Best of Duradek Contest Results

In honor of our 40th year in business and in recognition of the wonderful customers that have chosen Duradek as their deck waterproofing product, we held a ‘Best of Duradek’ contest (January 17 – February 23, 2014). We invited home owners and Duradek installers to send us pictures to show-off their decks and let us know what they love about their Duradek decks.

The random draw from all entries received was held on Monday, February 24th and the lucky winner of tickets to today’s Canucks game and dinner for two was Jane Jamieson of Surrey, BC.

Jane sent us in this photo of her deck that is protected with Duradek Classic Barley with this wonderful comment:

“Here is my deck ( in winter not being used mode ) with Duradek product on the floor...I had this installed in the mid '90's and it still looks like new! I have power washed it but now use 'The Duke' to clean it and I think it does a better job than power washing. The deck always looks great and I have never had to do repairs and love the low maintenance!! Definitely would use again.”
Jane Jamieson



"The deck always looks great..." J.J.

Other entries received included this one from Cliff & Veronica MacDonald of Surrey, BC who said:

“Loving our Duradek going on 15 years. Our Duradek deck is one of the most used “rooms” in our house. Seems that we host all the summer parties, because friends know that our deck is the most welcoming! It is so easy to keep clean. Duradek works equally well for the covered section and the part that is open to the sun and rain; and it is equally effective in keeping the basement room underneath dry, as well as the outdoor storage area under it weatherproof. Thanks Duradek!"

"Our Duradek deck is one of the most used 'rooms' in our house..."

And Heather Debevc of Prince George, BC said:

"We live on a ridge overlooking the 9th hole of a golf course and a forest beyond. A breath-taking view in all seasons. The soft palette of our Duradek blends in with out surroundings making our outdoor experience truly memorable. Never needing any maintenance, always looking its best, we are proud to entertain on the deck. We can relax knowing it will provide the look, the class, the feel we want in this space. A grand outdoor room, in its 7th year, is an extension of ourselves and our home. Thank you Duradek!!"

"We are proud to entertain on the deck..." HD

Homeowners Love Their Duradek Decks

This past week, Duradek was at the BC Home & Garden Show and while we love to introduce Duradek to home owners who are unfamiliar with our low maintenance, waterproof deck surfaces…we also love hearing from the home owners who have been enjoying Duradek for years.

It is so rewarding to hear so many of you say how much you love your decks and will never use anything else but Duradek for your waterproof deck surface.

Thanks to everyone who entered our contest and to all of you who have helped to make Duradek the #1 vinyl deck membrane in North America!

If you would like to find out about how to protect your deck with Duradek, contact a dealer in your area for a free estimate.

Successful Additions with Specialty Decking Contractors

When home owners wish for an addition to their home the difference between a dream-come-true and a nightmare lies in the hands of the general contractor and the speciality tradesmen that are called upon.
In the case of this sun-room addition in Bethesda, MD that was featured in Professional Remodeler this couldn't be truer!

From Professional Remodeler Online

The home owner had a desire to connect his indoor and outdoor living space harmoniously with the existing features of the home and the property’s. He also wanted to add some significant features like a screened-in porch that would provide a large, enclosed space and allow an abundance of natural sunlight.

The contractor on the project (Smiley Renovations) suggested a sun-room with a 9 ft. bi-fold door, built-in screen system and numerous windows. While the screened in porch was still proposed as the client wished, the client eventually agreed that a sun-room would provide the space, natural sunlight and flow from indoor living to outdoor living that he desired. The addition of the sun-room would also allow for a roof top deck that could be accessed from the home’s master suite which was a renovated attic.

Early in the design phase the client expressed concern regarding the outdoor living area above the sun-room. He wanted it to emulate a patio and reflect the exterior finishes used in his landscaping as opposed to looking like a flat metal roof with chairs on top.

The contractor considered several options for a roof top patio, but found standard roofing products lacked the integrity to withstand foot traffic. He also reasoned that building a separate deck over top of the roof would be a waste of money because it would have to be removed whenever replacement or repairs were required. After careful consideration, the contractor chose to use a Duradek vinyl membrane that is a roofing membrane designed for foot traffic.

Smiley Renovations very wisely called on Duradek dealer John Lynch from Lynch Contracting who has been installing Duradek since 1994. John was the perfect speciality tradesman to call for two very important reasons.

1 – Because he works with Duradek, a vinyl membrane product that has successfully performed over a 40-year history, and
2 – Like all Duradek installers, John is skilled in the intricate details of PVC waterproofing and the importance of doing it right the first time for guaranteed waterproof protection…especially when it is on a deck over living space.

John Lynch of Lynch Contracting
A Duradek specialist in Maryland.

While Duradek is available in over 20 stylish colors and patterns, the look would not meet the client’s expectation for the roof deck to have the same look as the rest of his outdoor space, so stone pavers were installed on adjustable pedestals providing the finished look he wanted with the waterproofing integrity that he needed. With water routing to the gutter systems and layered PVC trim, the team could be confident in watertight integrity for the home with this beautiful sun-room / roof deck addition.

While in this project, the contractor chose to use the Duradek membrane designed for pedestrian traffic, Duradek has developed two additional membrane products for waterproofing under protected systems:

1 – Tiledek, a roofing membrane designed specifically for use under exterior tile. Its cloth textured surface provides an excellent bond for thinset mortar.
2 – Plazadek, a roofing membrane designed specifically for use under pavers or other floating systems. It has the same dependable waterproof protection as the traditional Duradek membrane, but without the designer colors and textured surface for slip resistance. It is the perfect product for this type of project.

To see details of this project, the addition of the roof deck and a myriad of other renovation challenges and impressive results, view the project spotlight on Professional Remodeler.

If you've got a similar project and would like to discuss your waterproofing options, contact a Duradek installer in your area for professional waterproofing advice.

Look for Duradek at the BC Home & Garden Show

The 2014 BC Home & Garden Show kicks off today at BC Place stadium for 5 days packed full of inspiration for making the most of your favourite personal spaces. Running from February 19th - 23, 2014, this anticipated event for west coasters brings brilliant ideas and solutions for home and garden renovation and remodeling plans.

Outdoor Living

With spring just around the corner, the BC Home & Garden Show is the perfect place to plan for getting the most from your outdoor living space. Duradek is celebrating our 40th year in business this year and we know without a doubt how well our products perform. When it comes to waterproof security, you definitely don't want to take chances.

Duradek's roof grade waterproof membrane and walking surface in one is the best low maintenance option for making sure your outdoor living space is attractive AND protected...all without the need for regular maintenance. After all, your decks, balconies and patios are something you want to enjoy for relaxation; and that special time is too precious to waste with annual sanding, staining and sealing.

Be sure to stop by one of Duradek's booths (#1741 & #1762) to see the latest Duradek colours and our fantastic railing options for your ideal low maintenance deck.

Duradek's latest colour...Cork Graphite

Celebrity Guests at the BC Home & Garden Show

A highlight for many during the Home & Garden show is the appearance of celebrity guests on the Main Stage like Gemini award winning HGTV host, Bryan Baeumler. This time, Bryan is appearing at the show along with his beautiful wife, Sarah Baeumler who helps to run the various Baeumler family businesses and charitable organizations.

Also appearing are two members of the Holmes' family - Mike Holmes' children, Mike Holmes Jr. and Sherry Holmes. The Holmes siblings have carpentry in their blood and it is both a nature and nurture expertise with these two as they have been permanent members of the 'Make it Right' crew and bring a new generation of ideas into the Holmes building empire.

Get Inspired at the BC Home & Garden Show

There is no shortage of inspiration to be found at the BC Home & Garden Show! There are at least a half a dozen design professionals offering tips and advice on creating the right look and functionality for your home. Whether you want something completely unique or achieve the best of the latest trends, these design professional are sure to bring you some great ideas and insights. And if that's not inspiring enough, you can get some inspiration from a local Vancouver hero, BC Lions football great Paul McCallum. Paul is one of the most decorated players in CFL history with an impressive list of accomplishments and awards in his 20 year career that includes 2 Grey Cup championships.

Say Hello at the BC Home & Garden Show

Be sure to stop by Duradek's booth #1762 on the floor perimeter and say hello when you are at the show. Even if you already have Duradek on your deck, we love hearing from our customers and how much they are enjoying their decks.

Plus, if you already have a Duradek deck, you can enter our Best of Duradek contest to win a night out from Duradek including dinner and tickets to a Canucks game. We hope to see you at there!

You can also look for Duradek at any of the other Home & Garden Shows taking place this spring to help you create the ideal low-maintenance outdoor living space!

Find Duradek at Buildex 2014 in Vancouver this Week

Duradek is excited to participate in Buildex Vancouver 2014, one of the largest trade shows in Western Canada for Design, Construction and Real Estate Management professionals, taking place at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre West on February 19th and 20th, 2014.

With about 13,000 attendees, 600 exhibitors and over 50 educational seminars, Buildex keeps you up to date on the latest in construction and design trends, and how it affects your place in the building industry.

Duradek, the suppliers of the original waterproof roofing membrane believe in being on the top of your game, no matter what your specialty may be. That is what makes the Buildex Vancouver 2014 Show such an valuable opportunity. Offering the latest and greatest products and information for 3 distinct professional markets, Buildex covers the most relevant topics for Real Estate Design, Building and Management professionals.

Duradek is a proud participating exhibitor and is excited to introduce you to our latest selection of PVC Waterproof membranes such as our 'Cork' line which now includes 4 colour options - Natural, Espresso, Macchiato, and our latest addition - Graphite. This popular line provides a stylish outdoor design scheme while providing the superior level of waterproof protection you've come to trust from Duradek.

While 2014 marks the 25th year for Buildex, it is a landmark 40 years in business for Duradek and we couldn't be prouder to have pioneered this method of waterproofing. Produced by the same manufacturer over our 40 year history and having gone through several warranty cycles we are very confident in our product and that it can provide the level of waterproof protection you need whether for a single family residence or a large multi-family development.

Duradek would like to invite you to come visit us at booth #307 and take advantage of talking with our technical expert Len Viegener about outdoor waterproofing projects and what makes Duradek the leader in waterproof roofing membranes.

If you can't make it down to Buildex, you can always contact a Duradek dealer in your area for more information.    

Still Time to Enter ' Best of Duradek' Contest

You have until February 23rd to enter our 'Best of Duradek' contest and all it takes to enter is for you to email in a photo of your deck (details below).

Duradek™, the original vinyl deck waterproofing membrane is celebrating 40 years in business and this contest is just one small way of thanking everyone in our home-base region that chose Duradek as their decking product of choice.

The “Best of Duradek" contest is your chance to show off your deck to win a night out including dinner and a pair of tickets to the February 26th Canucks game in Vancouver.



An entry from Victoria, BC.

Contest deadline is just around the corner, but you've still got time to enter. Your deck doesn't have to be new...in fact we'd love to see some entries from people who have been enjoying their low maintenance Duradek for years.

Duradek has been around for 4 decades...and there are some decks protected with Duradek that have been around nearly as long! Whether you have brand new Duradek vinyl on the roof deck above the garage, or 20-year old Duradek on balcony...anybody with a Duradek vinyl deck can enter.

All you need to enter is a photo of your deck that is protected with Duradek vinyl and a brief statement of why you love your Duradek deck.

Prize to be Awarded for Your Night Out from Duradek

Pair of tickets to see the Vancouver Canucks vs. St. Lois Blues at Rogers Arena on February 26th, 2014 (plus parking pass!) and $100 Gift Certificate for dinner at Moxie’s at 180 West Georgia Street. (Total prize value is approx. $275.00).

To Enter

• Provide your full name, email address, telephone number and city.
• Submit a .jpg image of your deck (please send a medium to high resolution image). * your deck vinyl must be protected with Duradek vinyl to be considered for the contest. * By submitting your picture you are giving Duradek full permission to use your image in our marketing programs.
• Provide a brief statement about your deck, when your Duradek was installed and why you love it. (For example: “the last 15 years we have not had to waterproof our deck”; “it was so great to be able to be completely installed and ready for use in the same day”; “it’s so easy to clean after our kids’ birthday parties”; “we love having a dry, covered patio below our Duradek deck so we can enjoy outdoor time in any weather”; etc.)

Submit via email by 6:00 p.m. PST on February 23rd, 2014 to duradek@duradek.com with “Best of Duradek Contest Entry” in the subject line.

Winner will be announced and notified on February 24th, 2014.

Duradek has grown from pioneering product to leading brand in the competitive niche market of deck waterproofing with over 125 million square feet of Duradek installed all over North America over the past 4 decades.

This kind of history shows us without a doubt how well our waterproofing system performs. We have seen decks pass from generation to generation, home owner to home owner, and still be as reliably waterproofing as when it was first installed. We look forward to hearing your Duradek story!

With so many years of helping you to enjoy residential outdoor living space, we are sure there has been plenty of enjoyable time spent on your deck since you haven’t had to spend any time maintaining it.

So whether you are a builder who has used Duradek on your decking projects or you are a home owner that enjoys the benefits of Duradek’s low maintenance waterproof protection, show off your Duradek to win Canucks Tickets!

Duradek Winter Deck Care Reminders

While we are inching our way through winter, many regions have had heavier than normal snowfall this year and dreams of barbecues on the deck still seem so far away. But dealing with the maintenance required to survive snow this winter is not as difficult as you might think on your Duradek vinyl deck.

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 throughout the year and winter is no exception.

Duradek vinyl allows for easy and worry-free winter deck care. PLUS - if your Duradek vinyl is on a second level deck....you've got a protected, dry area underneath and can still enjoy a little outdoor living space when the snow has covered everything else.

Even with a heavy snow, Duradek keeps the
lower decks clear for use.

Duradek vinyl is strong and you can use a variety of snow and ice melting solutions on it without concern.

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

That being said, I'd like to take this moment to stress that if you choose to use kitty litter for non-slip traction, be sure to use the old-fashioned traditional kitty litter that is coarse and non-clumping. If you mistakenly use the fine-sand clumping cat litter, you will wind up with a heavy, muddy mess to clean up.

Get the Most Longevity in Your Deck’s Appearance

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 spring and summer sunshine returns.

• While the chemicals from de-icers do not damage the vinyl surface when applied, if a chemical film is left on the surface, direct sun can bake those 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 remaining winter months and look forward to the return of the warm weather to get back to really 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.

The Building Industry Gathers in Las Vegas for IBS

One of the most anticipated events of the year for the building industry is about to kick off in Las Vegas. The NAHB International Builders Show (IBS) starts tomorrow (February 4th, 2014) and if you are a building industry professional this is one event you won't want to miss. IBS is the largest annual light construction show in the world and now is even bigger as it co-locates with the Kitchen & Bath industry show.

This trade event takes takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center February 4 - 6th, 2014 and offers a huge variety of exhibitors and education opportunities. We hope you got a chance to pre-register at advance rate discounted prices, but even if you have to pay on-site admission rates it is still a very worthwhile visit. Duradek invites you to come by to visit us at booth #S1919 to discuss your deck building challenges and waterproofing needs, or if you have a desire for a business opportunity to expand on your services and product offerings, Duradek is looking for you!

Expected to attract over 75,000 builders, remodelers, developers, architects and other industry professionals from over 100 countries, The International Builders Show will house over 1,500 exhibitors to demonstrate the latest product innovations and building solutions for virtually all of your construction needs.

In addition to co-locating with the Kitchen & Bath show, this year’s IBS offers a few more changes as well, specifically within their Education Programs. The 2014 education enhancements focus both on content and delivery with new session formats, technology upgrades, a variety of interactive architectural and design plan reviews and more hands-on demonstrations both on and off the show floor.

The Building Knowledge Sessions have been revamped for 2014 with approximately 100 sessions available being reduced from 90 minutes to 60 minutes to allow for a more focused, in-depth discussion.

For example, Building Knowledge Session – Utilizing More Trade Contractors is a great stop for remodelers and small volume builders who have to balance the cost and value of maintaining a dedicated staff versus utilizing trade contractors. In some cases it may make much more sense to develop loyalty with trade contractors, particularly in specialty trades like deck waterproofing. If you are a small volume builder or remodeler, developing a relationship with your local Duradek contractor who has been specially trained and have access to Duradek’s impressive technical support and proven techniques can be a huge asset to your business when your projects require decking expertise!

Additional education programs include Spotlight Sessions where experts discuss emerging trends and expanded Master Sessions to cover even more important topics in building.

Some IBS Highlights

While the exhibit hall and the education sessions will pack your mind with insight and ideas, IBS is not just about education. There are a variety of networking and social events to help you balance out the show with a little fun.

• IBS Opening Ceremonies (Tuesday, Feb. 4th, 8:00 – 9:15 a.m.) - 4-star general and former leader of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), General Stan McChrystal headlines the opening ceremonies and few others can speak with such authority on leadership and teamwork. Additional inspiration comes from the performances of Cirque Fantastic with awe-inspiring and breathtaking feats with their distinctive, elegant acrobatics well suited for a Las Vegas stage. Limited seating – first come-first served.
• The Official IBS House Party (Tuesday, Feb. 4th, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.) – a laid back way to kick off the show the right way with great music and food at the Hard Rock Café on the strip. Tickets Required.
• IBS Spike Concert (Thursday, Feb. 6th, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.) – 4 time Grammy winner Pat Benatar performs with Neil Giraldo at the South Hall S4. Tickets Required.
• Young Professionals After Hours Party (Wednesday, Feb. 5th, 8:30 – 10:30 p.m.) – For the under 40 crowd, a networking social event with live band, open bar and hors d’oeuvres. Tickets Required.

Remember, Duradek is at booth S1919 where we will be showcasing the latest designs in our proven system of waterproof vinyl deck membranes and our innovative railing solutions by Durarail.

Come speak to sales manager Kevin MacMillan if you would like to inquire about our Distributor or Dealer Opportunities.