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Hi---I converted a 2-story deck, covering the planks with plywood, a sheet of soft polyurethane, and then grouted porcelian tiles. It is not pitched, and now when it rains the water seeps down into the bottom room. THis happens in a couple of 2 foot square areas of the roof. I would rather not pull up the tiles, and re-grouting and pouring liquid waterproofing has not worked
Any inexpensive suggestions? I would love to repair the leak. Or can I get a large rubber or plastic mat and lay it on top of the tiles (unattractive but practical) to prevent rain from causing water damage?
I don't think there is any way to prevent water intrusion on an flat roof with no pitch. No matter what you do, water will find it's way down. If it were me, I would re-do the entire project, by a professional, with the proper amount of pitch. I don't think I would be inclined to use tile either.
Hi---
The only options right now are to either fix the leak (not sure how) or cover the whole thing. Can you tell me what the problemm would be if I bought a full-size flexible rubber or plastic "mat" to fit over it? If its' waterproof, how would the roof continue to leak? I attached some photos (with the leakky area covered) if that helps.
It looks like you have plastic covering the leaking area. Water can still get underneath the plastic and find it's way to the leak. Same goes if you went out and some sort of a plastic mat unless you sealed the mat/covering to the tiles with with something like roof cement.
You may be able to cover the entire area with a tarpaulin - I mean the entire area, with the tarp edges fastened to the wall at least 12" up. There is no way that any other fix will stop water, it will always find a way to get underneath. This would be a temporary fix only, as I said before this entire flat area must be redone with a proper pitch in order to assure no future leaks.Good luck
Hi again---
Thanks for the feedback. Buffalo mentioned a rubber roof---does this mean a rubber mat coating/covering the existing tile one? Would this serve to be waterproof?
Boomvang mentioned that they would not use tiles for a new roof. This would be placed over the existing tiles---I think that since it's a deck, with a layer of plywood and then a layer of porcelain tiles,, the very top new material would need to be light (for safety)--do you have any suggestions for materials, as you would not use tiles?
It's impossible to really give useful advise over the internets.You really need to contact a pro contractor in your area. Estimates are free, and you can get very good recommendations in your area from Angie's List.
Any kind of roof will leak with no pitch. Even a rubber roof, after a some years, will leak. If you don't pull up those tiles, you will have a rotted structure underneath in no time. Putting a plastic sheet or mat over it is not a solution to the problem and will eventually leak once the wind kicks up to say 10-15 MPH. If you have a rubber roof, kiss the aesthetics goodbye. Might as well rip it all up, put down some backerboard, slope the whole thing at 1 inch per 4 foot with some self leveler, and re-do the roof area. Don't use tile, it is way too slippery for a roof. Was your decking not usable up there or something?
Hi---I converted a 2-story deck, covering the planks with plywood, a sheet of soft polyurethane, and then grouted porcelian tiles. It is not pitched, and now when it rains the water seeps down into the bottom room. THis happens in a couple of 2 foot square areas of the roof. I would rather not pull up the tiles, and re-grouting and pouring liquid waterproofing has not worked
Any inexpensive suggestions? I would love to repair the leak. Or can I get a large rubber or plastic mat and lay it on top of the tiles (unattractive but practical) to prevent rain from causing water damage?
Thank you
Helwa
Hi Helwa.
I talked to my hubby in your behalf because he was raised in roofing and owned a roofing company for several years. He said that there is no repairing the roof in the way that you are thinking. The biggest problem is that there is no pitch to the roof, there's no where for the water to go. Usually on 2nd story deck over a room there is a pitched roof under the deck floor. This is what is waterproof and there are several ways to do it. However, you don't have a roof- you just have a deck floor. Porcelain tiles aren't waterproof in and of themselves, and there's no way to waterproof them on a flat surface.
The most inexpensive thing you can do is remove the deck floor, create a 1/12 pitched roof- he recommends torch-down or really any good single-ply system. Then build the deck on top of it and you won't have leaks or other structural problems. He says if you're doing the work your total outlay should be around $2 sq.ft.
Good luck.
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