Crowded Field of ICC Approved Fire Resistant Deck Coatings Becomes More Crowded

Browsing through the ICC list of tested and approved deck coatings, the addition of Londeck Fire Retardant Roof and Walking Deck as an approved product caught my eye...
so I looked it up and found a Japanese company, Lonseal Inc. with a vinyl type coating that utilizes cement underlayment to help it achieve fire resistance.
I've requested literature and samples from their US based division in Carson CA.
We'll report more on the product once we receive their samples and booklet.
In the meantime, take a look at the ICC reports on file at ICC's website by clicking our headline above...
Or click here to go to Lonseal's website

CENTEX Announces sale of lots in Atascadero, next door at Southside Villas, the project is at a dead halt

So the Tribune had an article in Sunday's paper that CENTEX, a publicly traded national homebuilder has sold their remaining unfinished lots at Dove Creek in Atascadero to another developer.

At least that's a better thing than closing down the project like so many others have done...next door at Southside Villas, a condo project that started several years ago, is dead in the water. Stopping by on Sunday, there are 2 finished buildings, and one unfinished 3rd building partially dried in, yet not dried in. Roof tiles started to get put down over the roofing paper which was left out in the sun for what seemed way to long...the decks and stairs are dried in with Desert Crete (I know because I sold the job through a previous employer, who still has the contract), the walls are covered in buiding paper that went on black and has now faded out to a light gray from UV.
Right next door to Dove Creek is Southside Villas and here is the all to familiar conundrum when it eventually starts back up...the underlayment weatherproofing that has no UV resistance to speak of is damaged now by UV. Will the paper and sheathing be torn off where damaged by weather? Or will a sub contractor simply go right over it? While the decks look ok for now, damage could happen due to contiguous building materials being damaged and water getting into the substrate beneath.
If the developer isn't careful, they could find themselves in trouble too.
Remember the 80's? That's when a lot of condo's and homes that were built had problems in construction, we had a big downturn then...and what do we have right now?
All I can say is that it won't be bad for my business...

Elite Crete Los Angeles Division offers Training Classes on their Product Line

Just opened my email this morning to find an invite to Elite Crete LA's intensive 2 day training class being held on Saturday and Sunday, April 26th and 27th.
Click the headline to go to their seminar info pdf. It looks like a great training seminar, covering decorative finishes, including acid staining, thin overlay stamping, epoxy and more!
If you are a concrete or deck contractor, this may be a big help to your bottom line in expanding your business to include decorative overlays and flooring. It's $250 to attend, but what you'll get from it and with the offer of free estimating software (a $300 value right there), it's a great deal!
Contact Michael Wagner at 310-612-2502 or by email at wagner@elitecretela.com (copy and paste if not highlighted)
I do have one criticism though, in the sample sales lead generator letter that was included in my email, the contractor hopefully isn't from California, as the payment terms outlined in the sales letter violates California law in that contractors can only take a deposit of 10% of the value of the job as a down payment, not the 50% as described in the letter. It also seems that the contractor is offering to finance the other 50% until the house sells...who would want to crimp their cash flow with those terms?

Life Paint Updates It's Website and Life Deck Line of Deck Coating Packaging

I was at Miners Ace Hardware in Atascadero CA on Saturday browsing the paint department and I noticed new labels on the Life Deck products that they carry. Curious, I checked out the new labels and logo (very nice looking BTW)
and then bought a gallon of cement modifier and a bag of white texture to experiment with.
This morning I went to Life Paints website to look at something and lo and behold, a new website has been launched to go along with their new packaging! It's better than the old site and gives you a list of places where you can buy Life paint products, including their lines of paints and coatings.
Check it out and see for yourself.

A Review of JLC Live's Conference Programs and Building Clinic's

So I got my copy of the schedule of events at JLC Live Long Beach next month. There's a whole host of great clinics and seminars, including of course with all due modesty, my program...but seriously, there are some great things to see and do here. I've decided after looking through my brochure, I'm staying for 3 days minimum to soak in all I can...
For me, I'm interested in seeing Michael Byrne's clinic on waterproofing a Tile Shower, and then I want to attend Waterproof Windows and Doors (I'm interested in the doors more than windows) by Mike Sloggat. I'd also recommend for many of you to attend the Managing Moisture at the Exterior by Andy Engel. Remember, decks and buildings all must be weatherboard built!.

The all day 8-3 sessions have some intense subjects that are very releveant-Automating Your Office With Quick Books and Project management is on Tuesday, on Wednesday the toss up for me is between Managing The Business End of Your Construction Business by Leslie Shiner, or Accurate Estimating and Job Costing by Dennis Dixon.
Then there's the conference sessions like mine, a shorter 1 1/2 to 2 hour event that crams in more with less detailed infor on the bigger subject...can't cover everything in 2 hours, but-Essential Contract Elements is a good one for every contractor great and small, Dealing With Difficult Clients is another and the best one for all of us is Understanding The New Building Code in Ca, including q & a with actual live building officials!

Make sure to save time at 430 pm on Thursday to attend the best ever seminar (sic) my Art of Waterproofing Decks! Forgo the Welcome Party starting at 5 to learn about waterproofing, who needs beer when a subject this interesting comes along?

Friday features a quickbooks short course and then I'll be heading back home to SLO town.
Sign up today for full day courses, it's by reservation.

Deck Drains-Deck Expert Recommends Thunderbird Products

In my many inspections of decks throughout the years as an estimator, I have seen many failed methods that were used in an attempt to install a drain through the floor of a deck coating. I often see drains that came from Home Depot type stores, and also see professional type drains that came from a plumbing supply house.
The drains you buy at these places are not manufactured with deck coatings terminating into them as part of their function. Because of that one flaw, the decks are doomed to fail. The picture above shows a plastic drain system with overflow. The deck guy had the right idea but executed the job with the wrong drain. The plastic deteriorated over the years, the flange is flexible and stepping on it probably damaged it too. As a result, water leaked by the flange and into the ceiling below. We removed that drain and installed copper drains with overflows on them.

The only drain systems I use are from Thunderbird Products, Inc. of El Cajon, CA. They have specific drains for decks and roofs, including tile deck systems, that allow the proper termination of the drain with the deck coating/waterproofing materials. Click the link above to see their online catalog of drains and scuppers or call them at 800-658-2473 to place your order. Tell them Bill Leys sent you their way!