What kind of deck coating do we have on our deck?
This is a very common question, one that is often difficult to answer, especially when only looking at a picture. Visual inspection and sometimes destructive testing will reveal the type of coating, if not the manufacturer. It is important to know what type of coating one has on their decks, as most coatings that are similar have very similar maintenance requirements. At the worst, knowing what type of coating you have will suffice for probably 90% or more of your maintenance needs. Ignore the maintenance of your deck at your own financial peril! Most deck coatings will fail prematurely if they are not maintained.
I have broken down the typical deck coatings that are manufactured into distinct types of coatings and on each page, also listing the manufacturer's we know that make that type of coating. Many manufacturer's of traffic deck coatings manufacturer several types of coating systems, for example, Mer-Kote Products manufacturer's a slip sheet system and they also make a metal lath system too. Excellent Coatings and Hill Brothers make metal Lath & Acrylic coatings and they also make Fiberglass systems.
- Slip Sheet Systems
- Fiberglass Coating Systems
- Metal Lath & Acrylic Modified Cements
- Vinyl Coating Systems
- Urethane Systems
- PolyureaCoatings
- Magnesite Systems
- Pebble Bond Systems
- Tile Decks
Differentiating between some coatings isn't easy, however, some things to look for can help you tell what type of coating one has. Slip sheets usually sound hollow when tapped on with a spoon. A flat finish also indicates a slip sheet. Urethanes are usually given away by the presence of sand in the top coat. Metal lath systems and fiberglass systems look alike as the top finishes are usually done the same way, so they are difficult to tell apart by just looking at them. Vinyl decks will look like your kitchen floor, Pebble Bond Systems have a unique look and so does Magnesite.
We recommend that you use our Questions to Ask list that we developed that will help you understand the different deck coatings you might be presented with as options, interview contractors with and do your due diligence as any Board member or anyone should. Another thing to investigate is whether or not the product you are considering has been tested and rated by ICC Evaluation Service Inc. This independent evaluation service tests manufacturer's products for fire resistance amongst other criteria. Click here to look up Division 7 Traffic Coatings ICC Evaluation reports. (This will open a new page on ICC's website.)
New in 2007, reports issued by ICC are taking Wind Ratings into account for deck coatings. This will be a very important issue to watch out for; some deck coatings are rated for buildings in high wind zones-up to 120-150 mph. Some deck coatings have ratings for wind zones that are much lower-80 mph. The other tricky factor that will trip up many is the building height. Many coatings are limited to buildings that are 40' in height or less. Has your installer read and understood the plans? If they specify a product that doesn't meet the ICC codes and city building requirements, there may be a liability issue. This problem applies to all different types of deck coatings,
Don't get blown off your decks with the wrong coating!
Fire ratings for deck coatings available are Class A (ASTM E 108), Class B and so on as well as a separate "One Hour Rating" ASTM E 119). Thoroughly check out any coating you may be considering for it's fire rating. You don't want to find our after the fact that you need a fire rated coating over your deck. Click here to go to Professional Roofing magazine; an article on fire ratings will help you understand. You can also click here to go to Underwriters Laboratories for further fire rating information.
It is extremely important to know and understand that One Hour Fire Resistive deck coatings can have very different requirements in order to get a One Hour rating. An example is Polycoat Products Polycoat Walking Deck ICC rated ER-4789 urethane system requires 3/4" Plywood with 2" x 10" joists. Then look at the requirements for Desert Crete from Hill Brothers. Their ICC ESR-1661 report requires 5/8" plywood over 2" x 8" joists.
There are big differences with different coatings, one in terms of costs of framing, certainly, but also calculating loads, footings, and clearances.
A client recently inquired about Fire ratings, looking to substitute Life Paints Life Deck AL ER-5416 instead of the specified Pli-Dek ESR-2097 metal lath system called for on the plans. They couldn't find a Pli-Dek installer in their area. A review of the project showed the first building was already framed out and 2 more were coming fast. The building framed out had deck joists that were 2" x 8" with 5/8" plywood on top. Then we looked at Life Deck AL's ICC report. Big problem! Life Deck AL called for a 2" x 10" joist for the One Hour fire rating.
Looking at Pli-Dek's ICC, we found that their basic requirements of 5/8" plywood and 2" x 8" framing met the same requirements that Desert Crete did. By switching to Desert Crete instead of Life Paints Life Deck AL, the owner of the project saved himself approximately One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars in change order costs for framing.
Check plans carefully before allowing just any bid on a One Hour Fire Rated deck coating-you might get burned!
Another good site to look at is Coatings Advisor - Your source for coating products and services. This site contains tons of pages on various coatings, including deck coatings, epoxy, and every other type of coating you can think of.
Here is a basic discussion on the deck coating categories. Links to manufacturer's are in subsequent pages for each category listing. You will note that manufacturer's may be listed in multiple instances under different categories, that is not a mistake.
