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Discussion Forum

Waterproofing a screened porch

Tom538 | Posted in Construction Techniques on July 11, 2007 01:04am

Hey Everyone,

Go easy on me, I am a true Newbie. A buddy and me repalced the supports and decking on a side porch this weekend. The porch is roughly 10×20 and has an overhanging roof. Under the porch there is a cold storage room with an entrance to the basement. There is a sump pump which draws our water since water gets in through the foundation (block) when it rains heavy. The previous porch deck was sealed but not very well so water also got down to the cold storage area through the deck.

We replaced the deck with 2×10 pressure treated lumber and I am going to screen it in with the bottom 3 feet solid and the upper section screen so rain will get into the porch, especially if it’s windy. My buddy doesn’t think I need to waterproof the deck because of the cold storage area below. He says water is getting in anyway and there is plenty of ventilation to dry out the wood when it gets wet so don’t bother trying to keep water out. He says, just plan on re-doing the decking in 10 years or so.

Do you agree? Should I just let water run over the deck and through the boards or should I try to seal it up with a base layer of some sort of sealant and flashing?

I can include pictures if necessary.  Thanks.

Tom

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Replies

  1. IronHelix | Jul 11, 2007 02:16pm | #1

    FWIW---only my opinion.

    First.....2x10 treated for a decking would not be good practice for me as there is such a strong tendency for them to cup, rack, and warp.

    2nd....I would want the underspace to be dry as possible, so I would go for a membrane over plywood decking, then float a padded floor system on top. 

    Or attach a membrane or plastic/fiberglass/pvc sheet ggods to the bottom of the joist  to shed the water to the exterior perimeter. There are some manufactured systems for under deck systems.

    3rd...I hope you used the correct fasteners on the corrosive ACQ treated lumber, and be mindful that aluminum products(aluminum screen wire, flashings, trim, nails,etc) are rapidly reduced to trash when exposed to ACQ.

    Pictures are nice---anytime!  It improves the clarity of the written description and shows details omitted from that text.  Please post the digitals!

    In the search mode ask to see & read discussion #87269 for more ideas.

    ....................Iron Helix

    P.S. Welcome to Breaktime.  Lots of good people and info here.  I tend to be direct with my opinions, please take them as information---not a slam or insult. 

     Also could you please fill out your profile to help us know where you build and the influences of your climate, as well as what you do to know your potential skills and knowledge. Rt. clik on your name at any message header for a pull down window.

     


    Edited 7/11/2007 7:20 am by IronHelix



    Edited 7/11/2007 7:23 am by IronHelix

    1. Tom538 | Jul 11, 2007 05:15pm | #2

      Thanks.

      We used the correct fasteners but I don't remember what they were specifically. They were 3" fasteners for treated lumber. Can I put the plywood base over the treated planks that we put down? They're right on top of the joists.

      I'd hate to tear those up.

      Tom

      1. smslaw | Jul 11, 2007 07:10pm | #3

        Tom:  If I understand your original post, the lower porch walls are now fully enclosed, with the bottom few feet of the wall covered with siding on the outside and some sort of interior finish, and the upper sections of the wall screened.  If so, have you accounted for where the water will go if the floor is made waterproof? Is the floor pitched to a drain or scuppers?

      2. rez | Jul 11, 2007 11:10pm | #5

        Even though one purchases ACQ rated screws, which normally means a coated screw, in a wet environment it will not be long before those screws may disintegrate as the coatings can be removed by friction of the screw in contact with the ACQ during assembly.

        In a dry situation the screws will be more long lasting.

        Stainless screws in continued wet conditions are recommended.The seed corn was given me. This never costs anything to speak of, unless you plant more than enough. I got twelve bushels of beans, and eighteen bushels of potatoes, beside some peas and sweet corn. The yellow corn and turnips were too late to come to anything. My whole income from the farm was

                                          $23.44 Deducting the outgoes ............ 14.72½                                ——— There are left,................... $8.71½,-Thoreau's Walden

        1. User avater
          IMERC | Jul 11, 2007 11:13pm | #6

          remove the screens and replace them with walls or windows...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

          WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

      3. IronHelix | Jul 12, 2007 05:34am | #7

        Read Rez's note on fasteners, read the box closely that your fasteners came in...most only warrantee the fastner for 3-5 years....they are ripping off the consumer.

        You have a conditionally approved fastener with a life span of less than man's best friend.  Stainless is the best, hot dipped galvanized is the minimum...after that everything else is short lived.  

        I have witnessed the application of "suitable for all treated lumber" fasteners in temporary ACQ treated lumber structures that were demolished after 18 months and the fastener corrossion was visually obvious when looking at the removed screw laying on the ground at my feet.  The diameters were already reduced significantly.

        And, yes you can put plywood directly over the 2x10 decking, but in your damp/wet conditions the unequal moisture content of the 2x10's will still cause the warping to telescope to the plywood. 

        Now that you have already built without essential design considerations you may have to rip out and re-do to make a properly built structure.

        Re-read Piffen's comments...a good heads-up on planning ahead.  It becomes much more difficult to put the saddle on the untrained horse after it escapes from the barn!

        .............Iron Helix

        Edited 7/11/2007 10:45 pm by IronHelix

        1. Tom538 | Jul 12, 2007 01:52pm | #8

          Thanks for the advice. I tried to put a picture in the message but I think I messed it up somehow.

           

          1. Tom538 | Jul 12, 2007 01:56pm | #9

            I tried to attach a picture but it didn't work. Any advice on how to put  a picture in a message or how to attqch it as a file.

            You see, it's guys like me that keep the home remodelers in business!!

  2. Piffin | Jul 11, 2007 10:19pm | #4

    is you decking 2x10 PT or is that the framing for the deck?

    What is the decking now?

    First thing you want to do is to decide what you want, then design to that.

    IMO, you are too far along already.

    And your buddies advice sounds like he needs to stay in the rot removal business, not anything too advanced that would challenge his thinking. He'll have plenty of work to last a lifetime that way.

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

  3. Tom538 | Jul 12, 2007 02:09pm | #10

    Yes.

    1. rez | Jul 12, 2007 02:19pm | #11

      Here's two posts of Piffin and RichBeckman made a while back. If following it's steps doesnt do it then you might have popup blocker on the puter which will complicate things a tad.

      Don't be concerned with the size of the file right now as the idea is just to get the thing posted first.

      Cheers

      From: 

      Piffin <!----><!----> 

      3/5/2006 3:19 pm 

      To: 

      ALL <!----><!---->

       (92 of 113) 

       

      24441.92 in reply to 24441.86 

      I'm just refreshing the basics. Still getting requests how to do a basic post.Make sure you are in advanced view and not basic view first by scrolling to the bottom of this list of posts in the thread on your screen here.

      Hit the REPLY button to any post

      Type your message if any in the dialouge text box

      scroll down the page

      hit the ATTACH FILES button

      which brings up an attach files window( except in some cases when your pop-up blocker is too ambitious and needs to be sent down to the local tavern to relax for awhile)

      followthe instructions step by step for the most part. Select from the browse button to find the photo file in your PC - the main purpose of this thread has been to make it easy for you to make sure the file is small enough to share. Using Irfanview, I make mine about 720 pixels wide at 72perinch and save it as a JPG. Make yours too gig and you will catch h3ll from everyone who can't download it

      Once the name of that file is selected and showing in the #1 box, then hit #2 UPLOAD FILE

      After clicking the Upload button it will turn white while working and then turn back to blue when it is finished 

      Then wait - go take a potty break, let the dog out, whatever...your file has to travel over the lines - whatever kind you use, get itself checked in at the Tauntoin photo hotel, tip the bagboy, and call home to tell you it has arrived safely. When that has all happened, you will see the name of your file in the middle of this window listed as recievd. Then you can add another photo if you like. Once all the photos have gone through this process, the is a DONE button for you to punch.

      Then you can hit the POST button and Voila! you are now a published photographer!

      Have fun

       

       

      From: 

      RichBeckman <!----><!----> 

      10/12/2006 4:21 pm 

      To: 

      Hazlett <!----><!---->

       (58 of 67) 

       

      79798.58 in reply to 79798.53 

      Well, if the pic is on your computer, it is pretty easy.

      If you look below the box you type posts into you will see five boxes. They are labeled "Post" "Preview" "Spell Check" "Attach Files" and "Cancel"

      Click on "Attach Files". This should open up a separate window that has the following

      Upload a file for attachment to the messageIf you press Browse, be sure to select Files of Type: All Files from the resulting dialog box or you won't see any graphic files.

      1. Enter Filename to upload:

      2. Now press

      3. If you are done attaching file(s), press Right after "1. Enter Filename to upload:" should be a box that says "Choose". Click it.

      This should open yet another window that is a file management window (just like you get when you click "save as" in almost any program). Work your way through the folders of your hard drive to where the pic is stored. If the pic isn't listed, make sure that the "file type" line lists "all files".

      Once you see the pic, click on it. That should put the file name into the "file name" line. Then click on "Open".

      The window will close and you are back to the first window. The file you clicked on will now be listed in the text box after "1. Enter file name to upload:" The full path will be given, so what is visible might be different than the file name.

      Now click on the box that says "[upload]" in the next line ("2. Now press [upload]

      Now the tricky part. Wait. Be patient. When the upload is complete, the box will refresh and the file you just uploaded will be listed at the top. Until that is done, the file isn't uploaded.

      After the file is uploaded you can upload another one. Once you are done uploading go to the third line "3. If you are done attaching file(s), press [done]" and click "done"

      The window will close and you are back to the window that you type the post into. Finish the post if it isn't already done and click on "Post".

      And let it load just like always.

      Or call Sphere.

      Rich Beckman

      Another day, another tool.

       

       

      View Image Options

       View ImageReply

       

       

       

      Edited 7/12/2007 8:16 am ET by rez

    2. rez | Jul 13, 2007 04:06pm | #12

      Was this any help to you? My furniture, part of which I made myself — and the rest cost me nothing of which I have not rendered an account — consisted of a bed, a table, a desk, three chairs, a looking-glass three inches in diameter, a pair of tongs and andirons, a kettle, a skillet, and a frying-pan, a dipper, a wash-bowl, two knives and forks, three plates, one cup, one spoon, a jug for oil, a jug for molasses, and a japanned lamp. None is so poor that he need sit on a pumpkin. That is shiftlessness. There is a plenty of such chairs as I like best in the village garrets to be had for taking them away. Furniture! Thank God, I can sit and I can stand without the aid of a furniture warehouse.-Thoreau's Walden

      1. smslaw | Jul 13, 2007 09:29pm | #13

        My furniture, part of which I made myself —

        Does anyone know if Henry T. used EZ Smart or was he a Festool guy?

        1. rez | Jul 14, 2007 06:52am | #14

          he used piffen screws in a 2x4.

           be a real 2x4He also had the firmness of the Indian, and could repress his pathos; as when he carried (about the age of ten) his pet chickens to an innkeeper for sale in a basket, who thereupon told him "to stop," and for convenience’ sake took them out one by one and wrung their several pretty necks before the poor boy’s eyes, who did not budge. He had such a seriousness at the same age that he was called "judge."  -Ellery Channing Remembers Henry Thoreau 1873

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