Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Tiledek customer comments

Comments from a customer -

My home was built in 1999, and the original decking was a solid surface produce called “deck-o-crete” or something. At the time, I was told that this was a popular and durable type of finish that my builder recommended. For about 4 or 5 years, I had relatively few issues with it. The only water issue I noticed was a leakage of water at the house/deck interface when a unusually large storm hit (1x or 2x in 5 years). The vinyl railing also seemed to be OK for a while.

Starting about 2005, the surface was beginning to fail…cracks developed, and got worse with the freeze/thaw cycles. Ultimately, a large windstorm pulled the vinyl rail off, and this coupled with many cracks and failure pockets led me to decide to redo the entire thing.
I went through many difference design concepts from a simply railing replacement, to a more glorified design with a deck cover, and enclosure underneath to form a sun/California type of room.
I decided on a framed/timber deck cover, with an enclosed sun room underneath to maximize our enjoyment and use of the areas. I wanted a slate-finish on top of the deck, so needed a very robust, water-proof, and suitable membrane to hold up to the harsh SLC, UT winters.

I researched many products, but settled on Tiledek. It seemed to be the best product out there that fit my needs and requirements. Also, having lived in Canada for many years, provided an extra sense of security, as this product’s origins seemed to come from this cold, harsh environment. I actually found Tiledek on the Internet originally, and this was the medium for my research and decision.

During installation, I was impressed with how durable and robust the product seemed. It was fairly easy to install, with the most time consuming and difficult part being the “welding” with the heat guns on the seams. Also, the seals around the posts and doors were a bit trickly, but Matt at Dekmax was extremely supportive, knowledgeable, and helped make sure everything was perfect. I was impressed by the amount of time and effort he spent with me getting the produce installed correctly.

The installation of the slate over Tiledek was very slick. I’ve laid a lot of tile and stone over the years, and I actually prefer laying it on Tiledek vs. even a normal install on backerboard or mortar composite. Due to my time constraints, the slate was installed about 2+ months after the Tiledek was installed, and I did not notice any adverse effects due to the duration it sat waiting for the slate to be put on.

The install of the Durarail railing was a bit more difficult and time consuming than I had anticipated. Handling and cutting of the long sections was tedious and not easy. Once this was up, however, the product seems very robust and strong.

Currently, I am working on finishing the rest of the enclosed space below the deck. There have been some strong storms come through, and the Tiledek has performed just fine.

I would recommend this product to anyone that is concerned about weather/water proofing their project, especially if tile or stone covering is needed. I have not come across a product yet that compares.
Thanks.

Todd

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Waterproof decks, Do it Right the First Time

Many homes in Utah have beautiful views of the valleys, mountain ranges and just plain old spectacular scenery. The spring-to-fall climate is perfect for enjoying some down time, taking in the surroundings, spending some quality time with your family, relaxed, outside, in the fresh air, enjoying life – on your sundeck.

Unfortunately, for lots of people, the sundeck area is not the area of enjoyment and tranquility that some of us know. It is an area of maintenance and splinters and rotting wood and dangerous railings and…well the list goes on. If the area directly below the sundeck is over living space, there are usually issues about waterproofing – or the lack of it. Even if the sundeck is not over living space, if it is a carport, the space can’t be used for any kind of storage. In adverse weather, without appropriate waterproofing, the space is virtually useless.

Over the years, there have been very few products or systems available to cover the deck surface and have it meet the following criteria: be waterproof, allow walking, withstand barbeques, kids, dogs and just regular outdoor living AND still be attractive, all-in-one. The liquid applied goops are multi application systems. They are typically a single bland color and therefore have no attractive qualities. And the weather has to be almost perfect for each application, with a 24 hour cure time. The black rubber option is again, not very attractive, so it needs a different surface to beautify it. Now, the home owner is back into the maintenance of wood or pavers or ??

For years Utah residents have been searching for a true waterproofing product that opens up these outdoor living areas. A product that will function, has a warranty, is installed by trained professionals and looks good. Most options for waterproofing have failed in the past, thus leaving home owners with costly repairs and a poor opinion of waterproofing products and the whole concept of sundecks over living space. Then, in 2005, Dekmax introduced the area to Duradek.

The Duradek brands are not new. With more than three decades of proven service and over 150 million square feet of product installed, Duradek has become the “walkable roofing membrane” preferred and specified by architects. It is also recognized by engineers, inspectors and designers, as the appropriate choice. And since Dekmax began the distributorship four years ago it has become a very popular choice with builders, contractors and home owners.

So, what makes Duradek so different from other products trying to accomplish the same thing?
· With a 10 year warranty, Duradek has been through the warranty cycle many times over the course of its history. We have never had to replace material because of a manufacturers defect…ever!
· Duradek is a single ply PVC membrane that meets the appropriate building codes as a “walkable roofing membrane”. It also carries the ICC approval of a roofing membrane that allows pedestrian traffic. We are exactly what we say we are.
· Duradek is only installed by company trained contractors. In fact we do not sell Duradek to anyone who has not been trained – period.
· History tells us that in our climate you should expect fifteen to eighteen years of use with one application. Another benefit is that your structure will still be sound and secure – ready to accept a new Duradek application.
· Details, technical support, presentations and training all provided locally. With over 35 years of experience, Duradek has seen just about every kind of scenario and we have designed details and techniques to accommodate them all. And we are not shy to share these. A very intense 2 day training will teach installers how to handle most any waterproofing detail. But a close 2nd to the waterproofing is that the sundeck looks beautiful when the installation is complete.
· With more than 20 colors to choose from, Duradek can satisfy most any color scheme or designer objective. The choices are anything from solid colors to unique and interesting patterns.

Installation can be done year round in almost any weather condition. Prior to Dekmax coming onto the scene, Duradek had flown company trainers to Utah for training and installations. There are single family and multi-unit projects that are now over sixteen years old and still going strong.

One of the aspects that makes Duradek the leading choice with multi-unit properties is that it is long lasting, low maintenance and easily repairable should it ever need it. Let’s face it. When was the last time you had problems on a deck that was a simple repair rather than a drawn out costly mess? Typically, if there is an issue with the material being cut or damaged the problem spot can be located quickly and the repair takes only minutes.

Though our strength is working over living space, anytime you have exposure to the elements you will have a higher risk of water damages. Simply covering an exposed deck all but eliminates the potential for water damages. By doing so you can cost effectively make the area under the deck more attractive and useable. Add some lighting and enclose the area – now you have a completely enclosed storage are for anything from food stuffs to camping gear and ski equipment.

Always wanted to use tile outdoors but knew better? Now you can with Duradek’s latest product “Tiledek”. Tiledek is made specifically for tile applications and still covered by our ten year warranty. Through years of research and cooperation with the tile industry we can offer the same well proven membrane but with a fabric covering designed to work aggressively with the thin-sets used in tile installations. This will give you the ultimate waterproofing membrane coupled with the exquisite styling that only tile can provide.

So, reconsider your thoughts on sundecks. There is a way to waterproof and beautify your outdoor living area.