Auckland Deck Builders Gain Waterproofing Advantage with Deck Masters New Zealand, LLC and Duradek

Kia Ora! Welcome to New Zealand’s answer to how to most enjoy residential outdoor leisure space. The luxury of low-maintenance waterproof deck surfaces has made its way to the ‘land of the long white cloud’. Kiwi's can now enjoy the advantages of Duradek vinyl deck membranes thanks to the deck waterproofing professionals at Deck Masters New Zealand, LLC.

Serving Greater Auckland, Northland and Waikato, Deck Masters New Zealand specializes in residential and commercial waterproofing and maintenance solutions for new and existing buildings. With an exceptional team of skilled professionals, Deck Masters NZ is led by Terry Hugill with a goal to surpass customer expectations with both project time and product performance.

View deck with Duradek Supreme Chip Granite vinyl at Red Beach.

It is Deck Master NZ’s dedication to using only the highest quality waterproofing products that led them to Duradek™ vinyl deck membranes which have been successfully used in North America for over 40 years. Originally conceived by two outdoor enthusiasts inspired by the marine vinyl in their fishing boat (read the Duradek Story for more details), Duradek is the original vinyl decking and essentially created a niche specialty trade.

Having pioneered the vinyl decking industry, Duradek president John Ogilvie was instrumental in establishing North American building codes for the use of Duradek as a roofing membrane, making Duradek the definitive authority on “walkable roofing membranes”. Duradek is also one of the only vinyl decking products that offers an appearance warranty in addition to guaranteeing waterproof performance.

Deck with Duradek Supreme Chip
Taupe vinyl in Chatswood.

Duradek vinyl recently took the initiative in some extensive product testing above building code requirements and went head to head with competing vinyl brands in accelerated weather testing to clearly demonstrate that Duradek vinyl decking stands up to UV exposure better than any other deck vinyl.

An additional feature that makes Duradek vinyl a superior choice for a deck, balcony or roof deck waterproofing is the fact that Duradek is not available as a retail product for do-it-yourself projects. The team at Duradek knows that no matter how superior a waterproofing product is manufactured; it is the installation details and techniques that ensure the waterproofing performs as intended. This is what made Deck Masters NZ such a perfect fit to become New Zealand’s source for Duradek vinyl decking.

Duradek training session with
Miles from Deck Master New Zealand

Deck Master NZ already had an existing team of professionals skilled in deck and roof waterproofing and they invested in sending their team representative, Miles Hugill, to Duradek’s headquarters. Located in Surrey, BC (part of the Greater Vancouver Regional District in western Canada), Duradek’s home base is one of the most beautiful, but rainiest climates in North America - a fitting place to perfect waterproofing details. While visiting Duradek headquarters, Miles was busy learning the specific techniques that Duradek has mastered to ensure reliable waterproof performance, which he took back to the team at Deck Master NZ.

The waterproofing specialists at Deck Masters NZ introduced Duradek at the Auckland Home Show in September and have been busy with installations in the Greater Auckland area throughout the summer.

Deck Master NZ at the Auckland Home Show 2015.

With shorelines and rolling countryside that is the envy of the whole world, New Zealanders already enjoy the best of outdoor living - and now they can bring that to their own homes. By offering Duradek vinyl membranes to New Zealanders, Deck Masters NZ is opening up opportunity for home owners to enjoy the most leisure time on the decks, balconies, patios and porches without the need for ongoing maintenance to ensure waterproof performance remains intact.

Roof Deck in Orewa with
Duradek Okanagan Flint vinyl.

This is a great advantage to architects and designers who want incorporate roof decks or multi-level decks into their designs to take advantage of the natural surroundings and maximize additional, usable living space. With warrantied, roof-grade waterproof protection, these designs can be incorporated worry-free.

So, kick back with an L&P or favourite local brew and enjoy a life of leisure with a maintenance-free, waterproof deck from Deck Masters New Zealand!

Contact Deck Masters New Zealand, LLC for a no-obligation estimate on your decking project in Greater Auckland.
Call 09 281 5830 or inquire online.

California Roofers in Top Demand with El Nino Preparation

Moisture management is one of those things that people often do not think about until there is an issue, but that is not the case this year as west coast home owners are scrambling to prepare for what is anticipated to be the strongest El Nino on record and that could deliver historic levels of rain this winter.

If you are on the wait list for a roofing contractor or gutter installer, you are not alone. Many companies in California are reporting a backlog of weeks, sometimes months despite adding additional people to their crews and extending the work week.

While past El Ninos have doubled normal rainfall recorded in southern California, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is warning that this winter’s weather could be the strongest on record with intense rain expected between January and March of 2016.

Wild weather can
wreak havoc and
keep roofers busy.

For homeowners and property managers, this means that any past water leak issues or delayed repairs are now an immediate concern, which not addressed before the wild weather arrives could result in notable water damage and more significant, costly repairs.

Roofing demand is not limited to sloped, shingled roofs. Flat roofs, particularly flat roofs that act as decks situated over living space are of particular concern. Without proper drainage and reliable waterproofing details, these luxurious roof decks made to enjoy coastal vistas can be worrisome if water views are overshadowed by water infiltration.

Using a proven roofing product and a skilled contractor are a home owner’s best arsenal to defend a structure’s building envelope. Flat roof deck waterproofing is a specialty trade that requires the finest workmanship of roofing and decking contractors combined; as well as a product that is specifically made for that unique purpose.

That is where solutions like Duradek can be the most reliable, cost-effective solution for flat roof decks. Duradek vinyl decking provides a classified roofing membrane and pedestrian surface in one single product. While some contractors will turn to a more traditional torch-on system that would require an additional pedestrian surface for comfort and design to enjoy the pleasures of a roof deck, Duradek’s warrantied vinyl membrane and its superior waterproofing performance comes in a wide range of attractive, colors and patterns to combine the best of protection and style in a single product solution. Additionally, using an exposed waterproofing membrane like Duradek makes it exceptionally easy to inspect for any potential leaks which lets home owners perform inspections on their own without the need to hire a roofing contractor for that task.

Backed up by a 3rd party quality control program and multiple tests results, Duradek is building code approved, passes wind-uplift tests and has been ICC evaluated as meeting all requirements for:

• Section: 07 18 13 – Pedestrian Traffic Coatings
• Section: 07 54 00 – Thermoplastic Membrane Roofing
• Section: 07 54 19 – Polyvinyl Chloride Roofing

What is perhaps an even more important evaluation criterion in choosing a Duradek vinyl deck membrane for your roof deck is that Duradek is only available through authorized contractors that have been trained in the specific details unique to roof deck waterproofing.

For homeowners along the California coast that have used tile as the surface of their roof decks, Duradek has the ideal, custom-made solution for your waterproof protection. Duradek’s proven waterproofing membrane has been adapted with a textured surface specifically designed to best accept thin-set and the application of exterior tiles to create the Tiledek membrane. Duradek’s Tiledek has solved difficult and reoccurring issues from leaky tile decks for many home owners in California. Duradek dealer, Paul from Golden Gate Enterprises has created quite a collection of examples on his Golden Gate YouTube Channel where you can see first-hand, real-life examples of failed liquid coatings, failed torch-on systems and poor waterproof details that he was able to correct with Duradek and Tiledek. In this example below, Paul shows the results of a failed liquid coating waterproof system on a commercial flat roof deck.



This video shows a residential project with a failed torch-on modified bitumen waterproof system under tile, where Paul used Duradek to permanently solve ongoing leak issues, paying attention to details that ensure waterproof performance.



So if you are in the Bay Area, contact Golden Gate Enterprises for your roof deck needs. Outside of the Bay area, use Duradek’s Dealer locator to find a quality professional who can provide you with the reliable, low maintenance performance of Duradek vinyl membranes.

When it Comes to Vinyl Decking, Does Thicker Mean Better?

If you are considering the reliable, low maintenance advantages of sheet vinyl for your deck waterproofing solution, you may be presented with the idea that a thicker vinyl is better waterproof protection for your deck; but that is not necessarily accurate.

With vinyl decking, it is best to refer to building code requirements as your guideline because thicker does not mean better.

When Duradek first started waterproofing decks and balconies, the thickness of the PVC membrane used was only 20 mil, and those decks lasted for several years. Today, the requirement for a vinyl sheet membrane for waterproofing decks and balconies is more than double that at 45 mil.

Pedestrian roof decks however, have a Building Code requirement of 60 mils. That is already 25% thicker than a large commercial grade roofing requirement (48 mils thick). Anything over and above the required 60 mil thickness on decks situated over rated or habitable space does not give you any further waterproof protection. The real difference lies in the installation. In fact, a thicker vinyl can come with disadvantages.

Sheet vinyl comes in rolls, typically between 60-72 inches wide. It is rolled out the length of the deck and installed by adhesion to the deck substrate and by heat-welding the seams where the edges of vinyl meet. The seams are usually ¾” to an inch wide, and it this area of overlap for heat-welding the vinyl seams that an increase in thickness can really be a disadvantage.

Installation of Duradek vinyl deck membrane.

Even a 10% difference can be noticeable and make your deck susceptible to things like trapped, ponding water which is something to be avoided with vinyl deck surfaces. Some commercial projects prefer to use an 80 mil vinyl, which is far above building code requirements, but does not give any real added advantage. In fact, that 20 mil difference doubled up at the seam makes a 40 mil difference which is quite noticeable visually as well as by unexpected disadvantages.

Trapped water on a thick 66 mil seam.

Some consideration should be paid to the disadvantages that come with a deck vinyl that exceeds building code thickness.

• Trapped, ponded water.
• Potential tripping hazard.
• Easier to catch seam on snow shovel.
• Difficulties at installation with the fine detailing and handling.

There are actually a number of existing vinyl installations on sundecks from over 30 years ago using 24-32 mil vinyl that are still performing the waterproofing function today. Just a couple of years ago, we pulled up the vinyl from a 32 year old deck that had 32 mil Duradek on it. The plywood, after 32 years, was in perfect shape and was used again as the substrate under a new Duradek vinyl membrane.


This deck in Halifax had 32 year old Duradek vinyl.

When the old Duradek vinyl was lifted,
the plywood underneath was in great shape.

The new Duradek was able to go down over the
existing plywood.

So remember for your project, if you want the advantages of a low-maintenance deck vinyl on an elevated deck, balcony or roof deck, remember that exceeding the building code requirements above 60 mil only provides a thicker seam and no additional waterproof protection.

The reliable protection of vinyl decking is due in large part to the skilled installation techniques of your contractor, and thicker vinyl makes it more difficult to perform the critical details for water-tight protection.

Since these installation skills are so critical, Duradek is available only through one of our trained and authorized Duradek dealers. To talk to an experienced Duradek expert near you, visit our Find A Dealer page or contact us directly for a referral at duradek@duradek.com.