Help with deck flooring

[Rod N]

Hello,

I'm putting railing on the deck on the front of the house and need suggestions on covering up the boards. Trying to make it so water does not drip down below. Doesn't have to be 100% waterproof as it isn't now. I thought of ply and then vinyl, but that got expensive fast.
Probably going to sell in the spring.
Any ideas gents?

 

[Garcky]

That's an unusual design. If you put a solid floor there, where will the water go? You don't want it pooling up on the surface.

 

[jbfsr]

Maybe deck tiles.

 

[Rod N]

That's an unusual design. If you put a solid floor there, where will the water go? You don't want it pooling up on the surface.

My RE called it a catwalk. lol. There is flashing against the house that comes under the deck about 10". It is also slightly graded towards the front.

 

[Garcky]

My RE called it a catwalk. lol. There is flashing against the house that comes under the deck about 10". It is also slightly graded towards the front.

OK, then you can probably put a floor there. However I'd suggest maybe only making the area over the porch solid. It's an odd design. Unpredictable, really. It will probably leak some.

 

[Rod N]

Outdoor carpet?

 

[cgrutt]

I've glued down rollout asphalt roofing and covered with outdoor carpeting on my friend's deck above his boathouse. The deck was plywood and pitched slightly from center out to both sides for runoff. I recall same thing being done with composite decking over firing strips (over the roofing) on some of his neighbor's boathouses.

https://flic.kr/p/W8DjSB

 

[Youngandfree]

Why not put poly sheets under the deck with a gutter like people do with a patio under their deck?

 

[Rod N]

Why not put poly sheets under the deck with a gutter like people do with a patio under their deck?

Not sure if that would look nice.

 

[CraigStu]

Corrugated plastic roofing under w/ a gutter would fix the leaks. There are products that look like solid soffit to do the same thing. And they have all the other pieces to cover edges etc. But what about the deck top surface? Do you want to cover or replace it?

 

[Rod N]

It is the deck surface I am looking for. Something to go on top of the 2" x 6".
Rubber flooring?

 

[sjvicker]

It is the deck surface I am looking for. Something to go on top of the 2" x 6".
Rubber flooring?

You're ok with some leaking, are moving soon, dont want to spend a lot of money and dont want it to look bad. If that rubber floor material is waterproof then I think you found the perfect material.

Let the next owner decide if they want something more permanent or not.

 

[Shiftless]

At least a few of those boards looks like they are split and rotted. Covering them up will only accelerate the rot. Do people ever walk on that surface? Might be a safety concern.

I have a nearly flat roof deck that is covered with plywood, then torch down rolled roofing and then composite deck boards. That is waterproof but would be more than you want to spend.

I bet that future prospective buyers or inspectors of your house will notice old boards up there and that could affect the final price or the ease and quickness of selling the property.

 

[Rod N]

Good points.
I replaced about 40 of the boards just before the snow (after I took the pictures) so they would weather a bit if I want to stain them when I put up the railing in the spring.
I thought carpet would create rot, but have found the opposite. There is a piece above my BBQ and the boards there are in better shape than the others. Maybe because of the weather coming off of the lake.

 

[Youngandfree]

Not sure if that would look nice.

High end homes with upper decks and patios underneath have them. They look very nice.

 

[Rod N]

^^^ That was pretty much what I was thinking before we decided to move.
BTW This is a 2 million + home. IMO the curb appeal ***** with no railing.

 

[CraigStu]

Maybe indoor/outdoor carpet is the way to go then. Use aluminum like this to hold it down and protect the edges w/ stainless screws.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/M-D-1-373-in-x-36-in-Pewter-Carpet-Trim/50065911

There are many colors available. Also in my area most outdoor carpet comes off rolls so the width may vary some and these aluminum pieces can help mask imperfect cuts.

 

[Rod N]

^^^ Good idea. The deck at the front is 4' 1" so I need to make up the 1" somehow as the rolls I see at 4' wide.

 

[CraigStu]

1" will be easy w/ the aluminum trim pieces. I found them from 1 to 2" wide all in one big rack due to all the colors and finishes they come in.

 

[Rod N]

I decided just to leave the deck as wood planks.