Home Remodel: Do, Don'ts, Advice

[::: :::]

I guess now would be the time to add a caveat about roof cleaning and care because these mats are just going to clog up the roof surface

Have you considered duckboards or a wood type of boardwalk over the roof that still allows drainage?

[jackattack]

I’ve cut stall mats in the past with a skil saw no problem. I can see that as the tool of choice if you want to make a nice/consistent bevel. I would probably make a fence/template with a piece of scrap ply to keep my cut straight. It makes a fuckin mess.

Ask the store if they have any broken ones you could practice on before you go at it. I have been told the 3/4” mats will break if folded over too far or dropped out of the truck while folded.

Also, the mat will get hot AF in the summer sun. I would follow AC’s advice and explore a cooler solution if you want it to be tolerable in the heat.

[Nobody Famous]

It depends. Is the EPDM glue down or loose lay/mechanical fasten? What is the substrate? Where are the areas that is could expand to?

Safe bet is that you will get expansion/contraction. I wouldn't believe what thermal expansion can do if I hadn't seen it with my own eye. I've seen Trex expand at move 6x6 posts. I've seen an oak floor installed tight bend anchor bolts.

The EPDM is 'fully adhered' with an adhesive, and the immediate substrate is styrofoam sheets (probably not the correct name) 1/8 or 3/16 " thick, to lessen any impact from tree branches etc. Under the styrofoam is the usual 3/4" plywood over structure framing.

I agree with the thermal expansion thing, I've seen it in unusual places, there's some combination of dissimilar materials absorbing energy the sun, no wind to carray away the heat, and time of year/direct sunshine that makes it all add up to ... wow, that really happened.

Below are two pics of the mats, I'm planning to make the coin pattern the underside, no fastening/free floating. Will probably center the 4x6 ft sheets on the 11x7 ft deck surface (like how bathroom floor tiling is laid out) so the center lines of the four mats are centered in the 11x7 space, which means cutting all four mats along two sides. Pics of the mats below.

Jackattack, Have thought of the heat, old deck surfacing was also black and got very hot, however the next alternative is the 'tile mats' in non-black color, linked in above posts. For that approach materials alone are 10x the cost ($1600+ vs. $140) and more complicated cutting involved. Aso have not figured out how to do the receiving part of the shipping on a pallet of mats, would need a loading dock and then transfer to the job site to a third floor. Using those purpose-built are a fallback plan if the $140 animal pen mats from TSC get unbearably hot in the summer. In the Winter and cool weather the heat absorbtion is actually a positive thing.

[::: :::]

The EPDM is 'fully adhered' with an adhesive, and the immediate substrate is styrofoam sheets (probably not the correct name) 1/8 or 3/16 " thick, to lessen any impact from tree branches etc. Under the styrofoam is the usual 3/4" plywood over structure framing.

I don't know what climate you're in, but that insulation thickness sounds wrong. If that's actually what it is, you may be at risk for mold or dry rot in that plywood deck & roof framing from thermal cycling & interior humidity. I hope this is a limited & minor part of the roof area.

[Slopetime]

I don't know what climate you're in, but that insulation thickness sounds wrong. If that's actually what it is, you may be at risk for mold or dry rot in that plywood deck & roof framing from thermal cycling & interior humidity. I hope this is a limited & minor part of the roof area.

You're wanting to see an R38-50 (region dependent) above the plywood ?

[::: :::]

You're wanting to see an R38-50 (region dependent) above the plywood ?

At very least a hybrid w/ the dew point outside the sheathing

[Nobody Famous]

That is only 11x8 ft part of a much larger roof area. Good catch.

Had an energy audit done by local power utility a few months ago and their thermal camera spotted this also, the space between the deck substrate and interior drywall ceiling is not insulated.

I have a roll of some pick fiberglass that I'm going to place in that void. Been considering if it's worth the effort to cut out and then patch drywall (ceiling in this case) to make two or more access points to add insulation? In this case yes, that 11x8 ft section of ceiling comes through on the infared/thermal images.

[::: :::]

That is only 11x8 ft part of a much larger roof area. Good catch.

Had an energy audit done by local power utility a few months ago and their thermal camera spotted this also, the space between the deck substrate and interior drywall ceiling is not insulated.

I have a roll of some pick fiberglass that I'm going to place in that void. Been considering if it's worth the effort to cut out and then patch drywall (ceiling in this case) to make two or more access points to add insulation? In this case yes, that 11x8 ft section of ceiling comes through on the infared/thermal images.

the glass fiber will allow humidity to access the backside of the cold deck and condense there

i'd suggest high density spray foam -- it doesn't transmit air & seals to the surfaces

or a cheaper (but lower performing) option is to put rigid foam insulation up there cut as tight as possible to the joists, then tape it tight to joists

[Nobody Famous]

I don't know what climate you're in, but that insulation thickness sounds wrong. If that's actually what it is, you may be at risk for mold or dry rot in that plywood deck & roof framing from thermal cycling & interior humidity. I hope this is a limited & minor part of the roof area.

The styrafoam under the EPDM layer is not intended to be insulation, it's job is to lessen and absorb any impact from tree branches or whatever else falls from the sky, and make the EPDM layer less likely to getting torn or cut.

[Foggy_Goggles]

Or vapor barrier between the joists and the drywall after insulation. But yeah, something.

[Danno]

Tiling experts:

Just noticed these grout cracks in our remodeled shower (2 1/2 years ago now!). Contractor is long gone. How should we fix this? Can your just slap some grout on and let it dry (I could probably do that)? Chisel out the grout and replace (probably wouldn't do that myself)? Something else? It's only in this one corner, all the other grout seems fine.



Mostly it's on one side, but there is a spot on both sides


Far away shot for perspective on tile size

[Timberridge]

^^You can use a sanded caulk to fill that (edit: or unsanded if its a really small gap) many colors are available to match most common grout colors. Available at your local HD or wherever.

As you are aware I'm sure, keep an eye on that b/c if water gets down there you got problems.

[skaredshtles]

^^Use a sanded caulk to fill that--many colors are available to match most common grout colors. Available at your local HD or wherever.

As you are aware I'm sure, keep an eye on that b/c if water gets down there you got problems.

Oh - water's already gotten down in there. Don't you worry.

[zion zig zag]

^^You can use a sanded caulk to fill that (edit: or unsanded if its a really small gap) many colors are available to match most common grout colors. Available at your local HD or wherever.

As you are aware I'm sure, keep an eye on that b/c if water gets down there you got problems.

I use the sanded caulk to fix spots like that. But I have subway tiles with black grout, so lots of hard to see grout lines.

So....my question is, if I miss one for a few weeks and water gets in there, what happens next? I probably don't want to know, but lay it on me.

[::: :::]

Tiling experts:

Just noticed these grout cracks in our remodeled shower (2 1/2 years ago now!). Contractor is long gone. How should we fix this? Can your just slap some grout on and let it dry (I could probably do that)? Chisel out the grout and replace (probably wouldn't do that myself)? Something else? It's only in this one corner, all the other grout seems fine.

Inside corners are a good location for movement joints with tile appropriate sealant

(this, of course, means regular maintenance...meaning the sealant joint needs to be redone maybe biannually depends on the exposure to temperature swings)

https://www.constructionspecifier.co...esign-options/
[a lot of this article is focused on huge installs per commercial applications]


did the tile guy paint a pink layer all over the sheathing prior to tile install?

[muted]

I just put clear silicone caulk on the cracks on our bathroom shower tiles. 1st, I don't know what I'm doing. Second, the tiles are butt-ugly so I didn't give a shit what a fix job looks like, just waiting to re-do the whole brown/grey ugliness. And the seal works....and you gotta look close to even see the shiny-ness cover job.

[Danno]

Inside corners are a good location for movement joints with tile appropriate sealant

(this, of course, means regular maintenance...meaning the sealant joint needs to be redone maybe biannually depends on the exposure to temperature swings)

https://www.constructionspecifier.co...esign-options/
[a lot of this article is focused on huge installs per commercial applications]


did the tile guy paint a pink layer all over the sheathing prior to tile install?

I have no idea if he painted a pink layer.

As for the rest, not sure I understand. Are you telling me what should have been done, or what I need to do now?

[iceman]

He's saying, spatchcock that fucker and call it good.

[Danno]

He's saying, spatchcock that fucker and call it good.

to what internal temp?

[iceman]

well you gotta get the water out that went in behind there, one meeelion degrees should do it.

[::: :::]

I have no idea if he painted a pink layer.

As for the rest, not sure I understand. Are you telling me what should have been done, or what I need to do now?

there should be a water membrane under the tile that connects to the shower pan below. (sometimes painted on or a dimpled plastic membrane that can grab grout)
tile & grout is not expected to be water proof on its own
so, your crack shouldn't be a huge issue if the sub-tile install was all to industry standards

the link was to an explanation of standards for installation of movement joints.

your shower moved a little and the weak spot was the corner so it cracked
use sealant to button it up
your installer probably should have done this in the first place instead of grout at the inside corner
it's probably not a huge deal

[fastfred]

spray foam

[Timberridge]

Or duct tape.

Hopefully they used cement backer board in the shower walls. Some guys get lazy and use greenboard or god forbid, regular sheetrock as cement backer is a PITA to work with. If water gets behind the tile it usually runs down the wall to the pan and gets trapped under the shower floor tile above the rubber membrane. Over time the water loosens the tiles on the floor and near the bottom of the wall. Then you have to pull up the loose tile and redo all those areas.

Also the trapped water will stink after a while and your shower will smell like your drain trap is not working properly.

[glademaster]

Not that you're going to re-do the entire pan or enclosure because of a little cracked grout, but for anyone considering a tile pan or enclosure, this backer board is highly recommended: https://www.tilelines.com/wedi/

You're welcome.

[Timberridge]

Interesting. Looks a helluva lot easier to work with. I dunno what one sheet of cement board weighs but it feels like 50#.