DeckExpert.com & Division 7 Pedestrian Traffic Coatings Featured in Better Homes & Gardens Web Article

I am pleased to announce that DeckExpert.com, along several with Div 7 Pedestrian Traffic Coatings manufacturer's were part of a Better Homes & Gardens online article on the BH&G website recently. 

I am actively seeking every opportunity I can find to promote Div 7 Pedestrian Traffic Coatings manufacturer's in print media and video. This latest article, written by Berit Thorkelson, titled "Newest No Maintenance (or Low-Maintenance) Deck and Patio Materials" features various new products and decking for homeowners to consider when building or remodeling a deck. 

Products like Solar Stone, Rail Simple Railings and more are featured along with waterproof deck coatings from Div 7. 

I gave the author quite a bit of info and listed every manufacturer of our products. Luck smiled on Dex-O-Tex, Pli-Dek and Westcoat for also garnering a mention in the few lines of print we got. 

Check out the article and see what new products are now available-don't forget to "Like" the article, Plus 1 it on Google and/or Tweet it out to your followers! 

New Article "Building Waterproof Roof Decks" in Professional Deck Builder Magazine

July/August 2014 PDB

Professional Deck Builder July/August 2014 magazine issue is out with a story by Bill Leys on best practices to building and waterproofing decks. 

Building Waterproof Roof Decks is a 6 page article that discusses the best practices builders should utilize in building construction when the deck is being framed and built. Click the link to download your free copy courtesy of Deck Builder magazine.  

The article is an offshoot of our seminar we present to builders and architects on building and waterproofing decks. I've presented this seminar at JLC LIVE in Portland in 2013, Providence in 2014 and I'll be back again presenting in Portland in December 2014.

 

See the details of my seminars at this years event here https://nw.jlclive.com/Attendee/Conference/SpeakerDetails?id=135995

Bill Leys Presents Seminar at JLC Live in Providence RI

The room filling up before the start. 

Our seminar is scheduled and ready to start!

Over 30 east coast contractors from New Jersey, Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts New Hampshire and New York filled the room at the Rhode Island Convention Center on Thursday March 20 to hear me present a 3 hour seminar on Best Construction Practices in Building and Waterproofing Decks.

Attendees learned about the various Division Seven Pedestrian Traffic Coatings available, their differences, pro's and con's and how to select the proper system for the job at hand.

The Powerpoint based seminar also reviewed construction methods for building a decks framing and substrates for tile and pedestrian coatings.

Several editors from Hanley Wood's JLC magazine also sat in on the presentation.

The presentation at JLC coincided nicely with the publication of the new issue of JLC, which featured our new article on deck drains and scuppers.

I received a nice round of applause  at the end of the session. I thank the attendees and JLC Live staff, especially Julie Clifford and Olivia Espinosa for having me at JLC in Providence! I hope to see you at JLC in Portland again next year.

Contact us for scheduling a seminar on building and waterproofing decks. Custom seminars based on the audience-architects, builders, homeowner association managers and more are available. Call Bill at 805-801-2380

Nevada Coating Systems Granite Deck-Client Says It Burns...

A local competitor in San Luis Obispo puts down Nevada Coating Systems Granite Deck . The manufacturer claims it can be put down on decks, which you could if you didn't know better...

One of my clients had received a bid from Deck Tech, Inc of Grover Beach. They specified "Granite Deck" (oooooh, it sounds like tough stuff doesn't it?) to install for the client.

The client was almost sold that day, but did call Central Coast Waterproofing for a bid. We came and looked ta the job, discussed the products and showed the client our ICC report for Desert Crete. 

We left a sample of the Desert Crete so they could compare it to the NCS Granite Deck...I told the client that Granite Deck has no testing or evaluation to certify it's use a as a deck coating, only manufacturer claims...

The client is a smart guy, he did some research,  investigating my claims and  I got an email back from him, he did his own "testing" of the NCS Granite Deck and Desert Crete...here are the clients own results.

"I tried to reach the fire department about fire-proof ratings, etc, but was unable to get through.  So, I tried lighting the sample you gave me and also the sample from decktech:  the decktech material catches on fire after exposure to a flame from a cigarette lighter; your material does not.  This is a very important consideration for us."

If  having deck coating materials that don't catch on fire is important to you, please call Central Coast Waterproofing today at 805-545-8300.

Desert Crete/Magnesite Decking Systems ICC-ES Report Has Been Renewed

Hill Brothers Chemical Company manufacturer's Desert Crete and Magnesite, two walking deck coatings in Division 7 of CSI. Their deck systems are among the best in the industry, with a Class A and One Hour Fire Resistant assemblies.

ICC-ES is one of the leading authorities on building products, they evaluate the testing that manufacturer's have done to show that their product is safe and meets the requirements for building codes. Many municipalities have adopted the International Building Code, the International Residence Code or both.

Desert Crete and Magnesite's ICC ES report was recently re-issued as of February 1, 2010. Click to read the report here.

I like Desert Crete a lot, it's what I put down for almost every job I do.

Did Desert Crete Decking Help Foil Arsonist In Monterey Firebombing?

Several years ago one of my clients had me install Desert Crete on one of his properties. (Desert Crete is the only decking system he uses, because of it's resistance to damage and easy care for his apt communities.
In October 0f 2009, someone came onto the property and at several locations threw Molotov cocktails onto the building, in an apparent attempt to harm someone...

25 Displaced After "Suspicious" Apartment Fire in Monterey

Posted: Sep 30, 2009 4:38 AM PDT Updated: Sep 30, 2009 9:03 PM PDT

MONTEREY, Calif -Early Wednesday morning the Monterey Fire Department responded to an apartment complex fire at 2000 David Avenue in Monterey.
Four apartment units were severely damaged, three cars were destroyed and 20 to 30 people have been displaced. The American Red Cross is helping the residents and a temporary shelter has been set up at Hilltop Community Center in Monterey.
The fire department says that the fire started around 3:30a.m.  It was contained in about 30 minutes but crews remained on scene hours after the fire was contained.
No injuries have been reported.
6 engines, 2 trucks, and 30 firefighters were on scene to fight the fire.
The origin of the fire is considered "suspicious" and it is under investigation by the Monterey Police and the Monterey Fire Departments.

We had put Desert Crete decking on a deck over a garage, and on the walkways on the 2nd floor.  I remember talking with the owner about the construction methods necessary to achieve Class A/One Hour fire resistant constrution, as walkways and stairs must be fire resistant constructed materials. The deck and walkways were covered in plywood and then we installed Desert Crete in the methods described in the ICC-ES report #1661.

So that's that then right? Well my client called me up to ask about fixing up some fire damaged decks. I took a ride up to Monterey to walk the job with him. This is what I observed...

                                           Joists under walkway at 2nd floor

                                 Garage joists and plywood severely fire damaged. 

                                  This pic was taken on the deck over the garage.
                                 The fire ran up into the wall, damaging the 1st floor
                                 apt, then continued up into the 2nd floor apt.

                                    I have not seen the walkway yet. I fully expect to see

                                     damaged Desert Crete. The roof of the garage is 

                                    covered in plywood, as the fire dept chopped holes in it to

                                   fight the flames. 

                             Paint melted on the stucco wall under the walkway.
                                                  LETS SEE THE WALKWAYS!

                                This walkway is directly above the garage deck.
                             There is no sign of fire damage to the decking at all!

                                   Second area of walkway where fire below
                                 damaged joists and plywood. No fire damage evident
                                   at all. 

Did the Desert Crete decking system stop this fire before lives were lost? I can't say and neither can anyone else. But you decide what is best for your building; a Class A and One Hour ICC-ES rated system or some crap from the cheapest bidder you can get? It's just your liability at risk...

CENTRAL COAST WATERPROOFING Teams With All Seasons Restoration to Apply Desert Crete at Carpenteria HOA

Central Coast Waterproofing has signed a contract with All-Seasons Restoration of Oxnard to provide and install Desert Crete decking to decks at an HOA in Carpenteria.

"ASR recognizes the superior durability and quality that Desert Crete offers; and appreciates that Central Coast Waterproofing is a team player and a superior contractor,

dedicated to proper installation, support and warranties of the product." said Bill Leys, owner of Central Coast Waterproofing.

The HOA in Carpenteria is an older complex with deteriorating decks that recognized they needed to be repaired and waterproofed with a high quality product. Located off the 101, the second floor entry decks are apx 100 square feet each, and are the only entry into the second floors. The fast drying Desert Crete materials allow resident access at the end of each day, and save money by not forcing residents relocations while the work progresses.

For your HOA decking needs, consider Desert Crete, the superior alternative to other decking systems. Call Bill Leys for your free estimate at 805-801-2380.

Desert Brand Announces Price increases, Becomes Latest To Do So...

Becoming the latest manufacturer to join the club of those who already have done so...Hill Brothers Chemical Company announced their Desert Brand Decking & Flooring division will raise material prices effective October 1st.

Approved applicators in the Bay Area will pay a little more than Los Angeles based applicators, reflecting the extra cost of shipping the materials 400 miles further north.

Hill Brothers is a chemical giant, manufacturing and reselling a variety of chemicals used in agriculture, water treatment and other industries.

Desert Brand, their flooring and decking Division, manufactures Magnesite and Desert Crete/Desert Flex for use on walkways, stairs, decks and roof decks.

Click our headline to visit Desert Brand's website.

Roof Deck Rehab in Morro Bay

West Coast Waterproofing (805-331-0700) recently completed the replacement of a 1000 square foot roof deck in Morro Bay.

The house was built apx 12 years ago, using a Dex-O-Tex slip sheet system installed by a local contractor. The deck installation wasn't done correctly from the start, the owner had problems with the job from the get go, and Crossfield had to inspect the job and make recommendations to repair problems left from the original install. Sloping issues, venting the slip sheet and ponding water all contributed to the early demise of the decking system, leaving the owner with little choice but to repalce it way sooner than should have been necessary.

In looking at jobs, one thing I always ask about is what the intended use is going to be. One of the uses for this deck was that a hot tub would be placed on the membrane. That information should have been enough for the installer to realize that Dex-O-Tex Weatherwear's system probably wasn't a suitable choice for this install, as the slip sheet must be able to "move and slip" over the substrate. Since a heavy hot tub was going on, this would restrict the movement.

We recommended tearing off the existing membrane, reusing the flashings if possible.
After stripping it off, we found only a couple of rusted areas of flashings, replaced those and then installed a Desert Crete decking system over the plywood deck.

The new deck looks great, the owner is very happy and we're confident knowing that the home will be well protected for years to come.

West Coast and I would be happy to quote you on your next job. If your interested in our high quality work standards, using high quality waterproofing materials from reputable manufacturer's with 80+ years of manufacturing experience, you should call me.

Price or quality? You can't get quality and a low price, you can only achieve quality when the applicator has the time needed to do his job correctly. Details count in waterproofing and when price counts more over quality, quality suffers, and so will you and your client.

Builders and contractors with high standards who value quality over price should call; those who value price over quality should not disturb us and instead call our competitors who need work and will price your job for speed, not quality.