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Best Equipment for Building a Deck: What to Rent Before You Start

Best Equipment for Building a Deck: What to Rent Before You Start

The right deck building equipment turns a multi-weekend slog into a two-day project

Building a deck involves more than a circular saw and a box of screws. Digging footings, compacting the base, mixing concrete, and hauling lumber all go faster with the right deck construction equipment on site. Instead of buying a post hole auger or skid steer you'll use once, rent it locally for the days you actually need it. Rntr connects you with local providers offering augers, plate compactors, concrete mixers, mini excavators, and trailers by the day or week, with delivery or pickup options depending on the provider.

Deck Equipment Rental: Common Questions

How much does it cost to rent equipment for building a deck?
A one-man gas auger typically runs $60 to $90 per day, while a skid steer auger attachment or mini excavator with an auger runs $150 to $400 per day depending on size. Plate compactors and concrete mixers are usually the most affordable pieces on the job, often $40 to $80 per day. Multi-day and weekly rates bring the per-day cost down significantly, so it pays to book for the whole project window rather than day by day.
Should I dig deck footings by hand or rent an auger?
For a small deck with six to twelve footing holes, a one-man or two-man gas auger is usually enough and keeps rental costs low. For larger decks, rocky soil, or footings deeper than 36 inches, an auger attachment for a skid steer or a mini excavator auger attachment saves your back and cuts hours off the job.
Do rental providers deliver deck building equipment or do I pick it up?
It varies by provider and by equipment size. Handheld augers, plate compactors, and mixers are often pickup-only, but larger items like mini excavators, skid steer attachments, and trailers are frequently delivered for an added fee. Check the listing details for each local provider before booking.
What deposit should I expect when renting deck construction equipment?
Deposits scale with the equipment's value and risk of damage. Expect $75 to $200 for a hand auger, plate compactor, or concrete mixer, and $300 to $1,000 for skid steers, mini excavators, and their attachments. Deposits are usually refunded within a few business days of return if the equipment comes back clean and undamaged.
How long can I rent equipment for a weekend deck project?
Most providers offer daily, multi-day, and weekly rates. A typical DIY deck project runs a long weekend to a full week, and weekly rates are usually cheaper per day than booking three or four individual days. If your footings need time to cure before you frame, ask about pausing the auger or excavator rental early and only keeping smaller tools like a plate compactor longer.
Do I need a trailer to move rented deck equipment?
If you're renting a mini excavator, skid steer, or large volumes of lumber and don't have a truck bed big enough, yes. An equipment trailer rated for the machine's weight is the easiest way to get heavier deck building equipment to and from the job site without hiring a separate hauling service.
Can I rent an auger attachment without renting a whole skid steer?
Some providers rent auger drive units and bits separately if you already have a compatible skid steer or mini skid steer, like an auger drive unit built for Toro mini skid steers. Others bundle the attachment with the machine. Confirm compatibility with your equipment's brand and mounting plate before booking.

Digging Deck Footings: Augers and Excavation Equipment

Footing holes are the part of a deck build most homeowners underestimate. Local codes usually require holes 24 to 48 inches deep depending on frost line, and hand-digging that many holes with a shovel is slow and hard on the body. A gas-powered post hole auger handles small decks with a handful of footings, while bigger projects call for mechanical help.

For decks with eight or more footings, or soil with roots and rock, an auger attachment for a skid steer speeds things up considerably and keeps hole diameter consistent. Providers also rent auger bits separately in sizes from 9 to 30 inches, such as a 12-inch auger bit built for Toro mini skid steers, so you can match the bit to your footing spec without paying for a size you don't need.

For large decks, sloped lots, or clay-heavy soil, a mini excavator with an auger attachment gives you more torque and depth control than a skid steer alone. It's a higher daily rate, but on a rocky lot it can be the difference between finishing footings in an afternoon versus two full days.

Grading, Compacting, and Site Prep

Before footings go in, most deck projects need some grading, and after they're set, the surrounding soil needs to be compacted so it doesn't settle and undermine your posts. A plate compactor rental handles gravel base compaction under footings and around post bases efficiently, and it's one of the cheaper pieces of deck building equipment on this list.

If you're clearing an old patio slab, removing tree roots, or breaking up a section of concrete to make room for footings, a hydraulic hammer attachment or a concrete breaker for a mini excavator saves you from renting a jackhammer separately. For leveling and finishing the grade around a finished deck, a harley rake attachment smooths soil and mixes in topsoil far faster than raking by hand.

Mixing Concrete and Hauling Materials

Concrete footings need consistent mix ratios, and a concrete mixer rental is the fastest way to get there without wheelbarrow-mixing bag after bag by hand. Most portable mixers run on gas or electricity and handle several footings' worth of concrete per batch.

Once footings are cured and framing starts, you'll be moving lumber, joist hangers, decking boards, and railing systems around the yard. A forks attachment for a mini skid steer makes quick work of moving lumber pallets from the driveway to the build site, and a grapple bucket attachment clears brush, old decking, and debris in a fraction of the time hand-hauling takes.

If your equipment or material load is too big for a truck bed, an equipment trailer rated for a mini excavator or skid steer gets everything to the job site in one trip instead of several.

Deck Building Equipment: Rental Costs at a Glance

Rates vary by region and provider, but here's what to expect when budgeting for deck footings, grading, and material handling equipment.

EquipmentBest ForTypical Daily RateTypical Weekly RateTypical Deposit
One-man gas augerSmall decks, 6-12 footing holes$60-$90$180-$250$100-$200
Skid steer auger attachmentMultiple footings, larger decks$150-$250$500-$700$300-$500
Mini excavator with augerLarge decks, rocky or clay soil$250-$400$900-$1,300$500-$1,000
Plate compactorCompacting gravel base under footings$50-$80$150-$220$100-$150
Concrete mixerMixing footing concrete on site$40-$70$120-$180$75-$150
Equipment trailerHauling skid steer, excavator, or materials$75-$120$250-$400$200-$400

Find Deck Building Equipment Near You

From post hole augers to mini excavators and material trailers, browse local providers with deck construction equipment ready to rent by the day or week. Compare pricing, delivery options, and availability before you book.

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