressively, since that can damage sound wood and make the picture harder to read. If the tip sinks in at a frame member, stop and call someone before anyone walks there.
How it works
Five steps. No surprises.
Call, text, or send the form
Tell us what is going on: a new deck, a repair, or “not sure yet.” We reply the same day.
Free on-site visit
Breno looks at the deck or the yard himself, measures, and goes over your options with you.
Written estimate
Scope, materials and price come in writing, so you know the plan before anything starts.
Schedule and permits
We agree on a start date and confirm any city, county or HOA requirement for your address first.
Build and final walk-through
Breno is on the job, and we go over the finished work with you before we call it done.
Real B&T work
Photos from real jobs
Real photos from B&T projects in North Georgia, not necessarily from Kennesaw.
Kennesaw
Why do the frame and ledger matter more than the boards?
Surface boards are the part you see, but they are the easy part to replace. The frame is what holds the deck up: the posts, beams and joists underneath. The ledger is the board that fastens the deck to the house wall, and it carries a great deal of the load. If a surface board is soft, we swap it. If a joist, beam, post or ledger is soft, hollow or tunneled, the deck's strength is in question, and the repair is a different job entirely.
The ledger area deserves extra attention because water can run down the house wall and collect right where the deck attaches. Moisture trapped behind a ledger can rot wood you cannot see from the yard, and it can also invite termites near the house itself. Many decks around the Kennesaw Mountain area sit well above the ground on tall framing, which means longer posts and more places for trouble to hide. A deck can look fine on top and still be unsafe underneath, so the frame always comes first.
Kennesaw
What should I photograph before I call anyone?
Good photos help us understand the problem before Breno visits. Take a wide shot of the whole deck from the yard, then one from the stairs and one from the house wall. Next, take close shots of every suspect spot with a coin or a pen beside it for scale. Photograph any holes, sawdust piles, mud tubes, cracked boards and stained or sagging areas. If you can safely reach underneath, shoot the ledger where the deck meets the house, the tops of the joists, and the bottoms of the posts. Use bright light and a flashlight for shadowed areas.
Add a few notes with each photo. Write down where the spot is, whether it was wet or dry that day, and when you first noticed it. Mention whether you saw bees, winged insects or sawdust. Do not scrape, treat or cover the damage before photographing it, because that can hide the clues. If you have a photo from when the deck was newer, send that too. Good before and after pictures let us compare, and they make our free written estimate more accurate.
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Kennesaw
What happens when Breno comes out to look?
Breno visits in person, walks the deck, probes the wood, and checks the frame and ledger from above and below where access allows. We look at how water drains, whether the deck sits close to the ground or high on posts, and whether the damage is isolated or spread. The visit works the same whether your home is near Barrett Parkway, off Chastain Road, or closer to Cobb Parkway. Then we give you a free written estimate that describes what needs repair, what can wait, and what a full replacement would involve.
We repair and replace decks, rails, stairs and screened porches, and we restore and stain wood that is still sound. If insects are active, we will tell you plainly, and we may suggest you bring in a pest professional for that part. Permit needs and neighborhood association review depend on your address, so we help you work out whether the city or the county applies, and you should confirm with them directly. If your home is near Pinetree Country Club or another planned community, tell us the neighborhood so we can plan for any approval step.
Straight answers · Kennesaw
Kennesaw homeowner questions
Are carpenter bee holes a sign my deck is failing?
Not by themselves. A few round holes in a rail or fascia are usually cosmetic at first. Over time, repeated tunneling can weaken wood and invite water inside, especially if the holes face upward. Probe nearby wood, photograph the holes, and have the frame checked if you see lots of sawdust or hollow sounds.
Can I tell termites from rot just by looking?
Sometimes, but not always. Termites often leave wood hollow, layered or thin, with mud tubes on nearby posts or masonry. Rot tends to leave wood dark, soft and crumbly. Because the two can occur together, a close in-person look at the frame is the safest way to know.
Is soft wood on the surface boards a big deal?
Often it is a smaller repair, because surface boards can be replaced one at a time. The bigger question is what is under them. Soft boards can mean water is reaching the joists below, so check the framing before assuming a quick board swap will solve everything.
Why does the ledger worry you so much?
The ledger ties the deck to the house, so any weakness there affects the whole structure. Water can run down the wall and sit behind it, hiding rot or insect damage. Because it is hard to see, we check it carefully and recommend you never lean heavily on a deck with a doubtful ledger.
Should I spray or seal the damaged area myself?
We suggest waiting. Covering or treating damage can hide what is happening and make diagnosis harder. Photograph it first and keep people off any spot that feels soft. A treatment may help in some cases, but it cannot restore wood that has already lost its strength.
Does a high deck on a sloped lot make damage harder to spot?
It can. Hilly, tree-covered lots, like many around the Kennesaw Mountain area, often mean taller posts and shaded, damp framing that is hard to reach. Hidden damage can build up out of sight, so a regular look from below, with a flashlight, is worthwhile.
Do I need a permit or HOA approval to repair rotted framing?
It depends on your address and on the scope of the work. Whether the City of Kennesaw or Cobb County applies depends on where the home sits, and your association may have its own review step. Confirm with the city, county or association directly. We help you sort out which one applies.
Is it worth repairing, or should I replace the deck?
It depends on how far the damage has spread. If the problem is limited to a few boards or one joist, repair can make sense. If the ledger, several posts or much of the frame are compromised, replacement is often the safer path. Breno will explain both options in a free written estimate.
Verified Google reviews
What the neighbors are saying
These are verified Google reviews from B&T customers.
★★★★★
“Breno did an excellent job repairing my home. He was professional, reliable, and paid close attention to every detail. The quality of his work exceeded my expectations…”
★★★★★
“Outstanding service! Breno is knowledgeable, honest, and takes pride in his work. It's hard to find a company this reliable these days.”
Who’s doing the work
About B&T Properties
B&T Properties is run by Breno, who visits the job, writes the estimate and stays involved until the work is done. The crew has 10+ years of combined deck experience, and the company carries General Liability insurance. We work in Kennesaw and across Cobb County.
Upgrades
Make it yours: popular upgrades
Ask about any of these when Breno comes out for your free estimate. They are easiest to price in when we plan the project, not after it is built.
Stairs and landings
A better way down to the yard, with extra width, a landing or a second flight.
Composite decking
Low-maintenance boards in a range of colors, priced next to wood so you can compare.
Lighting
Low-voltage LED lights on stairs, posts or under the rail cap for evenings outside.
Railing styles
Railing is what you see first, so we go over the options before the estimate is final.
Written warranty
1-year workmanship warranty
Our labor carries a written one-year warranty counted from the finish date: if our workmanship is the cause, we repair it free. The warranty excludes faulty materials (the maker’s warranty applies), ordinary wear, storm damage, misuse, skipped upkeep and other contractors’ work. Send claims in writing.
Free written estimate
Tell Breno about your Kennesaw deck — free and in writing.
No call center, no sales rep — the person who answers is the person who does the work.