Vinyl Decking - Flooring Membrane Over Living Spaces
Vinyl decking is one of the easiest and most reliable products with which to build a rooftop deck or any other deck for that matter.
It's a heavy guage vinyl decking flooring membrane approved for use over living spaces. 60 mil products have been approved by the building codes in the US and Canada. Anything less, can only be used for decks not over living spaces.
Essentially the material is a thick durable plastic material with a decorative or textured top surface that comes in rolls 5' or 6' wide.
It is adhered to a deck surface using either standard latex flooring cement or contact cement.
Surface Preparation
It is important to sand or grind down the joints between the sheating and ensure that no screws or nails are above the surface. Then you must apply a cement flooring leveler.
Just add water to the mix, keep it runny and smear it over the sanded areas at the joints to ensure a smooth surface. It should harden within 8 hours.
Vinyl Decking Installation and Welding
Each course of vinyl decking material is overlapped by 1/2" in line with the slope just like roof shingles. The laps are heat welded together to form a complete unitary seal.
You need to use an industrial type heat gun with a narrow air outlet attachment at fairly high temperature setting and also a small roller to quickly and neatly push the melted vinyl together to form a durable waterproof seal.
I say this with caution. It takes some practise before you get a feel for the exact temperature setting and the precise rolling method or I guarantee that you will create a melted mess that will leak.
See how I do it on this video installation.
So you should practise on scrap vinyl before you embark on this process. But once you learn the technique it's not that hard.
A 60 mil vinyl decking flooring membrane makes a very attractive and low maintenance roof top deck. I personally like them. And they are much less expensive and easier to install than built-up or torch-on roofs. Although roofing contractors may disagree. And ultimately a commercial grade roofing job will last longer.
But vinyl decking is perfect for roof top decks and balconies that partially or entirely cover living spaces.
Here are some vinyl decking materials manufacturers: