Hi all - I have an addition I'm designing where it would work really well to have a new screened porch over a new finished basement extension (screened porch over living space). Water will obviously get in through the screens so I'll need to keep the water flowing off of the porch floor. Any ideas for a cost-effective, semi-affordable assembly for this floor/roof?
I guess it's the same as asking, what's your favorite rooftop deck floor system?
:)
Markytect
Jan 13, 23 9:55 am
Effectively I'm putting two roofs over living space... the screened porch roof above and the rooftop deck above the basement... Redundant roofs don't seem like good practice... Thoughts?
proto
Jan 13, 23 6:21 pm
I would absolutely put a single ply roof membrane there with a pedestal paver system (wood or porcelain pavers). And def not one of those paint-on systems (traffic coating style). [nm, i see the crew below suggested as much already]
Chad Miller
Jan 13, 23 9:56 am
This is a very open ended question without any real context. We'd need to know a lot more to give you any type of credible answer.
Location
Orientation
Materials being used
Roof overhang dimensions
Existing / adjacent roof types / forms
Existing house layout / construction
Your budget.
As you can see there is a lot that would go into an answer to your question. Also you're asking us to provide you with free design services so get ready for some possible nasty responses.
What does your contractor and / or designer say?
Markytect
Jan 13, 23 10:23 am
Thanks Chad. I'm not looking for design services. Just staying general with this. Wood Guy's comment was perfect. I'm in the very first sketchy phase of schematics.
Chad Miller
Jan 13, 23 10:25 am
No problem. Keep in mind that this isn't as simple as picking a few products. It's rather complicated. Good luck with your design.
t a z
Jan 13, 23 10:03 am
scuppers. lots of scuppers.
citizen
Jan 14, 23 7:36 pm
Any more, and you should just go with a sheet-flow system.
(I've noticed this new "feature" on Archinect, where if you cut/paste text within a response, it becomes a hyperlink. I don't feel like retyping it so I'll leave it as is.)
Chad Miller
Jan 13, 23 10:11 am
Looks nice WG!
It's important to understand that the replacement / maintenance of such systems can be a nightmare if it wasn't detailed correctly. I'm not saying that what you designed and installed is such a case - just that it's a lot more complex than some think.
Wood Guy
Jan 13, 23 10:16 am
I totally agree, and if you missed it, I mentioned it in my comment as well. The project pictured will require more re-work than ideal when it comes time for replacing parts, but there were aesthetic, site and financial constraints that made it more challenging than if I had more freedom.
Chad Miller
Jan 13, 23 10:21 am
I saw it, I just wanted to make sure the OP understands the complexity of this and not think "oh look it's totally doable and easy!" Not that clients ever do that.
Markytect
Jan 13, 23 10:29 am
Thanks so far. Seems like my first schematic pass is proving too complicated for a smaller residential addition.
I am striving for long-lasting, low maintenance solutions in my designs and this general arrangement (large screened porch over living space) doesn't seem to fit that.
I am still curious though if folks have done something like this successfully.
Thanks!
midlander
Jan 13, 23 11:02 am
this seems conceptually the same as building a walkable roof deck over a low slope roof. These are common on old brownstones in Chicago and not particularly difficult.
Chad Miller
Jan 13, 23 11:05 am
Not within the parameters you've set forth.
I've done commercial rooftop patios using fully rigid insulation, EPDM roofing, internal roof drains, pedestals, and paving stones. Very durable, very low maintenance. Very expensive - around $480 sf.
midlander
Jan 13, 23 11:07 am
i would just design the basement as a short low slope roof with parapets supporting the guardrail and roof posts, and put a deck on it. google low slope roof deck chicago to get some idea what i mean.
Chad Miller
Jan 13, 23 11:10 am
I'd still want to do ci over the roof and need a good way to maintain the roof while providing a level walking surface.
atelier nobody
Jan 13, 23 11:26 am
The best way I've found to address maintenance is to make the sleepers/pedestals and deck/pavers loose-laid, which of course requires detailing at the perimeter to keep them in place.
Chad Miller
Jan 13, 23 11:31 am
That's what I've done in commercial work.
t a z
Jan 13, 23 4:47 pm
This isn't my cup-o-tea, but I just recently heard of this interlocking composite deck system with integral drainage gutters.
I wouldn't rely on it as a waterproof solution, but it might add a layer of redundancy.
I'm not sure if they require the decking to be installed with a positive slope, but I would think it would need to be?
can you do an earth sheltered roof? If so, your roof can have a pitch, and the fill/drainage layer can be used to correct the grade. I’m a landscape design-builder so I don’t know how feasible earth sheltered roofs are for this scale.
reallynotmyname
Jan 13, 23 7:03 pm
Duradek is a membrane balcony flooring product you could possibly use as the porch flooring:
Hi all - I have an addition I'm designing where it would work really well to have a new screened porch over a new finished basement extension (screened porch over living space). Water will obviously get in through the screens so I'll need to keep the water flowing off of the porch floor. Any ideas for a cost-effective, semi-affordable assembly for this floor/roof?
I guess it's the same as asking, what's your favorite rooftop deck floor system?
:)
Effectively I'm putting two roofs over living space... the screened porch roof above and the rooftop deck above the basement... Redundant roofs don't seem like good practice... Thoughts?
I would absolutely put a single ply roof membrane there with a pedestal paver system (wood or porcelain pavers). And def not one of those paint-on systems (traffic coating style). [nm, i see the crew below suggested as much already]
This is a very open ended question without any real context. We'd need to know a lot more to give you any type of credible answer.
As you can see there is a lot that would go into an answer to your question. Also you're asking us to provide you with free design services so get ready for some possible nasty responses.
What does your contractor and / or designer say?
Thanks Chad. I'm not looking for design services. Just staying general with this. Wood Guy's comment was perfect. I'm in the very first sketchy phase of schematics.
No problem. Keep in mind that this isn't as simple as picking a few products. It's rather complicated. Good luck with your design.
scuppers. lots of scuppers.
Any more, and you
should just go with a sheet-flow system.
I've done this many times, most recently on a project completed last year. I like wood decking over tapered sleepers over EPDM sloped for drainage, with slip sheets of EPDM under the sleepers. Spray foam for insulation. The basic system is pretty foolproof but there are a lot of details to consider, keeping eventual repair/replacement in mind.
(I've noticed this new "feature" on Archinect, where if you cut/paste text within a response, it becomes a hyperlink. I don't feel like retyping it so I'll leave it as is.)
Looks nice WG!
It's important to understand that the replacement / maintenance of such systems can be a nightmare if it wasn't detailed correctly. I'm not saying that what you designed and installed is such a case - just that it's a lot more complex than some think.
I totally agree, and if you missed it, I mentioned it in my comment as well. The project pictured will require more re-work than ideal when it comes time for replacing parts, but there were aesthetic, site and financial constraints that made it more challenging than if I had more freedom.
I saw it, I just wanted to make sure the OP understands the complexity of this and not think "oh look it's totally doable and easy!" Not that clients ever do that.
Thanks so far. Seems like my first schematic pass is proving too complicated for a smaller residential addition.
I am striving for long-lasting, low maintenance solutions in my designs and this general arrangement (large screened porch over living space) doesn't seem to fit that.
I am still curious though if folks have done something like this successfully.
Thanks!
this seems conceptually the same as building a walkable roof deck over a low slope roof. These are common on old brownstones in Chicago and not particularly difficult.
Not within the parameters you've set forth.
I've done commercial rooftop patios using fully rigid insulation, EPDM roofing, internal roof drains, pedestals, and paving stones. Very durable, very low maintenance. Very expensive - around $480 sf.
i would just design the basement as a short low slope roof with parapets supporting the guardrail and roof posts, and put a deck on it. google low slope roof deck chicago to get some idea what i mean.
I'd still want to do ci over the roof and need a good way to maintain the roof while providing a level walking surface.
The best way I've found to address maintenance is to make the sleepers/pedestals and deck/pavers loose-laid, which of course requires detailing at the perimeter to keep them in place.
That's what I've done in commercial work.
This isn't my cup-o-tea, but I just recently heard of this interlocking composite deck system with integral drainage gutters.
I wouldn't rely on it as a waterproof solution, but it might add a layer of redundancy.
I'm not sure if they require the decking to be installed with a positive slope, but I would think it would need to be?
DuxxBak Dekk | Composite Deck | No-Drip-Through Deck (duxxbakdecking.com)
can you do an earth sheltered roof? If so, your roof can have a pitch, and the fill/drainage layer can be used to correct the grade. I’m a landscape design-builder so I don’t know how feasible earth sheltered roofs are for this scale.
Duradek is a membrane balcony flooring product you could possibly use as the porch flooring:
https://duradek.com/
I've never used it on a project though.