Waterproofing the exterior decks is one of those things that, while not required, really has become a necessary step (for us) in home construction. Furthermore, there are many different ways to waterproof, some less expensive than others. When we look at budget items that could be cut, we may discuss things like waterproofing the exterior decks. If it is left up to us, we will select the method shown below. However, sometimes clients want to look at less expensive alternatives. Why? It simply comes down to cost/benefit and return on investment. Water on an exterior deck that is installed properly will not cause immediate issues. It is one of those long-term maintenance items; however, the cost to maintain this particular item can be rather high (depending on the type of floor covering chosen). In addition, any little pin-hole leak in the floor covering allows water to seep in and go places it really should not be. It is highly unlikely it will get into the house, but the constant expansion and reduction caused by the saturation and drying out of the framing beneath the floor covering can be enough to cause cracking and other issues over time. The way we build homes at Jenkins, that is unacceptable. You would think that all builders feel the same, but…well, not so much. Most builders, if they do it, use what we call a “quickie solution”. There are products that can be slapped on like paint and called “waterproofing”. That’s just not how we roll… 🙂
Here, watch a video of our trade partners installing waterproofing on the deck of a waterfront home we are building. This particular home is in the flood plain; so there are lots of exterior decks. It is a substantial cost to us to waterproof them all correctly, but it’s just the right thing to do.
