I built a 16×16 deck on my house, intending to use grailcoat www.grailcoat.com but the price of the grailcoat ($1400) has me reconsidering materials. b/c of the grailcoat, I built using non treated joists and regular osb subflooring.
If I were to put down hardibacker and slate, I could have a nicer looking deck for less than $1K, but would it be waterproof enough to protect the wood below?
Are there some details I could use to do this right, or is it just a bad idea? (I thought of rubber roofing, but the penetrations for the backer board would be numerous)
Thanks for your thoughts…
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Bad idea in any location that will freeze. Frost will lift and crack tiles.
Gord
Thanks Gord - it freezes here.
Treat every person you meet like you will know them the rest of your life - you just might!
I'm not a tile guy, let me say that up front. But it seems like you could lay down some kind of membrane (epdm, PVC, BUR, or another) and use mudset tile over it. Obviously, the stucture would need to be capable of holding it, and the thickness would have to work with your existing floors.
Or, could you affix the backer board with a mastic or adhesive? PL 400 or something?
I've been wondering about a solution to this question as well.Think of your deck like a big shower pan, even with slope and drains mortar and grout will probably still absorb water, freeze, expand, and pop tiles. Maybe slate flush set into a 4" slab would hold, we had a border on the concrete patio of house I grew up in done that way.I suppose you could install radiant tubing into the mud bed to keep the deck from freezing but, that would rape your budget for sure.You might ask over at johnbridge.com those guys know all about tile.
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