Re-Coating Duradek

Vinyl decking is a great choice when you want to make use of outdoor living areas, completely waterproof with no ongoing cost of maintenance and they last a long time.  Exposure to UV over time will cause some fading and over a long time you may want to freshen up the appearance.  

No worries, it is an easy process and you can do it yourself too.  Simply clean the surface, use a high quality stain blocker, and paint it with an acrylic deck paint. 

This past summer a customer with this very issue called and although they loved the way Duradek has performed they want to make some changes.  Initially they thought the whole thing would have to be replaced so they were interested in what new colors and designs we have added.  Boy were they happy when they were told they don't need to spend the effort or money to redo what is still working. 

It is up to you what you want to do, paint it all one color and be done or maybe your more like Lib, she wanted her outdoor living area to look just a classy as it originally did when Duradek was installed.  Here are a few pictures of her work.  It really does look like tile, impressive work Lib!

                           

Make your deck repair profitable

It is easy for all of us to think of our decks as an ongoing cost, maybe even a money pit.  It seems like every few years there is a cost to maintain the deck then there is the hassle of doing the work too.

Unless your creative and are willing to explore different ideas like this home owner did. They fixed their deck and made a profit doing it.

In the market for a new home, they find a house that has everything they were looking for.  It was only missing the home theater room but the house is in great shape with the exception of the wood deck on the back of the house. During the closing period waiting for the big move in they begin to explore the deck repair and what the cost will be.  During the process they share their wild idea with a local contractor (Steve Nordfors) and he too begins the search for solutions.  The contractor comes across Duradek and gets in touch with us, explaining the need for a true walkable waterproof roofing product.  We talk for a while and he is given a local installer that specializes in residential decks MBL Construction.  Steve has worked with Shane of MBL before so they get to work quickly.

The home owner is thrilled to hear there is actually a solution that will allow them to fix the deck with no ongoing cost and lasts for decades while serving as a roof over their new home theater room!

So what really happened here?

They repaired an old water damaged wood deck
And turned the deck into the roof of a room addition
And framed in the slab patio under the deck
And made a home theater room
Adding significant value to the home

Sure they spent some money to make these improvements.  The significant difference is they also added real value to the home.  The market for their neighborhood is $80 SF for interior space, they added 384 SF or  $30,720 to the value of their new home.

That was a dream come true.

Popular HGTV home renovation show ‘Income Property’

Popular HGTV home renovation show ‘Income Property’ urgently needed a waterproofing solution and they knew the waterproofing professionals of Duradek could provide it.

Host, Scott McGillivray and his team were working on a complete basement renovation to create a rentable income suite so the new owners could afford the home, and with a new baby coming there was no time to waste and no money to spare.

Everybody was excited about the plans and even the electrical upgrades and asbestos removal wasn’t cause for concern. It was when they were removing the ceiling panels that enthusiasm was dampened. And dampened was exactly what had happened to the framework of the home.

“I have to tell you, I’ve never seen anything like this.”
- Scott McGillivray

Initially, the source of the moisture was unknown, but at some point a corner-cutting contractor had cut a tubing pipe in half to act as a channel to route accumulated water from its unknown source through the ceiling and down the wall to a drainage pipe. You don’t have to be a building expert to know that method is not an ideal water management solution, but the real concern now was that until the source of the water infiltration was found, any and all efforts they invested into the basement renovation would be wasted. The affordability of the house without the income suite was not realistic and having taken on a huge mortgage, the owners were in a very vulnerable position.

Scott McGillivray knew this critical element must be solved before proceeding. Through testing by applying water to the suspected points of entry, Scott determined that the water was entering the home through the flagstone back porch entryway that was situated over the suite. This is an unfortunately common problem when builders who are not waterproofing specialists mistakenly assume the stone and mortar will be enough to stop water infiltration, but over time water will always make its way through.

One of Scott’s team members recalled using Duradek on a previous project and knew it was a reliable method of waterproofing, so they decided to try using a Duradek vinyl membrane and then laying the flagstone pavers on top of it. When the show contacted Duradek to help supply this important building material for episode 8, Sales Manager Kevin MacMillan was able to offer something even better suited for their project – Duradek Ultra Tiledek.

Rolling out the Tiledek membrane.

Tiledek was the perfect solution for this problem and a better option than laying the flagstone pavers over top of the original walkable Duradek vinyl membrane. Tiledek is made with the same quality PVC and is applied with the same professional waterproofing details as the original Duradek membrane. It even comes with a 10 year waterproofing warranty like the original Duradek and Tiledek has been tested and approved as a roofing membrane. The feature that made Tiledek the superior solution for this project is that Tiledek is manufactured with a fabric-embedded surface intended to accept a thin set mortar to adhere a final walking surface like tile or the flagstone pavers. So on this project, Tiledek was the best solution for providing a 100% waterproof system.

The Duradek Ultra Tiledek was installed by HTR Duradek in Ontario; one of Duradek’s leading authorized installers. All Duradek waterproofing systems are available only through authorized installers that have been trained in the intricate details involved in the specialty trade of deck waterproofing.

Duradek installer attending to the critical inside
perimeter details on Tiledek installation.

Duradek installer heat welding Tiledek to the pvc coated flashing
on outside perimeter on Tiledek installation.

Only after the membrane was securely installed with all of the proper attention to the perimeter and drainage details could the stone layers come in to finish the job. Fortunately, with Tiledek membranes, once it is installed there is no drying or curing time required and the stone layers could start their part of the project immediately with no time delays to keep the project on track.

With the Tiledek installation complete, the stone layers
can get to work right away to finish the job.

With the water infiltration resolved, the rest of the renovation was completed and the owners could proceed with finding a tenant for their beautiful new suite to help them afford the home where they can raise their family.

The finished porch…all water-tight!

To view this Income Property episode, visit HGTV Canada online and watch Season 8, episode 8 ‘Nick and Karen’. For HGTV US, watch for airing of this episode on Tuesday, November 12th, 2013.

If there’s any information you take away from this episode, remember that out of all the renovation items on your wish list, the most critical one to deal with is proper waterproofing. If you’ve got questions about your own waterproofing issues or decking projects, contact a Duradek Dealer near you for a free estimate.

Waterproof? It's kinda like buying a new coat.

Many times during inspections or visiting with customers the questions revolve around what the surface of the project will look like.  The outdoor living market is growing very fast and of course everyone wants to get a piece of the action.  This is where it gets tricky, it's like buying a new Waterproof coat.


We have probably all done it, me, several times.  The rainy season is approaching and we look all around to find a good looking but waterproof jacket to keep warm and dry.  Of course how good we will look in it counts and whats it going to cost us; so we try them on and look in the mirror, strutting our stuff.  Sure the thought about "Is it really waterproof" crosses our mind a few times but that's not important right now, darn I look good and it doesn't cost as much as those over there.  So we buy it.

Ah, the first rain.  The compliments are coming our way but I feel a little chill, almost feels a little damp?  Oh, well made it inside and dry now, but it is nagging me a little bit that if I was out there a little longer I think I would have gotten wet?  Days go by then it starts to rain again and surprisingly the first thought is our new "Waterproof coat".  Looks like it will get a real test with this storm.

Darn, going to have to park in the back of the lot today, long walk now.  Oh no, this coat isn't waterproof I am getting wet now that there is some real rain, just when I needed it too.  So now what? Take it back to the store and get your money back? Will they pay the dry cleaning bill for your clothes too? Good luck with those.

Home owners and contractors go through similar issues with finding the right products for their projects too.  When they find one that works and does what it says it will do, they get hooked.  This is what we call peace of mind, confident.  In one case with a high profile, high end builder here in Utah they have taken it to a completely new level. Not only are the roof decks done with Duradek, so are the bathroom showers! Imaging getting a rain storm everyday at least once and you absolutely can not afford to have a leak. That is what Duradek does for our clients, we eliminate the water issues and bring peace of mind, confidence.

An unexpected bonus was the fact that they clean so easily, much easier than a normal shower.  Maybe it has to do with the mold and mildew inhibitors that are manufactured into Duradek?

Is it Waterproof? Maybe that should be the most important concern when your looking for walkable roof solutions or outdoor living products.  Duradek has the systems and solutions for your project whatever they may be.

Outdoor living with Peace of Mind

This home owner like so many others was simply frustrated and upset that their "waterproof"deck was failing.  It was a concrete surface that had a nice pattern and looked great.  So what happened to it and why do they have to spend so much money to repair it now? We will try to answer these common questions. 

Concrete is a very durable product and has many uses but it is not waterproof itself.  In order to make it shed water a sealer or top coat needs to be applied to it on a regularly scheduled basis.  These sealers are applied to the top of the finished surface or the pedestrian surface.  The more you use the deck the quicker you will wear off the sealer thus needing to have it reapplied.  Often the warranty is tied to the owner ensuring they have had the installer re-apply the sealer as required.

But "they" didn't tell me that! 

The simple truth is you need to do some work investigating the product, the history and the companies that are involved.  Are they a local company? Have you been to their office? Exactly who will stand behind the product and the installation? 

A contractor has to agree to warranty their installation / labor for a minimum of one year here in Utah, this will vary by state.  So what if you have questions after that time frame?  I can only speak of our networks experiences, we want to hear from our customers regardless who the installer was after one year, five, ten or twenty.  Its simple, at Duradek we care. 

Donner Lake, Roofdeck by Duradek

This home owner had an ace in the hole when it came to finding the right solution for their new rooftop deck.  Their daughter is an architect! 

This beautiful cabin in Donner Lake California did not have a garage / work area and only a walk out patio in the rear.  During the design phase they had decided to open up the upstairs bedrooms, removing the old windows and adding doors opening right to the roof of the garage.  Very cost effective and added not just value but serious jealously form the neighbors too. 

 Located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains there are fire concerns and a class A fire rated roof is required. A sheet of 1/2" cement board is installed over the wood substrate and the seams leveled with thin set. The building inspector was not familiar with Duradek and had some questions.  The following morning he received what he wanted direct from the Duradek Technical support staff.

This cabin has a nice rustic look to it so Duradek's PVC coated drip edge is used around the perimeter.  This allows for the membrane to be welded to it and yet form the ground you only see the face of the drip edge, complimenting the design.



















Fully adhered and thoroughly inspected by the local Squirrels (like the neighbors they were really interested in what was going on). Duradek is in use immediately and ready for whatever the weather may be. It was good thing too, mornings were very cold and frosty with certain snow by now this couple has piece of mind knowing they are protected.

Rock salt or ice melting chemical or even a shovel if needed will allow them to take advantage of this awesome roof deck year round.

Legacy Line

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