Guide
Soft roof deck: when a plywood patch is enough and when a redeck is required
Written by Ultra Power Construction. The credentials page states that this contractor is licensed and insured in New Jersey and lists GAF and Owens Corning programs. Updated 2026-09-28.
On Glen Ridge, Madison, and Cranford roofs, soft plywood under old shingles changes the job more than the shingle color does. The decision on the estimate is whether soft spots are patched by the sheet or whether a larger redeck is required before new underlayment goes down.
- How soft deck shows up during tear-off
- Patch by the sheet, not by the square inch
- What belongs on the written line
How soft deck shows up during tear-off
Soft spots feel spongy underfoot, show dark staining from the attic, or break when shingles come off. A ground photo cannot settle it. The estimate should allow for plywood by the sheet when those conditions appear.
Patch by the sheet, not by the square inch
Sound practice replaces full sheets that are soft, not postage-stamp scraps that leave weak edges. If several adjacent sheets are gone, the scope moves from scattered patches toward a partial redeck.
What belongs on the written line
Ask for a unit price per sheet of plywood and an allowance count. A Cranford or Madison bid that buries deck work inside “labor” will grow the day soft wood appears.