Architectural Details in Deck Waterproofing

Installing a deck waterproofing system is a procedure that should occur during a home’s construction to bring long-term protection from water. Unfortunately, far too many people build their homes and outdoor deck without thinking about doing waterproofing first. This only leads to fast deterioration of the concrete or plywood used on the deck.

In time, this is going to mean possible extensive repairs due to waterproofing neglect. While it’s possible to do waterproofing later, it’s worth your effort to get it done early. This is especially if you live in places with heavy rain.

Architectural details in deck waterproofing can help out in making sure you better plan your waterproofing before it occurs. Since your deck may have unique characteristics, your waterproofing team may need your architectural drafts to see how to properly apply the coating.

Plus, you’ll know what kind of drainage systems you may need to prevent water from accumulating on your deck in the first place.

Rooftop Deck

Details on Roof Decks

You may decide to build a deck on your roof, which is going to require some careful planning. Doing so assure you have proper drainage available and can safely apply a waterproofing coating.

What’s most important is to create a roof deck that’s leak-proof so you don’t cause damage later. A waterproofing membrane is one of the key aspects to success here, as is a quality drainage system and flashing details.

Before applying any waterproofing coating, consult the architectural data to check on the roof deck construction. It should have a slight slope away from your home (about 1/8-inch per foot). This is to assure you won’t experience the “pond” effect from water.

The latter above is one of the biggest culprits in harming decks over time, no matter if made with concrete or plywood.

Balcony Deck

Details on Balcony Decks

Building a balcony deck has just as many complexities as a roof deck. In some cases, it can cause more leakage problems during rainstorms due to slab edges, column penetrations, and door sills as just a few.

All of these have vulnerabilities for decay due to rain falling on these areas and directing the water to various deck areas. Typically, concrete is the main material used on balcony decks with placement over a waterproofing membrane and wooden framing.

Your architectural details give waterproofing experts some pointers on how to approach applying the coating. They’ll know if you’ve installed perimeter flashings and whether they have any defects. This determines if there’s still risks involved in water getting in places it shouldn’t.

Railing anchor placement is also important since these could become susceptible to wood rot over time. Plus, architectural details determine whether builders added a concrete topping with a slope to prevent the ponding effect.

Sometimes the topping subcontractor doesn’t have complete control over the slope on the deck. In this regard, it’s important to find any separate architectural documentation detailing slope data before waterproofing experts go to work.

Deck with Railing

Decks With Railings

Rail posts are the most vulnerable spots for water leakage, so any architectural info on this provided to your waterproofing team, the better job they’ll do. They’ll want to know whether you ultimately mounted rail posts along the outside edge of the deck. Supporting the posts inside the framing could help prevent leakage in the future.

The waterproofing team may want to know other steps you’ve taken to seal any possible leakage through the railing. An example is sealant in the bolt holes around the post bases.

Here at Pli-Dek Systems, we have an expert team that can work with any type of deck with our specialized waterproofing coatings.

Contact us to learn about our options, including waterproofing membranes and concrete coatings.