Aluminum decking

[ning]

[I was going to reply to this thread but decided not to hijack... ]

I've been considering aluminum decking to replace ours.

Our deck currently is about 3" of exposed aggregate over what should've been a layer of bituthene, and thus theoretically watertight, because part of the deck is over an enclosed area (and another part is over a hot tub area and thus the deck needed not to drip through there either). The reality is that it's leaked here and there, and there's evidence it's because the concrete people didn't pay attention when setting forms and destroyed the bituthene... anyways

so I've been looking at alternatives for this, because we're probably going to do a complete tear-off, and I found "LockDry" aluminum decking that looks pretty decent:

The concept looks good to me; for our deck besides the tear-off and repair of any damaged joists (and whatever other bad stuff we find) I may need to fur the joists for proper slope (depending on how the joists are sloped currently).

Does anyone have experience with this decking system?

 

[HawkinsHollow]

No, but thanks for starting this thread. We are talking about doing this to my brothers deck. Have you gotten a ballpark estimate of cost yet?

 

[grsthegreat]

I bought my aluminum decking from same company. But mine did not need to be watertight. We love the decking. Only maintenance is hosing it off.

but is isnt inexpensive

 

[Diggin It]

I'd have to wonder how hot it gets in direct sun.

Twenty years ago, I did a small section with something like the pictures below. Don't remember what mine was called. A search for 'tongue groove composite deck' shows a few similar options. Weight might be higher, but it would be easier to cut (like lumber, same tools) and easier on the feet. In your area of NorCal, do you have fire concerns? If so, you'd have to check on ratings for composite decking I guess.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

We have an aluminum platform and steps for our RV. It does get warm in the summer time, with the sun beating directly down on it. But it's not as bad as I thought it would be. You can still walk on it with socks on your feet. And grabbing it with your hands, it's "warm", but not like cast iron baking in the sun hot.

This was ND, in summer, direct sunshine, probably 90-95 degrees of air temp.

May be an issue with small kids running around barefoot, or pets with sensitive paws.

 

[ning]

I haven't gotten a price yet.

We got a bid for a different allegedly waterproof deck system which is basically a very thin texture layer of cement over thin plywood painted (every 5 years) with an epoxy coating, and that stuff was e x p e n s i v e and I have doubts it would hold up.

After that, I went looking for alternatives and found this. I'd guess it'll get warm in the summer, but not warmer than our present 3" of concrete (that gets hot enough it's tough to stand on bare foot on the really hot days) - and it'll have much less thermal mass as well which will help evening cooling a lot.

From what I can tell, everything's going to be expensive and I hate decks more every day. Regardless, this needs repair & replacement, so I'm looking for a good thing that's going to work, practically regardless of price, as I doubt there's much difference overall.

I'm sure it'll be cheaper than redoing the concrete, plus I have zero faith in this concrete system now...

(To newcomers to the thread
TL;DR - looking for experience with aluminum or other waterproof decking systems)

 

[grsthegreat]

This year, it got to 108F here…that has never happened before. I was able to walk on my deck barefoot. It was pretty warm, but not super hot. Just a bit uncomfortable if I stood still. My take is it dissipates the heat?

during outer normal summer it is just warm to touch. I have walked on trex in summer that I could feel the heat thru my shoes. Just saying.

and my deck is powder coated dark brown

 

[civilian]

I can't talk about alumnum decks, but with alumnum docks, they can be noisy when walking on them. That could be on the loose fastening methods to the support legs. Whereas the pictures above show a better fastening system. Just wondering about the possible noise. Jon

 

[grsthegreat]

Not as quiet as my old cedar deck, but just a bit of more echo like noise. They fasten very tightly. Nothing like a dock.

 

[ponytug]

I have it, or something very similar, in my horse trailer, where it has worked great. (Uncoated originally, though we put Line-X on it to spare the aluminum urine.)

My other experience with similar aluminum, but unpainted, decking is on docks, where it was very hard on bare feet. (HOT!) Other than that, it was tough and durable, though very reflective. I wouldn't want it on a deck in sunshine.

@grsthegreat I wonder if yours felt cooler because of the powder coating.

All the best,

Peter

 

[grsthegreat]

Possibly. All I know is I can walk on it barefooted.

 

[marhar]

[I was going to reply to this thread but decided not to hijack... ]

I've been considering aluminum decking to replace ours.

Our deck currently is about 3" of exposed aggregate over what should've been a layer of bituthene, and thus theoretically watertight, because part of the deck is over an enclosed area (and another part is over a hot tub area and thus the deck needed not to drip through there either). The reality is that it's leaked here and there, and there's evidence it's because the concrete people didn't pay attention when setting forms and destroyed the bituthene... anyways

so I've been looking at alternatives for this, because we're probably going to do a complete tear-off, and I found "LockDry" aluminum decking that looks pretty decent:
View attachment 719134View attachment 719135

The concept looks good to me; for our deck besides the tear-off and repair of any damaged joists (and whatever other bad stuff we find) I may need to fur the joists for proper slope (depending on how the joists are sloped currently).

Does anyone have experience with this decking system?

I am also thinking about this type of decking. I have a deck that extends over my basement opening and I would like to use the space.

Here is a website for what I have been thinking about LockDry® Aluminum Waterproof Decking from Nexan

The site says this material is as cool as wood or cooler in the sunlight. I have no expertise with the material but I am interested. Is it really cooler than wood? I do not want a deck that is too hot to walk on in the summer.

Any idea on cost per foot installed? I cannot find a ball park cost.

Also, thanks for starting the thread.

 

[grsthegreat]

Just email them, they will send you cost sheet and free samples. Mine was about 50% more than a good quality composite deck, but that was 5 years ago. Metal prices are nutz now

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep... i need to come up with something that is once and done...

 

[TractorGuy]

I wonder how it will or won't react to pressure treated wood?

When I had the rear door on my house replaced the wood framing had rotted at the bottom. They cut the rotten part out and replaced it with pressure treated then put the aluminum flashing back on. The flashing is now disintegrating. I am going to have to replace it with vinyl flashing I guess.

 

[grsthegreat]

That I don’t know. My framing is all Doug fir.

 

[civilian]

I wonder how it will or won't react to pressure treated wood?

When I had the rear door on my house replaced the wood framing had rotted at the bottom. They cut the rotten part out and replaced it with pressure treated then put the aluminum flashing back on. The flashing is now disintegrating. I am going to have to replace it with vinyl flashing I guess.

When we trimmed over PT wood frames on concrete walls, we were told to put 30lb felt paper over the PT boards before the aluminum trim metal. Three years so far and no deteriation(sp?) yet. Jon

 

[ponytug]

Stainless goes well with pressure treated lumber. Pretty much nothing else does. Aluminum decking is not going to be happy on pressure treated lumber. You would want stainless fasteners, with vinyl / rubber tape on top of the beams.

One great thing about the aluminum extrusions for the deck is that all the water is going to go off the deck, rather than resting on the fasteners.

@ning does aluminum count as a fire resistant deck material? If it does, I would love the fact that leaves can't get through that deck design.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ning]

Stainless goes well with pressure treated lumber. Pretty much nothing else does. Aluminum decking is not going to be happy on pressure treated lumber. You would want stainless fasteners, with vinyl / rubber tape on top of the beams.

One great thing about the aluminum extrusions for the deck is that all the water is going to go off the deck, rather than resting on the fasteners.

@ning does aluminum count as a fire resistant deck material? If it does, I would love the fact that leaves can't get through that deck design.

All the best,

Peter

Aluminum is definitely fire resistant; it's non-flammable and has a melting point over 1200F.

It's also a concern here (really should be a concern everywhere, but I think a lot of people are still thinking "we don't get fires here" but they should look at history and rethink that) and fire resistance was a big selling point for the concrete deck originally (primarily was the alleged waterproof aspect, which failed, and secondary was low maintenance, which due to the lack of waterproof has failed to materialize).

 

[ning]

Reading the FAQ for the lockdry stuff, there's this:

6: How should LockDry decking run with the house?​

My joists run from the house to the edge of the deck, so I'll be looking at either (A) or (B) above.

Note here in (B) they say "Cover the deck with 3/4" pressure treated plywood to fasten to" (currently about $58/sheet here, ouch); they don't say not to put the aluminum directly over that. They do supply stainless fasteners, though.