Help rethinking my deck options

[MikeT]

On my Victoria's Cottage project on the Oregon coast, I have a deck made from reclaimed cedar.  It is in good shape, but I know the boards will not last forever.  The dilemma lies with what is one story below: a smaller deck.  Now this is the Oregon coast, so it rains.  I have been trying in vain to create some sort of system that would cover the underside of the upper deck so that water is shed and the lower deck remains dry.  No luck.

So I think I am faced with covering the cedar decking in some way, but I cannot land on what I should do.

Some thoughts:
-bridge the gaps in the cedar in some way and then cover/paint with an elastomeric cover (Gaco Deck) or something
-Remove all or part of the decking and replace with appropriate covering (plywood) and then an appropriate cover product (again like Gaco)

What other ideas/thoughts/reactions do you good folks have?

Best,
Mike

[John Raabe]

We have a rain cover on the bottom of an upper level deck and use the area as a wood bin. It has been in place since 1987.

We attached ripped 2x cedar nailers perpendicular to the bottom side of the deck joists at 2' o/c. They are at increasing thicknesses to provide a very shallow pitch to the clear corrugated fiberglass roofing panels that carry the rainwater to a gutter at the outside edge of the deck.

[glenn kangiser]

I was thinking like John did - a rain catcher under the deck.

[Dave Sparks]

Mike,

A sloped floor of plywood under the upper deck is the easiest.

The Gaco is excellent for the top down approach but there will be issues with movement unless you use plywood over the existing.

I have both of the above choices at my place and maybe there will be more ideas!

[MountainDon]

I've seen a few homes around here that have a slightly sloped membrane roof with a level deck above. The deck on one of them was made in lift out sections to be able to clean debris (leaves, etc.)

[Redoverfarm]

Mike they do make material for this.  When I get the time I will find it. But like anything else that is special I would imagine the price is also.   

[MikeT]

The upper deck is 14 x 34 (actually a bit bigger but one part I do not need to cover).  Midway on the long side there is a support beam off which joists are hung in either direction (on one side to another beam at the deck's edge and on the other to a ledger board).  So anything I hang  below has to deal with that beam...perhaps a gutter below a plywood or corrugated panel....

None of this is free and there are clearly tradeoffs with any approach.  I am trying to assess the options.

If I went with the Gaco product, a hole or movement in the board that causes a crack would render that solution a partial waste....

Choices, choices.....

[rwanders]

This kind of problem is why I am a firm believer in covered decks/porches. Have you considered extending your roof over the upper deck? If the lower deck is directly below, it will solve your problem for both and make them both usable even in bad weather-----I like being able to grill even when it is raining.

[fishing_guy]

Like this?  It was just a quick google search, so I can't vouch for it, but it is a start.

http://www.dekdrain.com/products.php

[RainDog]

Like this?  It was just a quick google search, so I can't vouch for it, but it is a start.

http://www.dekdrain.com/products.php

Seems like a good idea behind that. You could certainly use heavy plastic of some kind instead of buying their particular product.

[Redoverfarm]

This is not exactly what I was looking for.  If I run across it I will let you know.

http://magnoliaunderdeck1-px.rtrk.com/OurSystem/index.htm

[MikeT]

Thanks for the ideas and the links.  You gave me more things to think about and some search terms to find out more options.  I think I am back to trying something underneath, but I have a better idea now of how to do it....or at least try...

mt

[MikeT]

I am still trying to find interesting, inexpensive yet reasonably attractive options.  While strolling the aisles at HD last night, I came across something I would like to run by you:

What if I ran sleepers under the deck in a way that created a downslope condition.  And then I would attach 4x8 sheets of white polystyrene.  I would tape the seams with a waterproof/butyl tape or perhaps Vycor tape. 

I am intrigued to try this because the cost of the panels is comparatively cheap:  $7 per panel.  Compared to the corrugated roofing panels that cost as much as $30 each.  Plus the look of the white would be clean and bright. 

I am sure I am overlooking something.    What am I overlooking?

[MikeT]

To basically close this thread (if there is such a thing as closure), I thought I would post what I ended up doing:

A friend of mine owns an architectural salvage place and he deconstructed an old barn that was sided with (salvaged) old corrugated tin.  On one side it is stamped: Made in Japan.  It looks like it could be from WWII but the Made in Japan thing wouldn't fit.  Anyway, it is old.

I got a number of these 2'x10' sheets, filled the holes with a squirt of clear caulking, and put them on the underside of my deck after adding some sleepers at regular intervals (with increasing thickness). 

It has a certain patina, to be sure.  And some won't like it.  But I like the salvage aspect. And I also like the relative ease and cost with which I was able to do it---plus the deck below it is now dry!

Here's the pic:

[fishing_guy]

Sweet.  And thanks for the update!

[desimulacra]

Saw this done with translucent corrugated fiberglass. The slope was done with furring strips. Fiberglass nailed directly to strips, but since it was "upside down" the nails were away from the water.