Arriving at the jobsite
Today we started work on an older deck that was poorly constructed. What was wrong with this deck? I will list the problems and our solutions with this urethane deck repair job.
Flashing detail was incorrect
Flashing is very important when constructing a waterproof deck. Where the deck meets the building or at the edge of the deck, flashing is installed to direct water away from the structure. This particular deck used thin 28 ga. Metal flashing, typical of what you would find in a hardware or lumber store. Thin metal flashing will rust away in just a few short years. The flashing was installed using roofing nails about every foot. Roofing nails have a large head and are difficult to cover smoothly with the urethane. We prefer to use 1/4” crown by 3/4” staples every 2 inches. We went through and re stapled the flashing every 2”, then ground the metal and caulked using ChemCaulk 915.
No seam tape
Flashing has sharp edges that can create tears in the coating which will cause leaks. Flashing can also lift over time which can cause the coating to crack. We seam taped the metal so that it has no chance of tearing through the new coating.
Substandard deck coating
This deck had been built using an inferior product that doesn’t have the durability of the Tufflex products. We used Tufflex W/B primer to bridge to the new coating system. Waterbase epoxy primer will encapsulate the old coating and allow the Tufflex coating to adhere properly. Followed by Tufflex 5000 moisture cure base coat with EPDM nonskid broadcast evenly throughout the coating. Lastly, we installed Tufflex AL topcoat in Pacific Gray.
Urethane deck repair is now complete
With the above repairs we have put integrity into this urethane coating and the home owner can expect it to be waterproof for many years as long as it is properly maintained. This deck should give years of service and look good at the same time.
