When it comes to deck coatings, my philosophy has been that education makes better consumers out of Board Members, HOA managers, Construction Managers and Reserve Specialists. To that end, I have written several articles to help educate our clients and website visitors on the ins and out's of maintaining, buying and reserving for waterproof deck coatings. It is my hope that you will take this information and use it to ferret out the information you need to know from contractors and manufacturers.

In the pursuit of bringing consumers educational articles and information from other alternative sources, I have searched the web for educational articles on deck coatings/waterproofing. In the page below you'll find my articles listed and articles by other industry professionals. In the spirit of fair use, I have only posted excerpts from authors whose work is posted at other websites. A link to the authors website is provided for you to read the rest of the article.

Our Newest Article...IS Now Published in THE JOURNAL OF LIGHT CONSTRUCTION!

It's officially official...our newest article is in the nationally distributed JOURNAL OF LIGHT CONSTRUCTION in February 2010's issue.

We are very excited, especially since our own Ricky Rojas, foreman for Central Coast Waterproofing is on the cover!

Now thousands of tradesmen will learn about Desert Crete! 

The subject property of the job is a Habitat for Humanity project in Grover Beach CA at Longbranch and Fifth Street. 

READ OUR AWARD WINNING ARTICLE!

SB-800 and It's Effects on Decks and Their Warranties and Maintenance was published in Residential Contractor's Summer 2007 issue and won the 2007 Editor's Choice Award from CAI Greater Los Angeles.

"Bill Leys' excellent article on decking gets the word out on how SB-800 puts the burden on associations to be alert to warranty stipulations and to properly maintain decks if they want their warranties to remain valid." — Jacklyn Wolf, Focus Editor

 

 

Other Deck Articles by Bill Leys...

Deck Coatings and Their Care — Written for HOA's, this article has detailed and information filled advice on maintenance, bidding tips and reserving for deck coating, along with suggested questions to ask when bidding. This article has appeared in the following magazines and web sites:

• July/August 2003 Issue of CAI's Channel Islands Chapter – Channels of Communication
• October 2003 Issue of ECHOJournal
• August 2004 Issue of Condo Management's Florida, New England and California Regional Editions
• November/December 2004 Issue of CAI's GRIE Community Association News
• CAI's Bay Area & Central Valley Chapters Communicator
• Regenesis.net
• Community Associations
• Davis-Stirling.com
• Realty Times
• Association Times 

Deck Coatings and Their Care (Apartment Version) — Written for Income Producing Properties, this guide helps owners to maintain their decks, what to look for when replacing a coating and information on what to ask the contractors bidding your work. This article has appeared in the following magazines and web sites:

• June 2004 Issue of Tri-County Apartment Associations Apartment Management
• October 2006 Issue of the Apartment Owners Association

Saving Money With New Technology — This article discusses the Desert Crete decking system from Hill Brothers and it's advantages for HOA's. This article has appear in the following magazines and web sites:

• 2005 Annual ECHO Seminar Program
• August 2005 Issue of ECHOJournal
• November/December 2005 Issue of CAI Channel Island Chapter's – Channels of Communication

Articles Coming Soon...

Reserving For Deck Coatings — This article will discuss the ins and outs of reserving for the maintenance of your deck coatings and the ultimate replacement of the coatings 20-30 years down the road.

I've collected links to articles written by other authors on the subject of waterproofing and deck coatings. Clicking these links will open a new window to another entities website. We are not responsible for these sites or the information they contain. 

IS IT REALLY WATERPROOF?

By Dave Gobis

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David M. Gobis, a third-generation tile setter, is an independent Technical Consultant. Mr. Gobis is an author of over 100 trade-related articles and a frequent speaker at industry events. He is a voting member of The American National Standards, and Tile Council of America Installation Handbook committees. He can be reached via email, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Here is an excerpt from Dave's article found at Tile Magazine's website. 

Tile is becoming increasingly popular for decks, be they slab on grade (not a huge concern other than proper pitch), raised wood decks (a big concern) or roof decks (a huge concern). The requirements for above-grade decks are very exacting and space does not allow us to explore them in depth. These types of projects should utilize only the very best products and those highly skilled in their use. Decks and patios are fraught with obstacles to a successful installation. Most typical failures occur due to unskilled or semi-skilled labor, use of inappropriate products, railing penetrations, failure to allow for thermal and moisture movement, lack of counter flashing, and poor drainage provisions. Claims for water damage in these types of installations can be for a staggering amount of money in some cases. Exterior deck, patio, and pool deck failures have provided a substantial portion of my income so far this year as a consultant. I also have yet to see a product failure, however, it was alleged there was a failing product on every job. So far all have been inappropriate product selection and/or poor workmanship. Tile can easily be used in these applications offering problem-free performance with the right selections and labor.

Unfortunately, there is no end in sight to leaky decks, tubs, showers, and an increasing amount of steam rooms. These calls seem to be increasing in number — a fact supported by every single manufacturer I have spoken with. This is really sad because it hurts the market for ceramic tile, stone, and related products. Manufacturers have done an outstanding job of developing products to address waterproofing in particular. With the blurring of the traditional tile setter into the realm of floor coverer, waterproofing has seen a disproportionate amount of failures.

READ THE REST OF DAVE's article by clicking on the title above. 

Concepts for Plaza Deck Projects    FROM THE ROOFING CONSULTANT'S INSTITUTE'S WEBSITE

By Peter D’Antonio                                           

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter D’Antonio has been with Sarnafil Roofing and Waterproofing Systems for more than 20 years in a variety of sales, marketing, and man agement positions. Mr. D’Antonio currently acts as the Waterproofing Manager and National Sales Manager of Educational Facilities at Sarnafil. An active RCI member since 1988, he has also served on the Board of Directors for the Sealant, Waterproofing, and Restoration Institute (SWRI), the Boston Chapter of CSI, and is currently on the Executive Committee of the US Department of Energy’s Rebuild America Program. Peter resides in New Hampshire. He can be reached at peter.d’ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 READ THE REST OF PETER'S ARTICLE ON PLAZA DECKS BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

 ANATOMY OF A PLAZA ROOF DECK

By Bart Mendel- Stonemark Construction 

 As Seen In FOCUS Magazine, CAI Greater
Los Angeles Chapter, May/June 2006.

HERE IS AN EXCERPT FROM BART'S ARTICLE

As time passes, and many residential complexes face their 20 th , 30 th or 40 th year, maintenance
issues change. In this article we will look at a plaza deck building system in order to understand
how it was originally constructed, expectations for its life expectancy, how to extend the life of
the system, and ultimately how and when to replace the waterproofing.
Many apartment complexes and associations are constructed with a structural concrete deck
above one or more levels of subterranean parking. Generally there are a number of separate
residential buildings built on top of the structural concrete deck. For the purpose of this article,
we are calling the area in between the buildings the plaza deck. This plaza deck is generally the
common area and is enriched with walkways, landscaping, planters, exterior lighting, and
sometimes amenities such as tennis courts, swimming pools or spas.
Plaza deck construction varies but generally the structural concrete portion of the assembly is
about 12” thick with two layers of steel reinforcement, one at the top and one at the bottom of the
pour. Rebar should have 2” concrete cover.

READ ALL OF BART'S ARTICLE AT Greater LA CAI's WEBSITE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE. 

PLAZA WATERPROOFING BASIC'S

By Dean Rutila


THE CHALLENGES OF RETROFIT PLAZA DECK WATERPROOFING

By Gary W Whittemore

Gary W. Whittemore, CDT, has been with Sarnafil Roofing
and Waterproofing Systems for five years. He currently serves
as the product manager for the U.S. waterproofing division
based in Sarnafil’s corporate office in Canton, MA. Prior to
this position, he was the national retail and strategic
accounts manager for the roofing division. Before joining
Sarnafil, Whittemore held various waterproofing sales and
product management positions during a 20-year career at W.
R. Grace & Co.

 Creating a leak-free building is one of the greatest challenges
in our industry. Fixing leaks after the fact is even more challenging, especially on plaza decks. Plaza decks incorporate extensive overburden
systems, depending on their use. If there is a leak, the waterproofing membrane may be buried under tons of reinforced concrete,
heavy pavers or pavement, soil, and plantings. The removal and replacement of such overburdens represent a significant cost to the building owner.
Even the most successful waterproofing systems require maintenance or replacement
at some point during the life cycle of the building. A waterproofing system is made up of multiple components, and the failure of one component can lead to the failure
of the entire system. The fix is expensive
– many times more than the original cost. The situation is further compounded because the building is likely to be occupied and in use at the time of the repair.

 READ  GARY'S WHOLE ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

 FLASHING DETAILS – EXTERIOR TILE DECK CONSTRUCTION
By Mark Marsch

 Here is an excerpt from Mark's article on flashings for Tile Decks

 1) Sheet metal

Because sheet metal is installed first, it is critical to the complete tile assembly. Setting up the proper elevations for the full tile assembly should be done prior to any metal installation. Sheet metal should be installed at all deck transitions. Since the sheet metal contractors are not familiar with the waterproofing requirements nor are they responsible for the tile elevations, it is critical that they be given direction. All of these transition details can be prefabricated prior to installation in the field. The architect will usually specify soldered corners on all prefabricated items.

The waterproofing manufacturers, since they do not sell nor do they warrant the metal, require that the installation at least follow SMACNA (California Association of Sheet Metal and Air Condition Contractors, National Association) guidelines. Merkote Products is the only manufacturer that I’m aware of that provides its customers written direction on metal details. You can find these details at WWW.merkote.com under Mer-krete systems. For our applications on an exterior deck, the nailing patterns are minimum 3in. on center in a staggered pattern with a minimum 4 in. overlap between metal pieces. All overlap joints must have sealant (a single component urethane is recommended) between the laps.

The metal laps should always follow the same lapping procedure as you would use with sheathing membranes on walls. Since some decks have the slope built into the framing you want to start at the lower end and lap over the lower pieces as you would do with shingles.

 READ  MARK'S WHOLE ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

Article in September 1991 issue of Tile & Decorative Surfaces written by George N. Lavenberg, FCSI, CIC, Technical Director.

Editors Note-While some of the systems may not exist or have been changed, the premise remains the same. Low slope roof decks must have the proper flashings, waterproofing and be built to handle the maximum load intended or you risk failure of the deck system ...read the excerpt below

"It’s only a roof deck!" Did you ever hear that statement? When and if you do, be prepared for problems, and very possibly big ones. Where roof decks and concerned, roof is the most important word. When it comes to keeping water out, how the roof deck is constructed is at least as important as the balance of the roof itself, since both must satisfy the same requirement to keep the rooms and equipment below them dry.

SOME BAD EXAMPLES

A roof deck was leaking badly. Upon investigation, it was found that the installation had been made using one of the methods described in the Handbook for Ceramic Tile Installation. Why, then, the leakage? The method selected was one involving a cleavage membrane, and it had been chosen even though some of the other methods contained in the Handbook called for a waterproof membrane. The purpose of the cleavage membrane, as you will recall, is to isolate the tile floor from the structure, not to serve as a waterproof membrane.

READ  GEORGE LAVENBERG's WHOLE ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.  

Tile Troubleshooting:
Tiling Over Exterior Balconies and Decks — Risk or Reward?
by Bart Bettiga
June 4, 2007 

Bart Bettiga is the Executive Director of the National Tile Contractors Association. Established in 1947, the NTCA is dedicated to providing education for the proper installation of tile and its allied products to the ceramic tile industry. More information on the NTCA is available on-line at www.tile-assn.com.  

In the last several years, we have seen a significant increase in the amount of inquiries regarding the proper installation of ceramic tile on an exterior deck or balcony. This is due in large part to the increase in construction of multi-family housing and high-rise luxury condominium projects. In addition, the rebuilding efforts along the coasts of several states hit by numerous hurricanes in the past few years have added to the demand for tile and stone, and their durability characteristics when properly installed.

In a seminar I attended recently hosted by the National Association of Home Builders, the speaker discussed at length the increasing trend of consumers to invest in elaborate exterior living spaces. Patios, decks, and balconies were specifically mentioned as areas that will take on increasing importance over the next several years. Our industry should realize this opportunity, but tread cautiously in regards to our approach.

As I write this article, I just got off of the telephone with one of my contractor members from the great state of Florida. I could feel his frustration through the line. “As contractors, we are being told so many different stories by the manufacturer, we don’t know whom to believe,” he said. “There are so many products out there advertising their system will work in exterior installations on balconies, we don’t know which way to turn.”

READ THE REST OF BART'S ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE!

WATERPROOF OR VAPOR PROOF?
by Dave Gobis
March 10, 2008

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David M. Gobis, a third-generation tile setter, is an independent Technical Consultant. Mr. Gobis is an author of over 100 trade-related articles and a frequent speaker at industry events. He is a voting member of The American National Standards, and Tile Council of America Installation Handbook committees. He can be reached via email, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

This article can be found at TILE Magazine. Here is an excerpt from it...

Exterior Decks 

Exterior tile decks are fraught with any number of issues. Most if not all tile membrane manufacturers will not warrant their systems as the sole source of waterproofing over an occupied space. While some may be up to the challenge from a technical point of view, the margin for error in application is zero making most manufacturers gun shy of this type of installation. When used, the waterproofing must be effectively flashed into the existing structure. Rails may not penetrate the system and the water must drain somewhere. Movement joints must be correctly constructed incorporating the waterproof material. If the deck is not over a living space, the liability is not as great but the same principles apply. 

GREAT MAGAZINE FOR PRO'S TO SUBSCRIBE TO-THE APPLICATOR

This full-color, 24-page quarterly technical journal is the official publication of the Sealant Waterproofing & Restoration Institute (SWR Institute), the international trade association that represents the commercial sealant, waterproofing and restoration construction industry. The Applicator includes timely informative articles about application, techniques and solutions to problems with sealants, waterproofing and restoration construction, as well as provides a forum where pertinent views and opinions can be expressed and shared. Industry leaders, who provide practical advice based on real-life experience, write a majority of the articles and lend to the magazine's authority and credibility.

          (Disclosure-we get nothing for this button being here...no money, free stuff, nada.)

                       MORE GREAT READING CAN BE FOUND IN THE CURRENT AND BACK ISSUES OF WATERPROOF! Magazine  

 WATERPROOF! Magazine is a quarterly journal dedicated to bring articles/stories and information on waterproofing. They have a bent towards below grade type waterproofing, however, they have relevant articles and information on waterproof decks. I have listed and linked several good articles of theirs below. Check it out, there is good info to be had!

Those of you in the trade or with a strong interest in waterproofing should consider taking a Subscription  for $20.00. Editors note, we do not receive any compensation or consideration for this recommendation.

ROOF LEAKS: Pinpointing and Repairing

With the increased popularity of green roofs, walkways, plaza decks and solar panels, the ability to quickly find and repair faulty roofing membranes has never been higher.

Leaky roofs cost American businesses billions of dollars annually, with damage ranging from minor water stains and electrical outages to complete structural failure of the roof.

 READ ALL OF THIS ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

GREEN DECKS: HOW and WHY

Some studies show they enhance the wellbeing of the occupants, even if they can only see the roof from a distance

Green roofs are comprised of up to a dozen different components, each of which is selected for the demands that will be placed on it.

 READ ALL OF THIS ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

 GREEN ROOFS

The “green building” movement is affecting every segment of the construction industry, and waterproofing is no exception. One of the most visible areas affected by the movement is commercial roofing, where rooftops are literally being built green with living plants.
Obviously, these “vegetative roofs” present significant challenges to designers and contractors. The weight of the soil, lack of run-off, root penetration issues, and other factors make them more complex than a typical built-up roof. The lack of construction standards also presents a challenge.

 READ ALL OF THIS ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

The Florida Community Association Journal has published several excellent articles on deck waterproofing and related issues. I've compiled a listing of these below with links to the PDF documents at FLACJ's website.

AVOIDING PITFALL'S IN PLAZA DECK RESTORATION 

By Colin Meneely

Colin Meneely is a Project Manager with Structural Preservation Systems Florida East Branch in Pompano Beach, Fla. 

A typical plaza deck restoration project consists of the following major work items: topping slab, and planter removal, waterproofing removal/deck preparation, concrete/pool restoration, deck/planter drain and plumbing installation, building planter walls, irrigation/electrical system installation, planter/deck waterproofing, paver installation, landscaping/amenity installation, painting and punchout. 

READ ALL OF COLIN'S ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

 PLAZA AND POOL DECK WATERPROOFING

By Daniel Perez

Daniel Perez is a concrete restoration and waterproofing specialist for All-State Products Inc in Miami Fla. For more information visit www.aspfla.com

 Whether underneath paver, a garden roof, or inside planters, a high build waterproofing system is critical to the protection of structural components and occupied building areas. As an owner or property manager, you may only be interested in the end result and not the application type, but there are many things to consider before making the final decision.  

READ ALL OF DANIEL'S ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

 WATERPROOFING SOLUTIONS-Protecting Your Most Critical Assets

By Peter Innes

Peter Innes is owner of Innes Communication in Saddle Brook NJ. Information for this article was submitted by Kemper Systems of Boca Raton FLA.

"Community Associations are presented with a number of difficult decisions, and too often, the association members do not have enough information to make critical decisions that involve waterproofing. If you only look at competitive bids for the same type of waterproofing solution, then you're really not looking at every available soloution. You're only looking at cost when you should be looking at cost and performance.

READ ALL OF PETER'S ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

THE TELL-TALE SIGNS OF WATER DAMAGE

By Robin Braden

Robin Braden is the purchasing and marketing manager for All-State Products with locations in Fort Meyers, Miami, Pompano, and West Palm Beach. For more information visit www.aspfla.com

Does your building have any water damage? Do you know what to look for?

Many associations do not realize the damage that water can cause; nor do they know what to look for. There are many tell-tale signs that your building reveals when water is causing damage. The good news is if after inspection, seepage is found, you can prevent further damage by stopping the leak. The following are areas that are susceptible to water damage and the signs to look for when inspecting them. 

READ ALL OF ROBIN'S ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

BALCONY REPAIR-A Long Term Approach is Best

By Ashley Kizzire

Ashley Kizzire is employed with Structural Preservation Systems of Sarasota Florida.

A typical concrete balcony in Florida, constantly exposed to the harsh coastal elements, is a breeding ground for deterioration. As such, condominium owners and associations often find themselves in the middle of balcony repair projects. All to often though, a shortsighted approach to balcony restoration is taken, and only minimal repairfs are made one at a time. As a result, owners fail to realize the practical nad economic benefits of a more long-range approach to balcony repair.

READ ALL OF ASHLEY'S ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

SURFACE APPLIED CORROSION INHIBITORS FOR CONCRETE BALCONIES

By Steve Poling

Steve Poling is the president of Matco Supply in St Petersburg Fla. He is the local sales rep for Evonik Industries. For more information, visit www.protectosil.com

One of the most frustrating moments for a condominium owner is being hit wioth a major special assessment to repair balconies and walkways. Many times the "visual" damage seems minor-just a few pieces of concrete are popping up or some cracking in the concrete. 

The Florida DOT considers any reinforced stucture built within a half mile of saltwater to be in an "extremely aggressive corrosion envirnonment." This is because chlorides (Or salt) orginating from these bodies of water are carried by airborne moisture, wind and rain onto the structures and, over time, migrate to the steel reinforcement inside. 

READ ALL OF STEVE'S ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

 RAILING REPLACEMENT-Avoid Safety Issues and Future Costly Repairs Now

By Dennis Hill

Dennis Hill is the Director of Corporate Development for Poma and Sons in Palm City FLA. For more information, visit www.pomaonline.com

The pictures tell the story. Ugly rust stains drip over the concrete balcony, cracked and broken concrete and corroded railing posts are all to common sights in communites and high-rises in Florida...It is estimated that over $1 Billion a year is spent on restoration in Florida, although there are no firm figures on railing replacement as part of that restoration. 

READ ALL OF DENNIS' ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

Articles From Building Services Management Magazine

 Infrared Thermography For Restoration

By jill Wagner

Jill H. Wagner is a freelance writer and consultant with more than 13 years of experience in a wide range of industries. She holds a Master of Arts in Marketing and Advertising from Emerson College, and can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text86092 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //-->\n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Moisture in building materials can destroy structural integrity and nurture mold, especially if the problem remains hidden or becomes excessive.

DRY WITHOUT GUESSWORK       HAT Science Helps Tackle Water Intrusion Problems

By Brandon Burton

Brandon Burton is an approved IICRC instructor in the categories of Applied Structural Drying (ASD) and Water Damage Restoration (WRT). He is the technical education manager at Dri-Eaz Products, Inc., a leading provider of portable environmental control solutions. For more information, visit www.dri-eaz.com or call 1-800-932-3030.

 ARTICLE FROM DAVID REED CONSULTING WEBSITE

Preventing Moisture Intrusion in Buildings With a Drainage Plane

by David Reed  

David Reed is a seasoned professional with over 25 years experience in building construction. For over 20 years he has specialized in waterproofing systems. As a water intrusion consultant, David understands building science and the physics of water and building materials. He has worked with architects, builders, contractors, subcontractors, inspectors, homeowners associations, property managers, the military, and municipalities for design and remediation of waterproofing.

The 2007 California Building Code went into effect at the first of this year, and with it came important changes affecting how architects and builders prevent water intrusion in buildings. Few in the industry, however, understand how drainage planes work and how to implement them, which is essential to effectively address section 1403.2 of the revised building code.

Creating an effective drainage plane for a building is designing a way to drain water, which enters the building envelope, to the exterior.

In the past, the building industry addressed water drainage rather minimally, since people believed that water did not accumulate in a typical frame wall assembly with a typical water-resistive underlayment such as No. 15 building paper. They assumed that sufficient water migration on the face of the underlayment would carry the moisture downward to drain at a...

READ ALL OF DAVID'S ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

WATER & GRAVITY

By David Reed

In building science water is rarely controlled by gravity. The assumption that building leaks are caused by water falling from the sky is what sets apart the homeowner, adjuster, contractor, architect, mold hygienist, etc. from the building scientist.

•Moisture moves from areas of higher concentrations to areas of lower concentrations

•Moisture travels from areas of higher air pressure to areas of lower air pressure

•Moisture moves from warmer areas to cooler areas.

Thus buildings suck! Moisture that is.

READ ALL OF DAVID'S ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

 GREAT ARTICLE ON SCUPPERS AS FOUND AT WALLS & CEILINGS

Difficult Details #1: Scuppers
by Robert Thomas
October 19, 2000

Scuppers are a type of true-wall penetration that functions as a drain for water. Usually this is for rain water, but it can also serve for water occurring by hosing off a deck or roof. Often, scuppers go through the wall of a deck that has EIFS on both sides, or through a parapet, which has EIFS on both sides. This article will provide you with some insight how to properly handle this common detail. You can keep this list and use it as a reminder when designing or bidding EIFS projects.

Scupper time

Scuppers in EIFS walls are very difficult to seal because the wall is often hollow (made of studs and sheathing), and it is difficult to “marry” the complex scupper flashings into the EIFS coatings. Hence, if the scupper leaks, it gets into the EIFS wall construction, and may also get into the soffit below (if there is one). This can create havoc, as often decks on multi-unit condos or apartments are stacked-up for many stories, and if one leaks, well ...

 READ ALL OF ROBERT'S ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE.

ARTICLES FOUND IN PROFESSIONAL ROOFING MAGAZINE'S ARCHIVES

Professional  Roofing Magazine's archives can be accessed when you register for a free account. I've found a few articles here in their archives that are relevant to our website, and so I suggest you register and read the rest at Professional Roofing Magazine!

Obstacles & opportunities

Vegetative roof systems face obstacles to industrywide acceptance

Despite the recent popularity and widely touted benefits of vegetative roof systems, there still is some trepidation regarding the use of such systems among many in the construction industry. The concerns are not unfounded given a building's first line of defense against the elements is its roof.

In his 1989 book Roofing: Design Criteria, Options, Selection, Robert D. Herbert wrote "over 50 percent of post-construction problems can be attributed to roofing or related systems" and "approximately 65 percent of all lawsuits brought against architects during one recent period originated with roofing problems."

Although these statistics are dated, the explanation Herbert gives for these phenomena during the 1980s, namely the introduction of a large number of new roofing technologies in a brief time period, may be analogous to the current situation facing vegetative roof systems.

Vegetative roof systems, though viable alternatives to traditional roof systems, face some obstacles to widespread acceptance.

Components

There is an important functional distinction between vegetative roof systems and more traditional roof systems. Traditional roof membranes generally fall into the category of weatherproofing. Conversely, the membranes required beneath vegetative roof systems, which periodically support damp growth medium, can be considered waterproofing membranes. Many vegetative roof system membrane suppliers classify vegetative roof systems as waterproofing.

Waterproofing typically requires a thicker membrane than weatherproofing and requires especially careful installation and detailing. And obviously, additional materials are needed to sustain the vegetative portion of vegetative roof systems.

The NRCA Vegetative Roof Systems Manual, Second Edition identifies a series of components recommended for vegetative roof systems of different depths ranging from extensive to intensive. Following are design considerations for some of the critical layers located above the waterproofing membrane, namely the...

READ THE REST OF ELIZABETH'S ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE. You will need to register for a free account before being able to view the entire article.

 ERECTING A DEFENSE OF THE DRY BUILDING

Basic understanding of the ‘drain, deflect, drain’ fundamentals provides solid foundation for effective building-envelope systems

By John Edgar Sto Corp. 

But what do the designer and contractor need to know about keeping bulk water out of walls, and deliver the kind of project that the client demands?

It’s not uncommon for owners to discuss water penetration issues with the designer and contractor. For the owner, a problem probably already exists, or he wouldn’t be calling. For the construction team, the objective is to prevent leaks to ensure they can pass along a dry project to the client. Both may assume that the perfect waterproof coating will resolve all problems and provide the easy solution.

If only it were so simple.

READ THE REST OF JOHN'S ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON THE TITLE ABOVE. You will need to register for a free account before being able to view the entire article. 

Do you know of any interesting articles or books we should link to! This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it today with the website name/article information so we can bring it to everybody's attention.