Here is how to tear down and dispose of a wood deck: strip the railings, pry off the deck boards, cut the frame free of the house, remove the joists and posts, then haul the debris to an écocentre or book a pickup — in Montréal, demolition wood is refused in regular household garbage.
When a Wood Deck Is Ready to Come Down
A well-built cedar deck can last up to 40 years; a poorly maintained one often fails after 12–15. Rotting or warping boards, splintering surfaces, wobbly railings and heaving posts are the standard signs. Once the structure moves underfoot, repair money is usually better spent on removal and rebuild.
Tools and Safety Equipment for Deck Demolition
- Pry bar and claw hammer
- Drill (to reverse screws) and screwdriver
- Sledgehammer
- Reciprocating saw
- Shovel and wheelbarrow
- Safety glasses, work gloves, closed-toe footwear
Decks are built from the ground up — you demolish in the reverse order, top down.
How to Tear Down and Dispose of a Wood Deck: 7 Steps
1. Remove the handrails
Clear the deck completely, then take the top railings off end to end, followed by the balusters and bottom rails. Use a pry bar on nailed sections and a drill on screwed ones. Keep a jar handy for hardware.
2. Pry off the deck boards
Work from one side to the other, lifting boards one at a time with the pry bar. Stack same-length boards together — organized piles load faster at disposal time.
3. Cut the frame away from the house
Separate the deck frame from the ledger board fastened to the house. Cut slowly and let the frame’s own weight bring it away from the wall.
4. Cut off the joists
Knock the end joists free of their hangers with the sledgehammer; switch to the reciprocating saw where a hanger will not let go.
5. Remove the hanger boards
Pry the hanger boards off the foundation, then break each one away from the support posts.
6. Dig out the support posts
Dig around the concrete footings with a shovel and rock the posts back and forth until they pull free. A wheelbarrow — or a second pair of hands — helps here.
7. Tear down the steps
Pry off the treads, then remove the stringers, risers and their support posts.
Deck Debris Disposal in Montréal
Construction, renovation and demolition (CRD) debris is refused in Montréal’s regular household garbage collection — deck boards, joists and posts must leave the site another way. The City lists the accepted channels on its construction-materials disposal page. You have three practical options:
Écocentre drop-off (DIY)
Montréal’s écocentres accept residential CRD wood. It is the cheapest route on paper, but count the hidden costs: fuel, vehicle and trailer wear, loading time, and the queue at the facility.
Container rental
Private container companies price by bin size and rental days. It works well when a deck comes down as part of a larger exterior project with more debris than one load.
Junk removal pickup
A crew loads, hauls and disposes of everything for you. Our junk removal service picks up the whole pile — deck boards, joists and footings — with most residential pickups running $400–$950 depending on volume.
When to Call a Professional
Attached multi-level decks, rotted structures that may collapse unpredictably, and decks with buried concrete footings are where DIY tear-downs go wrong. DemoPrep (RBQ #5826-5448-01) removes decks as part of our exterior demolition services across Greater Montréal — for a typical residential deck it is a same-day job, disposal included.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to tear down a wood deck?
Most residential decks come down in a single day. Size, board fastening (nails remove faster than screws) and footing depth decide whether it stretches longer.
Do I need a permit to demolish a deck in Montréal?
It depends on your borough and how the deck is attached. Small detached decks often need no permit, but rules vary borough by borough — check with your borough’s permit counter before starting, especially for attached or elevated structures.
Can deck wood go in the regular garbage?
No. Montréal refuses CRD debris in household collections. Bring it to an écocentre, rent a container, or book a junk removal pickup. Ask your écocentre how it handles treated or painted wood — it is sorted separately from clean wood.
Get the Deck Down Without the Hauling
Want the deck gone — footings, debris and all — without renting tools or trailers? Contact DemoPrep for a free assessment.