Flat Roof Decks and Patios
Quick Navigation:
- Types of flat roof decks – Choose between IB DeckShield & traditional wooden deck over flat roof.
- Flat Roof deck prices – Learn how much a flat roof deck will cost.
- Roof deck leaks – Learn why flat roof decks leak and how to prevent/eliminate these leaks.
- IB DeckShield – Details of IB DeckShield roof assembly – how it works and what goes into it.
- IB 80-mil with PT deck – Details of PT wooden deck over IB 80-mil roof assembly.
Roof deck & leaking.
Many homes in New England have a walk-on flat roof decks with living space under them, and 90 percent of these deck roofs leak, ruining your rooms. Stains on sheet-rock ceilings, popping hardwood flooring, wet carpets and rotted framing are just some of the damages that you may sustain as a result of these leaks. Destruction of personal property such as beds, book shelves, computers, TVs and other electronic equipment can also occur in cases of severe roof leaks.
All these items are very expensive to fix and even more expensive to replace. Yet you can easily solve these problems in a fairly cheap way (when compared to costs of replacing and repairs you have to incur if you let the leaks continue) with IB’s life-time roofing product. With IB Roof, you will never have to worry about roof leaks again and you could finally regain full use of your roof deck or patio.
Creating a leak-free Roof Deck with IB roofing systems
We offer two different solutions for you to permanently solve your roof deck leaks. Both ways utilize IB’s time-proven CPA membranes featuring hot-air welded seam. The main difference between the two methods is the product you choose to use, and aesthetics you desire.
Assembly type 1: IB DeckShield – a fully integrated waterproofing membrane system designed for use on walk-out roof decks. DeckShield is highly slip-resistant, and not only complies with and even exceeds ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements.
Learn how IB Deck Shield membrane is installed, installation prices and more general information of roof deck waterproofing using IB DeckShield membrane.
IB DeckShield – a beautiful and durable decking waterproofing membrane.
Benefits of using IB Deckshield assembly:
- Enhances the appearance of decks
- Eliminates annual painting and staining of wood decks
- Durable, Slip resistant Waterproofing system.
- Resists mildew, chemicals, and UV rays.
- Eliminates hazardous wood splinters and unsightly concrete cracking.
- Complies with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements.
Assembly type 2: Deck on top of flat roof: IB PVC membrane with a wood deck installed over it – a more traditional way of roof deck construction, features an IB Lifetime single-ply membrane with fusion-welded seams. This method will ensure permanent water-tightness of your roof deck combined with a deck and railings system built with your choice of wood and pattern. Download IB Roof brochure
Benefits of using IB 80-mil membrane with PT / Composition deck on top:
- Wooden deck on top of IB 80 mil roofing membrane protects the roof from accidental mechanical damages.
- Allows people to have a more traditional wooden deck / patio.
- Composition deck assembly eliminates the need to stain / paint the wood.
- Allows extended use of outdoor grills without worrying that you’ll burn through the roof.
- Allows the creation of beautiful deck designs and the use of steel outdoor furniture.
IB 80-mil PVC roofing membrane with composition board deck assembly create this beautiful patio
A happy client enjoys her private roof-deck in Arlington, MA. Roof assembly consists of 80-mil IB Roof for waterproofing, and a diamond-shaped, low profile deck.
Cost of flat roof decks
Why roof decks leak?
Most roof decks in existence today use a flat roofing material that were created over a century ago and were not designed for use as roofing for residential homes and living area. Another reason is original design flaw implemented by architects and/or builders, who were not qualified in flat roofing and did not have appropriate roofing technology to use.
Ponding Water leaks:
Very often you can find ponding water accumulating on these deck roofs. Majority of flat roofing system existing today cannot sustain constant ponding water and as a result water enters your house, and destroys your possessions and property.
Wood Deck and Railing leaks:
Often there is a wood deck installed on top of a flat roof or some sort of a railing system. To make these railings securely attached to the roof, builders often create roof penetration for every railing post on the roof. The only way to “seal” these penetrations for most builders, is to use roof cement or pitch-pockets – both of these methods are considered unacceptable by the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA). Yet most builders don’t have the appropriate products, expertise and many times, don’t care enough to make these penetrations water-tight.
This results in more leaks – usually these leaks don’t appear inside your home for years, but the hidden damages can cost thousands of dollars to fix. Water slowly enters your home and rots the beams and studs. While unnoticed for a long period of time, such leaks my sometimes result in partial or complete re-framing of your roof and/or support walls.
Leaking Flat Roof Deck
Details of roof deck construction using IB Membranes and DeckShield
IB DeckShield roof / deck assembly and installation:
DeckShield is easiest to use in new construction, however it can be easily adopted for retrofit use on existing homes. IB Deck Shield is installed as a fully-adhered application on top of Dens Deck – a fiber-cement type board that is 1/4 of an inch thick, or over plywood.
The surface for installing IB DeckShield must be clean, smooth and flat. That is why in some retrofit applications use of DeckShield may be difficult or impossible. When you have an uneven surface it is best to use the regular IB Roofing Membrane with a wooden deck over it. If you still want to use Deck Shield for a retrofit roof deck project, expect the additional costs of making your roof surface even.
DeckShield can be used for a small balcony as well as a large roof deck, and for everything in between. Hot-air welded seams make IB DeckShield a long-lasting waterproofing solution that is both eye-pleasing and safe to walk on when it is wet. Expect many compliments from your family and friends when they get to see your new roof patio with IB DeckShield.
DeckShield colors and texture:
DeckShield has a look and texture of tiny pebbles – something similar to a floor in a swimming pool. You can choose between two distinct colors – Tan and Grey – both look great and will compliment your home.
Since IB DeckShield is made from the same material as other IB membranes, it is easy to accommodate for any roof penetrations, such as a Railing System and Roof-Wall detail. This will ensure that your roof will be water-tight and you can take full advantage of your deck or patio once again, and will not have to worry about leaks. Invite your friends and family for a cookout, enjoy a cocktail, or watch the stars.
Written by Leo - roofer with a vision. Follow Leo on Google+
26 Responses to 'Flat Roof Decks and Patios'
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[...] you have a flat roof deck you can choose between IB DeckShield or a conventional 80-mil IB roof with wooden deck and railing [...]
Residential IB Flat Roofs in MA, RI and CT: Green and Solar PV cool roofing | Cool Flat Roof - MA green roofing company
29 Jun 09 at 5:23 pm
Hello,
I have a roof deck over a bedroom. The roof deck leaks.
Looking for a roof deck that you can walk on. The roof deck also serves as the entrance to a second floor Apt in a Duplex. Thanks!
Size= 18 ft x 10 ft
Located in San Diego
Thanks
Keith
Keith
21 Oct 09 at 2:53 pm
Hi Kieth,
Unfortunately we do not work in CA – we are located in Massachusetts. Otherwise I would be able to help you directly.
There are many IB contractors in Cali. You best bet is to call IB Roofs directly and they will put you in touch with local roofing contractors specializing in IB Roof installations. Call them – 800-426-1626.
Best of luck
Leo
22 Oct 09 at 12:20 pm
I recently added and addition to my house and added a flat deck over the kitchen, the deck was a last minute decision so it has no slope on it. The contractor recommended Blue skin, after reading about IB product I was wondering can I still use the IB product over the blue skin. I am hesitant on installing the sheet rock because I’m afraid the deck will leak. Any suggestions.
Please advice.
Enrique.
Enrique
15 Feb 10 at 1:28 am
Hi Enrique,
Yes, you can install IB Roof over Blue Skin – you will need a separation barrier thought. You can use 1/2 insulation, which we often use for our roof installations, or a Poly separation sheet. This way, if Blue Skin contains any asphalt-based products, it will not destroy the IB Membrane.
Leo
15 Feb 10 at 6:28 pm
I have a deck that is located over a bedroom. On occasion after a heavy snow or rain it will leak. Can you put me on to someone here in Philadlephia, Pennslyvania who can install IB DECK SHIELD.
Patricia Lewis
19 Mar 10 at 5:41 am
For Assembly Type 2: How are the compopsition boards attached? I’m concerned about penetrations into the IB system causing leaks into the room below.
Sheila Cordova
26 Mar 10 at 8:46 am
I’m very interested in your product but reside in Texas.
Do you have contractors somewhere in Texas? If not what
would you advice? Need to finish flat deck ASAP.
Enrique
31 Mar 10 at 11:16 pm
Hi,We are planning to replace our flat roof using pvc/cpa 80 mil membrane.
We also have two decks 4ft by 16ft adjacent to the roof and maybe two inches above, that drain onto the roof through scuppers.
The decks, we have been told were originally coated with urethane and over the next 30 years acrylic, or maybe latex. We dont at this time suspect any rot in the plywood .
What I really want to know is :Can we get someone to fully adhere IB DECK textured PVC decking material to these decks? It seems to me that it would be good to do the decks and roof at the same time.Whqat surface preparation is needed?
Do you have a recomendation for suppliers or installers in the Seattle Wa Area 98103?
Bill Farrow
19 Apr 10 at 4:58 pm
Hi Bill,
The IB DeckShield can be fully adhered, which is a typical installation type for it. I am unsure as to the surface that you have so your best bet would be to install 1/2 inch DensDeck (moisture resistant substrate for IB DeckShield) over the urethane/acrylic surface and install DeckShield over it.
You should start by locating local IB rep and also talking to Bryan in IB’s tech department – call IB Roofs at 800-426-1626 and there you can get a few local contractors and technical information.
Good luck.
Leo
19 Apr 10 at 5:04 pm
How would you vent a sun room addition with this kind of roofing material when the roof pitch is 1/12 and all the rafters run perpendicular to the existing wall? A vented soffit would allow cold air to vent in, but it would cause condensation inside the room if that air wasn’t vented out once it hit the warmth of the interior wall. Don’t see how this would be handled with this kind of roof…We don’t want to spray foam insulation on the underside of the roof, but will be using baffles and R38 before installing T&G ceiling board. Any suggestions that help would be appreciated!
Kim Briggs
25 May 10 at 9:52 pm
Hi..
HELP! I have a 12 year old flat roof deck with posts/railings that penetrate the membrane. When it was installed, the roofer ran the membrane up the posts for a few inches. It has seperated and the water has come inbetween the posts and the membrane and ruined the sub flooring.
I saw where you solved this problem by cutting holes for the posts in the membrane and then fitting a sleeve over the post and welding it.
I still cannot see how the membrane sleeve is attached to the post to prevent water leaking between the two.
Beth
26 May 10 at 12:29 pm
I live in Texas. I’m having to replace the entire roof of my mother’s 60 year-old house, which has a flat-roofed addition that is almost that old. Two roofing contractors just said they would replace the ‘modified bitumen roof’ on the flat part. But the third quoted the following:
“Remove flat roof and replace with new BlueSkin base and new modified roll roofing top coat” and said he would be saving me money by not ‘hotmopping’ it. Does this seem to be a reasonable use of the BlueSkin product? I had never heard of BlueSkip before.
Ned Lee
5 Jun 10 at 9:41 pm
Please advise as you did for another customer who does your type of deck in Seattle, Wa
I have the same problems mentioned with a leak into my kitchen – such as ponding water
I will need to replace the deck.
Pleas advise Seattle area Business References who does this work using this product
Thank you,
‘Gretchen Pfeffer
Gretchen Pfeffer
3 Sep 10 at 2:22 pm
Hello there,
I don’t have much sleep thinking about my broken roof deck. its quite old enough and it needs replacement. it has been there for 20 years and it has been a lone survivor. I’ve inquire some professionals to have a look with the condition and advised me to have waterproof deck other than the old one that we have. also advised me to convert my old fashioned basement architecture and apply a basement waterproofing systems to it. well, that sounds great to me in preparation for the winter to come.
Happy Holidays
basement waterproofing systems
23 Dec 10 at 1:13 pm
Hi,
I live in Florida and have a sun deck which was constructed using a fiberglass coating over plywood. Thin pavers were used as the walking surface and placed on a thin layer of sand on top of the fiberglass. An aluminum railing and posts span 3 sides of the deck with the posts being secured to the top surface of the deck by drilling holes thru the edge pavers, fiberglass, and plywood and into the deck structure below. The installer used 3M marine adhesive around lag screws to secure the posts.
Unfortunately, this deck has had major leaks both in the fiberglass coating (pinhole gaps in the coating) and around the lag screws. I have had to repair rotted areas of the plywood several times. Each time I think I have done a good job at waterproofing the lag screws, but continue to see leaks around the posts during heavy rain.
Is there a better way to secure the posts to the deck and prevent all these leaks?
Thanks,
Steve
Steve
22 Jan 11 at 12:48 pm
Hi, interested in your products but I live in Perth, Australia, any ideas how to get my flat roof decking design fixed?
Renjer Marco
24 Feb 11 at 2:05 am
Need new waterproof floor on sundeck in asheville, nc. Can your IB deckshield be applied to an existing mortarbed? Any decksheild contractors in nc?
william eby
5 May 11 at 8:43 am
Hello. We are having a local contractor apply IB Shield (tan) over our flat top roof (above garage) to use as a deck floor. The garage is over 10 years old, so the contractor will be installing a board or required product underneath it to protect it. Being in Alaska, the temperatures can get to -60 deg F. with high snow load and foot traffic (to remove snow load). Will the IB Shield product hold up under such a low extreme temperature?
Cindy
23 May 11 at 10:59 am
Hi Cindy,
I believe IB DeckShield will hold up just fine – IB has many roofs installed in Alaska, and I never hear of any temperature / weather related issues with them.
When you will bi removing snow, make sure to use plastic shovels, as not to damage the membrane. Other than that you should be just fine. The roof is fully adhered to the densdeck, or other substrate that your contractor uses, and that gives it that much more durability. I dropped a knife onto installed deckshield roof, and it just bounced off of it – no damage whatsoever. Here is more details about IB DeckShiled, including installation videos: http://www.coolflatroof.com/roof-deck.php
Good Luck
Leo - roofer with a vision
23 May 11 at 10:05 pm
I have a slate deck that is laid over a 6-9″ thick concrete slab supported by heavy steel girders…the slate popped its grout and I am getting water into a room underneath the deck and water is not running off the deck as it should (insufficient pitch). I would like to replace the slate with something that would stop any leaks into the interior space below, stand up to snow and ice (that accumulates from a roof above) and will last. Anyone with expertise in my area (Ellenville, NY)?
guy
6 Jun 11 at 9:54 am
I looked at the IB Roof web site.
Noticed that DeckShield has a limited 10 year warranty, as compared to IB Roof lifetime warranty. Do you know why?
I’m trying to figure out if there is any loss of qulaity, etc. using the DeckShield vs. standard IB Roof PVC.
Obviously, the price is about $5 per sq. ft. more.
Kevin
9 Jul 11 at 4:20 pm
Kevin – vent’s are for … ventilation … to get rid of the condensation under mechanically attached roof.
Railing posts – IB makes railing post flashing which can be made to order, or a standard 4×4 post flashing. Either see the link to a flat roof deck installation above – or check our “roof decks” link all the way at the top. We do not use pitch pockets either, and they are really not needed anymore for most situations, as IB makes flashings to fit almost any roof penetration.
IB DeckShield and the 10 year warranty:
There is no loss of quality. Here is the thing that many people fail to understand or even acknowledge – ANY roof’s warranty assumes NO regular foot traffic, and will be voided if manufacturer knows there is foot traffic on the roof besides the regular maintenance and repairs.
IB warrants a membrane which they know will receive regular foot traffic, deck furniture, plants, grills, dropping objects, etc. It will most likely last much longer, but because the roof will be “abused”, IB limits liability to 10 years.
Regular IB roof (as well as most other flat roofing materials) are not made for foot traffic, and even the “ohh so durable modified bitumen” roof will need a walk thread for service personal.
Other than that – no quality difference between the 2 membranes.
It sounds like your roof is in fact a deck, and not just a porch roof. So my price estimation that I gave you earlier, would be much higher as now there are so many more things to worry about. I actually recommend going with a DeckShield membrane if you plan to use that as a deck.
Plain IB roof is not for walking and will be slippery, and can be punctured, or you would have to build a floating deck on top of the membrane, and in that case you would need to use 80 mill, and overall it would be much more expensive than DeckSheild.
Leo.
Leo - roofer with a vision
11 Jul 11 at 8:55 am
The contractor, wants to use the Deckshield, but as roofing membrane only. Stronger, more slip-resistent roof – not actually a deck with the DensDeck underlayment and all that.
She has a front porch & rear deck, and will be in the house for 15-20 years. So she does not need to use it as a deck. (I just thought if the cost was the almost the same, why not?)
I did learn from Tood Lesnett, that for the IB warranty to be good, all accessories (adhesive, flashing, fasteners, ISO board) must be IB brand. Is this quality control or IB bankroll assurance?
Kevin
11 Jul 11 at 9:30 am
Hi Kevin,
In short, if you don’t plan to use it as deck, you probably do not need IB Deckshield – it’s a special product for decks, and costs much more than regular IB roof.
If cost is in fact almost the same (which I find hard to believe – DeckShied over DensDeck substrate is very involved and time consuming installation, and materials are much more expensive compared to typical 50-mil IB Roof over ISO insulation) than why not.
As far as warranty – EVERY roofing manufacturer requires use of their accessories for the warranty – not just IB Roofs.
Is this quality control or IB bankroll assurance? – I think both, though their accessories are pretty much same price as if their were bought locally. The only thing for me, is getting insulation from Chicago or Dallas – it’s bulky and shipping is expensive. We get insulation locally and I am almost 100% sure that IB will not be knit-picking the fact that we use “not their” insulation if there is ever an issue with material. Insulation is essentially the same, whether you get it from IB or local roofing supplier.
All other stuff besides insulation (and sometimes screws, if we run short), we get directly from IB. This is especially important, when it comes to flashing and adhesive. Flashings – inside / outside corners, pipe boots, drip edge metal, etc are made from same PVC material as IB roof, so it is essential to use them, and not other brand. Besides, IB makes some of the best flashings on the market, and has the widest selection.
On the other hand, I never heard of an actual IB Roof material failure, where the warranty would have to come into effect.
Leo - roofer with a vision
12 Jul 11 at 11:51 am
Leo,
Thanks again for the detailed response. You’ve been a tremendous resource, from me finding IB Roof on your site (googled single ply membrane roofing) to these well thought answers to my novice questions.
I talked to Katrina Harrison, IB Warranty Dept. She said they do allow materiasl substitution on the ISO board, and have an approved supplier list. ISO board was the one item that seemed unreasonable to force installers to use. As you said shipping costs & logistics, like bulk storage, are problematic.
I know i’m only dealing with a residential roof….but if a manufacturer is ofeering a Lifetime warranty on materials I figure it makes sense to follow the proper guidlines.
Thanks again for all your help. I emailed Todd Lesnett and let him know how helpful your site is.
Kevin
12 Jul 11 at 1:49 pm