MBL makes it look so good

Here we have a combination problem. Tired of the maintenance on a regular basis and wanting to do something about keeping the area under the deck dry. This had been used as storage area and then every time it rains everything is soaked again. The same old planking decks like everyone else has don't really provide and thing for you. Because this deck is also the entrance to the home it was needing a little touch of class as well. Wisely they went to a solid surface roofing solution that will last for decades without the costly and ongoing maintenance issues.

Duradek's Classic Sandstone turns this old deck into a beautiful entrance to the home and provides the waterproof roofing they wanted for the storage area underneath. Obviously in the winter there will be snow build up on the surface, no worries. You can shovel it off, use rock salt or ice melt or any other snow melting chemicals without damaging the membrane. Then is the spring time simply was it off and your done.

The old decking was simply attached at the base of the wall. MBL in order to provide a waterproof system went up the wall with the membrane and then added this nice trim making this outdoor deck look so much nicer. Now it looks more like an extension of the home rather than an old rotting deck.

From leaking problem to added value

An older home in the Holiday area sits near the based of the mountains and has the most incredible views. They had no place to really take advantage of them or properly entertain guests other than the backyard. When the flat roof in the rear of the home began to leak into the living area, for the second time the owner wanted a better solution. Fortunately for them the contractor they were working with was familiar with Duradek. Duradek's niche is walkable roofing, it turns these flat roof nightmares into awesome outdoor entertainment areas. With the help form the folks at Dekmax they quickly chose to open up the entire area (900 sq ft) and make it a usable area.

With the old school roofing materials removed slope was added to remove water from the surface. With a simple 3/4 inch plywood surface the Duradek Heritage Agate was fully adhered and in just a few days they were out with the old and in with the wonderful new usable roof top deck. You can imagine the type of parties and fun they have when all their friends can gather together and relax. No more grass and debris being brought in the house, the pets can remain outside with no worries and when your done the clean up is as easy as a hose to wash it off.

From the first picture, taken from the door seen here. You can see the old railing blocked off the main area of the roof. The old building materials were not made for or approved for a walkable type use. With the new design the railing was continuios around the entire roof. I have no idea what the value of the homje was before the work was done but we can all agree this is a fantastic feature

From redwood hastle to relaxing beauty

These redwood type decks are found just about everywhere. They are the cheapest initially to install but then the heart ache starts. When you use the same old building materials as everyone else you can expect to repair or maintain it every year or two. The cost and time spent quickly wear on you and soon the deck is just a deck and not used. Within seven to ten years the same old building materials will need to be replaced in part or whole.

Here the home owner decieded enough money was being wasted yearly and opted for a solution to the problem. Rather than building the cheapest deck avalable and then spending money on it annually they called on Duradek's waterproof walkable roofing membrane, installed by the trained staff at Great Western Roofing.

The damaged wood planks and rail were removed and simple plywood was glued and screwed right to the joist. A littel filler was used to provide a very smooth surface, just like a floor.

Duradek's Herritage Sienna was used and this costly little deck was transformed into this wonderful deck. Oh yeah the home owner will still need to follow the maintenance program; Wash it off! That's it no more yearly work just hose it off and enjoy.

This is an example of how Duradek done initailly reduces your long term expense and is truly the best value. This was taken three years after the deck was waterproofed. The plywood and joists look like new. There is no need for pressure treated wood to be used because the wood is protected from the environment.

This kind of deck can be tricky and costly if not done right. A trapped deck with walls around the entire thing other then the stairs there is no place for water and snow to go. Good thing the pros at MBL were called in. It is a small area but already has suffered serious water damages that required the joist's and substrate to be replaced.

This style of outdoor area is popular in that it includes some privacy but the design needs to include things like drainage and water management.

With the damaged wood removed and replaced it is time for the Tiledek membrane to be fully adhered as you can see here. Now the area is completely waterproof. That includes up the walls as well, waterproofing is not just the surface you have to include up walls and around the corners too.

Here you can see the tile has been installed and the stucco was replaced making the deck look even better. Trying to match the old stucco color can be very difficult so MBL simply made it look like the trim around the house, nice touch.

To provide the best possible removal of any water on this trapped deck a drain was added to center. Now rather than standing water the deck will drain and look beautiful.

McCleve Tile, they do it right!

This deck looks pretty good, at least when it is dry and sunny out. Wonder what it looks like when rain is in the forecast?

OK, obviously there was a waterproofing issue with this deck. Here is the story and lessons learned with this project. The home owner had purchased the home with the deck shown here, soon after a leak was discovered in the garage below. Having all ready experienced the professionalism of the guys at McCleve Tile he called on Dave for advise. Turns out Dave has been doing outdoor decks for years and understands the challenges and has the solution to properly waterproof a tile surface outdoors.

The first thing to figure out is what do we have under the tile and what caused the failure? It only takes a little while to uncover the products used and where the failure was.

I have learned that in years past the tile industry along with designers relied heavily on the thought that redundancy works best. So if the first product fails the next one will work. Although I can understand the logic it simply doesn't do anything but ad some more time before the failure. The most common root cause I have discovered is simply that the products being used are not recommend for this type application. If the manufacturer doesn't recommend the use, approve of it and fully warranty the work then don't use it.

Under the orange drainage mat they find a concrete roof with plywood attached to it. This was an attempt to get slope since the concrete roof drained back to the threshold. There are so many issues with this attempt but most concerning is that when you are using tile you should do everything you can to eliminate movement. Here what had been done added movement by using shims to elevate the plywood along the house slopping it towards the outer edge.

The leaking below was a result of water around the threshold, it had so much water around the door, under the plywood that it was ruining the Sheetrock in the garage below. You can see the huge void that was left even after the shims and plywood were installed. As a part of the redundancy used we can see that Ice and Water Shield was also installed. Tragically again it is a product that is not recommended for this type use and is not warranted.

This is a close up under the door. The OSB sheeting butts up under the door, it was so wet and rotted that you could use your finger to push a hole through it and pull it out.

It was not raining when the McCLeve Tile crew were tearing the old roof off. The water you see here was a large puddle under the plywood around the door. Not only is the Ice and Water Shield not recommended for use like this it is a bad idea to put screws through it too. In order to use the shims they were screwed into the concrete roof, never a good idea to put holes in any roof.

This is found on virtually any job. I guess it does again add some redundancy but caulk is not the best bet for waterproofing. I am not sure how many tubes were used but man there was a lot of it in there. At best caulk is a good moisture barrier but it should not be used as the primary waterproofing.

Enough of the problems. It is time for the McCleve Tile staff to get this fixed once and for all. The home owner liked the looks of tile, we all do. When Dave told him that the roof deck could be fixed properly he was interested. Once he understood about our systems (not just a product) and the fact that it is warranted it was a go. First thing was fill in that giant void under the threshold giving it plenty of support and eliminating the dead air space.

Next step was easy but significant. Get the proper slope to manage the water off the surface and also reduce the opportunity for movement. Here they have floated the existing concrete roof so that it is thicker along the house causing the water to flow away. By doing it this way they are providing a very stable surface with much less movement.

Duradek's Tiledek roofing membrane is the clear answer to this failure. Dave has the experience, a trained staff, the right materials and system. Installed right to the concrete this is not only the waterproofing it also acts as an antifracture membrane too. The bottom line here is we are bringing roofing experience and code requirements to the tile application that had never been considered before.

Rather than rely on a glued or chemical bond Duradek uses a trained installer to heat weld the two sheets together as one. They are basically melted together making the seam absolutely watertight.

The end result is not just another tile roof deck, it is one that will last for decades without the frustrations and high cost of repair from water damages.

Mattingley Tile & Marble

This tiny little deck caused some significant water damage. Why? Inadequate waterproofing was used. The damage was so bad the deck literally fell off the house. When we first saw this deck it was laying in the garden below. To often tile is thought off a waterproof, or some great barrier to water. It is not. Water will get below the tile and grout, into the thin set and that it were it can do the most damage. It is like the old saying "out of sight, out of mind."

Well while the deck looked fine the water rotted out the studs and supports. All of the stone siding was removed between the windows and re-built. The studs were so wet and rotted you could push your finger though the whole thing.
Good thing they call Ray Mattingley for advise and assistance correcting this issue. Ray knew the answer to the problem was simply to use the right system. Tiledek not only waterproofs but it is the anti fracture membrane and was designed for thin set to bond to.

The deck is built over again and here you can see they have added a 1/2 inch Durarock CBU to reduce movement.

With the CBU properly installed your ready for the Tiledek membrane to be installed.

Even though this looks like a simple little deck, the details are what take time and why you only want to use a pro like Ray. This has a radius, a threshold and the roof is within inches on both sides. It does look easy but even so this little deck was several hours of time just working the details

Good job Ray! Now you only have seven more like this one and then the big deck on the back of the house too.

I had a chance to stop by and see Ray and the progess they were making. Here they are instlling the Tiledek waterproof membrane to the larger deck and that did go a little quicker. there was a lot more tile to be used too.

Turned out beautiful and without a doubt the home owner's water issues are gone.

Elite Custom Exteriors

When it comes to elevating your exterior into a beautiful entertainment area these are the guys to call. This customer had the same problems that are way to frequent in our area, water damage has caused major repairs. The owner was clear, "fix this with the right stuff so I don't have to go through this again!"

Tile outdoors is a wonderful way to make the neighbors envious, but it needs to be done right or it will be very costly.

The great thing about the Elite Custom Exterior company is they also have a flooring division within the company so all of the work is single sourced. By doing this the customer not only receives a higher standard of service but a packaged price for the work.

This job had some pretty serious water damages that required additional supports, joists and removal of a large part of the surrounding wall. There was no doubt about what products would solve this problem and with a few additional drains the water will be moved off the surface quickly.