Anyone heard of Silca System for elevated patio?

14 years ago

We are getting ready to start our new build, but ran into some delays due to the lot, etc. Long story short, my beautiful travertine screened porch and patio can no longer be a direct walkout from the kitchen/family room. I'm heartbroken!

My builder is willing to do the necessary concrete support for them, but in his opinion said that the cost is just really not worth it. (didn't get a quote, but his reaction was good enough that it would be very expensive)

Before I give up hope, i wanted to see if anyone had any experience with Silca Systems. Supposedly it's a solution for having elevated patios w/o needing concrete support.

Anyone familiar with this? If not, I will probably go with cumaru (brazilian teak) decking...and I welcome opinions on that as well.

TIA -

Andi

Featured Answer

bdpeck-charlotte

14 years ago

Andi, if you want travertine it can be done, and not all that expensive. The pressure treated deck framing must be stiff enough for tile, I used 2x10s 12"OC. My framer kept saying I was way overbuilding it, but that's what it takes to put natural stone on top. Then I used pressure treated 3/4 plywood, glued and nailed. Finally, we put down a waterproof/uncoupling membrane from Protecto Wrap. It was like 3' wide pieces of the window flashing tape. You can special order it through HomeDepot. Then we tiled right on top.

A proper structure underneath will allow you to tile on a raised deck. I spent about $2K on the membrane for about 1,200 sq ft of deck.

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Comments (11)

User
14 years ago
One of the raised plaza paver systems should work work but so should flowable fill (in a warm climate). Your contractor may not be offering prices because he doesn't know how to design the options.
andi_k
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the info...I'll talk to him about them and see what he says.
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User
14 years ago
Protecto Wrap is a self adhering waterproofing membrane but it doesn't provide for drainage of rainwater that soaks through the grout into the thick mortar bed required over an impermeable barrier. This may not be a problem in a warm climate but if the air temperature goes below freezing any trapped moisture will freeze and break up the tile.

Schluter drainage membranes are specifically designed for exterior tile and allow seepage water to exit the assembly quickly to avoid permanent saturation of the mortar bed.

It would help to know where the project is located.
andi_k
Original Author
14 years ago
We are in Northern Virginia.
User
14 years ago
How often does it freeze there?
andi_k
Original Author
14 years ago
It definitely will Jan through March. And, we always expect a few whopper snowstorms each winter.
Rosa Harris
10 years ago
Hello, I am also in Northern VA and looking to put the Silca system in wanting to know did you use it and do you like it. Getting prices and seems very reasonable compared to composite decking. Hope you have an answer for me
Norm Liang
6 years ago
I realize this is thread is old but anyone has any reviews to share on the Silca system to convert a wood deck to a stone deck? Thanks.
HU-181042312
5 years ago
Hi any feedback building a sica grate system elevated? Building a pressure treated base before putting on silca the travertineMy question in time how is it the pressure treated lumber would twist by chance since we have very cold winters.And one install aelevaged silca system what is the longetvity on this system? Thank you for any help
Elizabeth Bazazi
3 years ago
Hi. I specified Silca System for an extensive deck in 2017 +/-. The results exceeded my expectations. You feel like you're on a patio, not a deck. The M&L cost of system & stone was the equivalent of reinstalling ipe decking. Its life-cycle cost will be much lower than ipe. A lesson learned: purchase stones with smooth straight edges or seeing the light come thru joints will be disconcerting. The stones had to be re-edged on site.