How much does roof decking cost?
Partial vs full replacement
- Spot replacement. The common case. Sheets that are soft, rotted at the eaves, delaminated or damaged around old leaks are cut out and replaced during tear-off.
- Full redeck. Needed when decking is widely delaminated, too thin to hold nails properly, or the roof has old spaced plank boards. Asphalt shingles must be installed on solid sheathing, so spaced boards are typically covered with new sheathing.
OSB vs plywood
Oriented strand board is the most common roof sheathing in Georgia and usually costs less. Plywood costs more but tends to tolerate repeated wetting better and holds fasteners well. Either meets code when the right thickness and span rating are used. Match the thickness of the surrounding deck so the roof stays flat.
Why Georgia roofs often need decking
Hot, humid attics with poor ventilation let moisture condense on the underside of the deck in cool weather and bake it in summer. Over years, OSB swells and loses strength, especially near the eaves where intake air is blocked or where gutters overflowed. Old leaks around chimneys and pipe boots also rot decking long before the shingles look bad.
Protecting your budget
- Get the per-sheet price in writing before work starts.
- Ask for photos of every replaced sheet and the count on your final invoice.
- If insurance is paying, decking found during tear-off is often added through a supplement with that photo evidence.
Read OSB vs plywood roof decking and attic heat and shingles. Robust Roofing explains the warning signs in its roof decking guide.