Lattice or panel ripped open
A section is cracked, peeled back, or missing, usually near a corner or along the bottom edge.
Start here: Check for fresh tracks, droppings, nesting material, or movement under the deck before you close anything up.
Deck animal damage
Raccoon Tore Open Deck Skirting
Direct answer: Most of the time, a raccoon tears open deck skirting at a loose panel, weak lattice edge, or rotted fastener area. Start by making sure no animal is still under the deck, then check whether the damage stops at the skirting or reaches the framing behind it.
Most likely: The usual fix is reattaching or replacing the damaged skirting section and fastening it to solid backing, not just patching the torn spot.
Raccoons are strong enough to peel back lattice, pry off thin panels, and widen any weak corner they can get a paw into. Reality check: if they got in once, they will usually test that same spot again. Common wrong move: covering the hole with flimsy mesh or a couple of short screws and calling it done.
Don’t start with: Do not seal the opening shut the same day if you are not sure the animal is gone, and do not screw new material into soft, rotten wood.
If the skirting is hanging loose but the framing behind it feels solid,you can usually make a straightforward repair with better backing and stronger fasteners.
If the joist ends, rim area, or posts are split, soft, or pulled loose,stop at stabilization and get a deck repair pro involved before anyone loads that area.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-21
What the damage looks like
Fasteners pulled out of the frame
The skirting panel is mostly intact, but screws or staples tore free and the panel is hanging loose.
Start here: Probe the wood where the fasteners were holding. If it is soft or crumbles, the backing is the real problem.
Opening widened at a low spot
The animal used an existing gap where soil washed away, the grade dropped, or the skirting never reached the ground well.
Start here: Measure the gap and look for burrowing or erosion so you do not rebuild the same weak opening.
Damage extends into framing
You see split trim, broken blocking, loose skirt framing, or chewed and rotten wood behind the visible panel.
Start here: Treat it as more than a skirting repair and check whether the attachment points are still solid enough to hold a new panel.
Most likely causes
1. Loose or undersized skirting fasteners
Raccoons usually start where a panel already flexes. Short screws, staples, or weathered nails let them peel it open fast.
Quick check: Grab the next panel over and push on it. If it flexes the same way, the whole run likely needs better fastening.
2. Rotted skirt framing or trim
If the wood behind the skirting is soft, the fasteners pull out with the wood fibers still attached.
Quick check: Press an awl or screwdriver into the attachment area. Sound wood resists; rotten wood sinks easily or flakes apart.
3. Weak lattice or thin panel material
Old plastic lattice, brittle wood lattice, and thin skirting panels crack once an animal gets a paw under an edge.
Quick check: Look for snapped strips, brittle corners, or long tears through the panel itself instead of just pulled fasteners.
4. An existing access gap at the bottom or corner
Raccoons often enlarge a drainage gap, settled soil gap, or loose corner instead of creating a brand-new opening.
Quick check: Follow the bottom edge and corners for daylight, washout, or a spot where the skirting never sat tight to begin with.
Step-by-step fix
Step 1: Make sure the animal is actually gone
Closing the opening too early can trap a raccoon or separate a mother from young under the deck, which turns a simple repair into a bigger problem fast.
- Check from a safe distance in daylight for movement, sounds, fresh droppings, nesting material, or a strong animal odor under the deck.
- Look for tracks or a worn path at the torn opening and any second opening on another side of the deck.
- If you suspect an animal is still inside, pause the repair and arrange wildlife removal or exclusion first.
- Keep pets and kids away from the opening until you know the space is clear.
Next move: If the area is clearly inactive and empty, move on to checking the damaged materials. If you see or hear activity, do not close the opening yet. Handle the animal issue first, then repair the skirting after the space is clear.
What to conclude: You need to separate an active animal problem from a repair problem before you start fastening anything back together.
Stop if:
- You see a raccoon under the deck.
- You hear young animals or active movement under the deck.
- There is aggressive animal behavior or you cannot inspect safely.
Step 2: Separate panel damage from framing damage
You want to know whether you are fixing only the visible skirting or rebuilding the wood that supports it.
- Lift or move the torn skirting enough to inspect the backing strips, skirt frame, corner trim, and nearby rim area without forcing anything farther apart.
- Check whether the damage is limited to the panel, or whether the wood behind it is split, soft, or missing chunks where fasteners used to hold.
- Push gently on the surrounding skirting sections. If several sections move, the problem is usually broader than one torn opening.
- Look for moisture trouble nearby, especially where mulch, soil, or splashback kept the lower wood wet.
Next move: If the backing and frame are solid, you can usually repair the opening with a new or resecured skirting section and better fasteners. If the backing wood is rotten, split, or loose, plan on replacing or reinforcing that support before any new skirting goes on.
What to conclude: A good-looking patch will fail quickly if the skirting has nothing solid to fasten to.
Step 3: Check the ground line and entry point
Raccoons usually return to the same weak spot, so you need to fix the opening pattern, not just the torn material.
- Measure the gap at the bottom and corners of the damaged section and compare it with the rest of the deck perimeter.
- Look for settled soil, washout, burrowing, or a low corner that left an easy access point.
- Clear loose debris so you can see whether the skirting failed because it was too high off grade or because the panel itself gave way.
- If drainage or grade created the opening, correct that condition before final reattachment so the new panel is not left spanning a big unsupported gap.
Next move: If the ground line is stable and the gap is small, a solidly fastened replacement section usually holds well. If erosion, settlement, or burrowing created a large opening, fix the ground condition and then rebuild the skirting to suit the actual gap.
Step 4: Repair the confirmed weak parts
Once you know what failed, the repair is usually straightforward: solid backing first, then a durable skirting attachment.
- If the skirting panel is torn or brittle, remove the damaged section cleanly instead of trying to stitch cracked material back together.
- If the attachment wood is rotten or split, replace that localized skirt framing or add solid new backing where the panel will fasten.
- Reattach or replace the skirting using exterior-rated deck screws sized to bite into sound wood, not just the face of thin trim.
- At corners and bottom edges, add enough fastening points to stop flexing without crushing brittle lattice or panel material.
- Leave any needed drainage clearance, but do not leave a hand-sized gap at the same entry point.
Next move: The repaired section should sit flat, feel firm when pushed, and no longer flex open at the corner or bottom edge. If the surrounding wood will not hold screws or the opening keeps shifting, the repair has moved into structural deck work and needs a more complete rebuild.
Step 5: Secure the area and watch it for a few nights
A repair that looks fine in daylight can still fail if the animal comes back and finds one loose edge.
- After the repair, push on the panel by hand at the corners, bottom edge, and center to make sure nothing flexes open easily.
- Walk the full deck perimeter and tighten up any nearby loose sections before they become the next entry point.
- Check the repaired area the next morning and for several nights after for fresh scratching, shifted panels, or new digging.
- If the animal returns and the skirting is still solid, bring in wildlife control to deal with the repeat visitor rather than overbuilding random patches.
A good result: If the repair stays tight and there are no new signs of activity, the job is done.
If not: If the same area is attacked again, you likely still have an animal-pressure problem, a hidden second opening, or more weak skirting nearby.
What to conclude: The final check is not just whether the panel looks good. It needs to stay closed under real-world pressure.
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FAQ
Can I just screw the torn skirting back in place?
Only if the panel is still sound and the wood behind it is solid. If the panel is cracked through or the backing is soft, it will pull loose again fast.
Should I close the opening right away?
Not unless you are sure the animal is gone. Sealing an active opening can trap a raccoon underneath and make the situation worse.
What if the raccoon damaged lattice but not the deck itself?
That is the best-case version. Replace or resecure the damaged lattice, make sure it is fastened to solid backing, and check the nearby sections for the same weakness.
How do I know if this is structural damage instead of just skirting damage?
If the damage reaches posts, joist ends, rim framing, or anything that affects how the deck carries weight, treat it as structural. Soft wood, split members, or movement underfoot are your warning signs.
Will the raccoon come back after I repair it?
It might, especially if that spot was easy once. A firm repair, no easy corner gap, and no active den under the deck give you the best chance of stopping repeat damage.
Is wire mesh the best repair?
Not by itself for most visible deck skirting repairs. Mesh can help in some exclusion setups, but a loose patch over weak wood usually fails. The backing and fastening need to be solid first.