How to Refresh a Waterproof Vinyl Deck Without Removing the Existing Membrane

This 21-year-old Duradek membrane was still waterproofing the deck, but it was beginning to look faded and worn. The time came to refresh the appearance of the vinyl.

While it is a great option, the building owners did not want to use a solid color acrylic coating process to refresh the deck’s appearance.

Additionally, they did not want to tamper with the existing perimeter trim as it was still performing well. To apply new vinyl traditionally would require cutting into the stucco and removing railings.

This gave the waterproofing experts at Duradek a bit of a challenge. They needed to create a new vinyl refresh option while maintaining the existing vinyl’s reliability as a waterproofing solution.

As leaders in vinyl membrane waterproofing—Duradek was up for the challenge.

To refresh this waterproof vinyl deck, Duradek combined existing replacement procedures with a recoating element to create a new option: New vinyl installed over old with a decorative coating border.

First, the aged vinyl was prepared with a thorough cleaning. Existing seams were leveled and a coat of primer sealer was applied. The new vinyl was cut for a consistent 6″ border and heat-welded over the existing vinyl.

Next, the liquid coating was applied to the perimeter up to the seam edge of the new vinyl.

This provided a way to freshen up the look of the vinyl while leaving the existing perimeter edges untouched, so the waterproofing details stayed intact. It was a cost-effective approach since there was no need to remove and re-install railings or cut away the bottom of the stucco.

The deck was completely refreshed with new vinyl in the field and fresh coating on the perimeter areas for a color-matched accent border.

This combination method is a creative alternative to our other vinyl refresh options. It can be used as a solution where the removal of existing railings or siding is too difficult or may cause other waterproofing issues. This method should only be used if there is confidence that the waterproofing is still performing well and there is no chance of moisture below the original membrane.

View or Download the .pdf version of Case History #188 with project photos and installer details.