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