Duradek Wishes Everyone a Happy Holdiay Season

Caring for Your Vinyl Deck This Winter

Those of you who have a deck protected with Duradek’s Walkable Rooftop Deck and Waterproofing Vinyl have an attractive and low maintenance decking solution, and winter is no exception. Duradek vinyl allows for easy and worry-free winter deck care. Duradek vinyl is strong and you can use a variety of snow and ice melting solutions on it without concern.

• Rock Salt - OK!
• Kitty Litter (for non-slip traction) - OK!
• Snow Melting Chemicals - OK!

Duradek patterns and colors are beautiful all year round, but how does a homeowner ensure that they are going to get the most longevity in their deck’s appearance when the wicked winter weather attempts to cover our decks with ice and snow.

Luckily, for the Duradek homeowner, Duradek’s superior vinyl strength and durability is no match for Mother Nature. All you have to do to ensure your deck is unaffected by brutal winter conditions is to remember a couple of simple tips:

Only use a plastic shovel to remove snow and ice from your deck surface.
Driving a metal shovel down through the snow and ice to your deck surface risks puncturing the vinyl and sacrificing your waterproof security.


Clean your deck with soap and water, and rinse before the summer sunshine returns.
While the chemicals from de-icers do not damage the vinyl surface when applied, if its film is left on the surface, direct sun can bake the chemicals into the vinyl which is harmful and will affect your deck’s appearance.

That’s all there is to it! Now you can rest assured that you can take all precautions available to keep your deck clear of ice and snow through the cold winter months and look forward to the return of the warm weather to get back to enjoying your deck again.

If you do not yet have a Duradek waterproof deck and you would like to talk to a Duradek dealer about your decking needs, contact a Duradek dealer in your area for a free estimate.

Duradek Distributor AMA Roofing Supplies Sells Service

...and they sell Duradek Vinyl too




AMA Roofing Supplies is a family business.

Duradek Distributor AMA Roofing Supplies is a perfect example of the type of service and support you can expect from the Duradek network of distributors and dealers throughout North America. Based out of Hamilton, Ontario, AMA Roofing Supplies is a family owned and operated business run by the brother-sister team, Andrew and Monique. With humble beginnings back in 1979, their father launched AMA with a single pick-up truck and trailer and the company grew steadily from the start with one word – SERVICE.

The dedication to service was the key to AMA’s growth over the decades and has consistently been the mainstay of the AMA Roofing Supplies philosophy. AMA Roofing Supplies now has grown to a fleet of 4 large trucks that are on the road full time and they maintain a high-quality staff and associations with trained professionals who are experts in their specialties.



Monique and Andrew, siblings that agree on service.

Whether you are a professional contractor or a week-end warrior battling your renovations yourself, Andrew and Monique will give you the straight-up support you need with informative advice and excellent product knowledge. The most important thing to AMA is that your project is done right.
Whether you are doing a small residential roof repair or a large commercial roof deck, AMA provides their customers with the best product selection and the information they need to ensure the products and installation methods chosen are truly the best ones for the job at hand.

When it comes to roof deck projects, don’t be surprised if AMA recommends that you utilize the services of an authorized Duradek installer to complete the waterproofing phase of your roof deck. Duradek is the most tested single-ply vinyl membrane on the market today and it is only installed by trained and authorized installers. This is because waterproofing installation details are so extremely critical to the overall success of your project and both AMA Roofing Supplies and Duradek operate with the mission of ensuring the job is done right the first time.

While hiring the services of a waterproofing professional may add to the overall cost of your project, it can save you 10-fold versus having to go in and repair damage from water leaks and need to re-do your roof deck all over again. If you are considering a decking project, it is well worth your while to consult with AMA Roofing Supplies or a Duradek dealer in your area for a free estimate.

Let AMA Roofing Supplies Show You How to Do it the Right Way with Duradek

Duradek Products Recognized by Professional Deck Builder Magazine

Professional Deck Builder magazine is a go-to resource for many deck building professionals and a reliable resource for the decking industry. In November, Professional Deck Builder Magazine recognized two of Duradek’s superior waterproofing products:

Duradek Ultra Vinyl Membranes, the single-ply vinyl waterproofing membrane with roof grade protection is mentioned by Professional Deck Builder Magazine in its November issue. As a walkable, roofing membrane, Duradek provides both the waterproof protection and a walkable, stylish finish in one step.  Duradek, the original sheet-vinyl waterproofing membrane, has been protecting decks for nearly 40 years.

Also mentioned in November’s Professional Deck Builder Magazine is Duradek Ultra Tiledek. Tiledek is the waterproof membrane designed specifically to go underneath exterior thin set tile. While it provides the same degree of roofing approved waterproof protection as Duradek Ultra, Tiledek comes with a cloth surface that allows the thin set mortar and tiles to be securely adhered.
While this particular product review mentions some of the superior features of Duradek Ultra Tiledek membranes such as the ability to withstand high-heat and high-moisture conditions, the article states that the only ‘hitch’ of the product is that it can only be purchased and installed by an authorized Duradek dealer.

Well, this is actually one of the features that Duradek is very proud of. Duradek president John Ogilvie states, “No matter how good a waterproofing product is, if it is not installed properly you cannot be sure it will perform as intended.”

That is why Duradek membranes are only installed by professionals that have been specifically trained in the intricacies of deck waterproofing and best practices in applying PVC membrane systems. Check out our blog post, Deck Collapse Dangers for some examples of why using a specialized deck builder and products that meet current building code requirements is so critical in your deck building projects.

Deck Collapse Dangers Can Be Avoided

While builders are held up to strict building code standards today, this has not always been the case. Many homes built 20 - 30 years ago were built when common practice did not include these current standards, and as such, potentially pose a risk to homeowners or residents who are completely unaware of the hazards. Additionally, some more recent home improvement projects have had decks added by someone with basic carpentry skills who bypassed permitting issues and may lack the specialized knowledge that applies to deck building, leaving the people actually using the deck to rely on luck more than on the stability of the structure.

Both of these common scenarios are very dangerous and costly.

Avoid Deck Collapse Danger With Professionals

While Duradek does not typically deal with the actual structure of the deck, we strongly urge Home Owners to hire credible carpenters. Do your research and ask for references. Your Duradek installer will often be able to refer you to a qualified deck builder if they do not perform that specialty themselves. It is also wise to confirm your builder pulls a building permit as that will assist in ensuring the structure is well built and goes through an inspection process with a building inspector.

Once the deck is built, Duradek can step in to ensure the structure remains strong and not damaged by water intrusion to keep your deck safe and secure for many years to come.  Duradek believes that only professionals trained specifically in the intricate details of deck waterproofing should be installing your deck waterproofing system and Duradek undertakes extensive 3rd party testing of the performance of Duradek Vinyl membranes. With the combination of a tested product and trained professionals you can avoid some of the risks of a substandard decking system.



An Example of a collapsed deck.
image from jimfletcher.net

Take for example, the renter of a home in Smyrna, GA. Just two weeks ago, after enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends,  the deck of her home collapsed …with 8 people on it at the time! Luckily, in this case there were no life-threatening injuries; however this incident is just one of many deck collapses in the U.S. each year that reminds us of the importance of deck safety and the necessity of performing safety checks, particularly on older homes.

In November, Professional Deck Builder Magazine posted a great article from Editor Andy Engel entitled “Confessions of a Former Deck Builder”, which is a synopsis of a talk he recently gave at a conference in Atlanta. This honest and straight forward recollection of his early days building decks is a realistic account of the history of the decking industry and further highlights the need for regular deck inspections.

North America’s biggest proponent of deck safety is NADRA, the North America Deck and Railing Association. NADRA knows that deck safety is a serious issue and encourages home owners and builders alike to be aware of the safety checks that should be performed on decks and balconies. According to NADRA, there are 40 million decks in the United States that are over 20 years old, so it is crucial for homeowners to check their decks.

A deck collapsed while hosting a wedding reception.
image from ajc.com

If you are concerned about the safety of your deck or you would like to ensure your deck waterproofing keeps your home protected, contact an authorized Duradek installer who can visit you for a free estimate on your deck renovation needs.

A two-level deck waterproof protected by Duradek

Duradek provides waterproofing you can rely on. When it comes to waterproofing decks…we’ve got you covered!

Newly Renovated Hoover Pavilion Pyramid Waterproofed by Tiledek

One of the first projects of Stanford University’s $5 billion Medical Center Renewal Project and Expansion that is underway was the Hoover Pavilion, and Duradek Ultra Tiledek was very proud to be a part of such a significant undertaking.

Hoover Pavilion Open House
– Thursday, December 6th, 2012

Stanford University is inviting the public to an open house to view the newly renovated Hoover Pavilion to honor this historic structure’s place in the legacy of clinical and community care.
On Thursday, December 6th a welcome reception launches the event at 10:00 a.m., followed by a short ceremony at 10:30 a.m. and tours of the newly renovated facility between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

Hoover Pavilion Pyramidal Roof Protected by Tiledek

Originally built in 1930 as the Palo Alto Hospital, it was renamed the Hoover Pavilion in 1965 after Stanford University School of Medicine relocated to Palo Alto from  San Francisco. The restoration and reuse of the historic 1931 facade and building allows the project to honor this landmark structure’s place in the legacy of caring at Stanford. While the Hoover Pavilion site is modernized, it still maintains its historic image.



The Hoover Pavilion when it was known as the Palo Alto Hospital

The most distinguishing feature of the Pavilion is the Pyramidal Hip Roof, and this is where Duradek Ultra Tiledek has been utilized to protect the structure from the elements. Tiledek was the perfect choice for waterproof protection for this part of the roof, particularly since the design includes thin set tiles on its sloped surface. 

Lawson Roofing, who is responsible for the pyramidal hip roof as well as all of the other roofing and waterproofing aspects of the Hoover Pavilion and the new parking facility, knew they needed a product that would perform flawlessly for this very unique project. Since the pyramidal roof is sloped at such a steep angle, they had to be sure that the tiles would be able to be securely adhered to the waterproofing membrane. With the textured surface of Tiledek designed specifically to best adhere thin set tiles and its 10-year waterproofing warranty; it was the perfect product choice to protect such a historic and relevant structure.

Pyramidal Roof at the Hoover Pavilion Reconstruction

Since Duradek products are only installed by trained and authorized dealers, the crew at Lawson Roofing had to be specially trained in the details of installing Duradek Ultra Tiledek. Technical Manager, Len Viegener made the trip to San Francisco to conduct the training himself for this special, one-time only installation for the Hoover Pavilion. 

For any Duradek inquiries in the San Francisco area, contact authorized Duradek dealer Paul from Golden Gate Enterprises.  Paul is a veritable deck waterproofing specialist! He has posted over a 100 YouTube videos regarding deck waterproofing that include some very revealing information about the importance of details and the ugly truth of what happens when deck waterproofing is not performing properly.

If you are interested in learning more about how Duradek Ultra Tiledek can be the solution for your exterior tile roof deck, contact one of our authorized Duradek Dealers in your area for some detailed information specific to your project.

Duradek Offers Discount on Deck Rebuilds After Sandy

While we at Duradek cannot begin to fully appreciate the destruction that eastern U.S. residents faced with Hurricane Sandy and the amount of work required to clean up the damage left behind, we certainly would like to assist in the rebuilding process and help those who dealt with property losses get back to their quality of life.

Being in the decking business, we know that communities from coast-to-coast take great pride in their natural environments and outdoor living space. Sandy packed a far-reaching punch and hundreds of residents certainly lost their decks and balconies altogether, but even homes where the decks are still standing may have lost critical stability and made their decks unsafe for use.

Duradek Discount Offer for Hurricane Victims

Duradek, in conjunction with our local Distributor Specialty Building Systems, would like to assist these homeowners in our own small way by contributing 15% off of the cost of material for our Duradek vinyl membranes in waterproofing your new or reconstructed decks. This offer goes out to all residents in the affected regions in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Working with Specialty Building Systems, our eastern American distributor in NY, NJ and PA, homeowners in these disaster regions may request 15% off the cost of vinyl when they choose a Duradek dealer for their deck rebuilding. Duradek and Specialty Building Systems will present this offer for one year to the anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, but we will require that some proof of hurricane damage be submitted for this special discount offer (photographs or a copy of an insurance claim would suffice).

Roof Deck Waterproofed by Duradek Vinyl Membrane

It doesn’t matter if your previous deck was a Duradek deck, wood deck, a composite deck, a fiberglass deck, an EPDM roof deck or even a competitive vinyl deck…Duradek will help you waterproof your re-build!

Duradek brings the best in waterproof protection for your home.

Choosing a Duradek dealer for your deck waterproofing takes all of the guesswork out of choosing a contractor. All Duradek installers are trained and authorized, so you don’t have to worry about the skill or reliability of the people working on your home.

If your deck was affected by Sandy, you or your insurance or restoration company can contact Specialty Building Systems at 1-800-765-9865 or email sbsddek@verizon.net for peace of mind in your rebuilding.

In addition to all other building code approvals, Duradek has been tested to show our Duradek Ultra Vinyl meets the requirements and received evaluation reports for both Wind Uplift and for Pull-Off Testing for Edge Flashing.

We know that this small gesture cannot make up for the losses and the trauma that Sandy delivered, but we sincerely hope that we can do our small part in helping you take back your quality of life and enjoy your outdoor living space.