Replies

1. 
   mike_maines | Mar 26, 2008 07:06pm | #1

   More info please--

   This is exterior?

   You can see the edge of the plywood?

   Is there a waterproofing membrane under the tiles or are they adhered directly to the plywood?

   This doesn't sound good so far....

1. 
   dale2old | Mar 26, 2008 11:53pm | #2

   this is an exterior deck or shall we say covered porch. an anti-fracture membranewas put down over the exterior grade plywood. the only thing that was neglected were the ply edges. In hindsight, I suppose they should have been tiled as well. Is it too late now? there is a minimal amount of de-lam happening on the edges.

1. 
   mike_maines | Mar 27, 2008 01:03am | #3

   Exterior grade plywood like CDX, or like pressure treated plywood?

1. 
   Piffin | Mar 27, 2008 01:08am | #4

   I can't help but think if they missed something this basic, there is a lot more wrong here, like flashing and blocking, drainage plane? as well as type of plywood. No easy answers on this one.
    

    

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1. 
   mike_maines | Mar 27, 2008 04:26am | #5

   I know, just trying to pull more information out of him to get an idea how bad this really is....

2. 
   dale2old | Mar 27, 2008 05:22am | #6

   As far as I know, it wasnot pressure treated plywood. I'm not familiar with the term CDX, but I assume it was plain old exterior grade 3/4 inch ply. No flashing exists.

1. 
   mike_maines | Mar 27, 2008 01:57pm | #7

   CDX is standard "exterior grade" plywood, meaning it's primarily used for sheathing houses (at least it was before the advent of osb).  It's not meant to be exposed to the weather for anything more than a short period of time.  It's not looking good for your deck/porch/patio.

2. 
   Danno | Mar 27, 2008 02:14pm | #8

   I agree with the others who said you have a problem; it wasn't done right, but since you already expected that to be the case and are probably wanting solutions, you might try sealing it with either diluted epoxy glue that you could brush on and let be absorbed by the wood, or you could use the wood strengthener intended to be brushed onto rotting wood (made by Minwax or Abatron--I've used the Minwax; brush it on liberally with an old brush until the wood develops a shean, will probably take a lot though!). Then I would try to use some detail, like outside corner tile or something that will shed water and glue that to the edges. Better than nothing, though I don't offer any guarantees of how long this will keep the plywood from delaminating.

1. 
   dale2old | Mar 28, 2008 02:07am | #9

   Thanks,Danno.I'll seek out one of the sealants you recommend and then apply a tile edge,which is what should have been done in the first place.I appreciate the help that you and Mike have been and am also glad to have this forum to go to as a resource.

3. 
   DanH | Apr 07, 2008 08:43pm | #10

   Yeah, sealing the edge with just about anything will help. Could be plain old exterior varnish, thin epoxy, or a bead of exterior caulk.

   What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite. --Bertrand Russell