Hello,
I have a friend with an OSB deck floor and he thinks I can fix anything, but I'm stumped and don't want to waste money or make it worse.

It's really thick OSB, 1 2/8" I think and it was stained but where two pieces meet is starting to swell already after I think one or two years.

If I sand down the swelling, can I fill it with something and then coat with something? I was thinking a rubberized coating might work. It shouldn't go another year like that.

Ultimately I think the Rainer Collection of this product should go over it, It seems it was designed to be put over a subfloor: Stonedecks

Any ideas are welcome (except telling me OSB is a bad idea horizontally outside, I already know that. 😉)

Does it have a slope for drainage?
A membrane should run 6" up the wall behind the siding and under that door like any solid surface deck membrane.

PEEL & STICK 36" BLUESKIN SELF-ADHESIVE MEMBRANE 36"x66.7' 200sq.ft/rl

 

Does it have a slope for drainage?
A membrane should run 6" up the wall behind the siding and under that door like any solid surface deck membrane.
View attachment 850521
PEEL & STICK 36" BLUESKIN SELF-ADHESIVE MEMBRANE 36"x66.7' 200sq.ft/rl
View attachment 850522

Thank you, this seems like a good idea. It does have a slope for drainage. I didn't know there was a primer available. Thanks!

 

Sounds asinine. So does putting a coating on it. Maybe you can cover it with TPO. The townhouse we stayed at in Banff had that on their deck balcony.

 

The option you mentioned is the best choice for a really bad situation. It may buy him a few extra years.

I can't image that build ever meeting code anywhere.

 

I wouldn't waste a lot of time worrying about what type of coating. Your friend will know when it's time to replace it when they fall through.

 

I've done only one deck solid like that. It was Advantech over standard deck framing. The client ordered the fiberglas type sheeting in 4' wide rolls as well as the coating. It was a laborious proccess. Coating, fiberglas sheeting, coating, etc. for about 4 layers. We had to remove the bottom of his siding so we could properly flash not only the fiberglas up on the side, but additional HDG flashing over it. We did drip edge around the sides to give the fiberglas and coating an anti capillary way of getting rid of water. As far as I know it is still standing. But I would NOT do it on my house. Oh, it was not CHEAP.

 

Oh that is interesting. Thanks for sharing your experience. I was wondering if that whole process is worth it.

 

Since he was not covering the deck, IMO, it was money wasted.

 

You are too kind.

 

No builder here, but have been around the trade enough to know that OSB for a deck is probably at the top of my 'stupid' list. ....... There is no way in hell to waterproof that stuff for a 'horizontal' application. ......... I wouldn't waste a second trying to remedy the swelling ....... that one spot is JUST the beginning.

Were it me, I'd give myself a 'Homer', then start pulling up the bad OSB, and start replacing with 5/4.

P.S. ....... Pulling 'dry' OSB is no picnic, pulling 'wet' OSB is even worse.