Make that Balcony your Private Space

Outdoor flooring is comfortable to walk on and looks good

July 2016

Outdoor flooring is comfortable to walk on and looks good

Summer living means being outside and enjoying good weather. That outdoor balcony, which many use for storage if at all, is your own private oasis if you choose to make it one.

This exclusive use space is part of the common area of a condo corporation. While you may enjoy it in private, the condo corporation is responsible for maintaining this infrastructure.

Within limits this space can be personalized. It may include flowers, potted plantings, furniture and even an umbrella.

Increasingly, condo residents are choosing to cover their stained and hard-to-walk-on concrete balcony floor with something softer, visually appealing, comfortable and inviting.

A new form of flooring is now available for private outdoor balconies and terraces. This outdoor flooring does not have to be attached to a concrete balcony. It facilitates drainage, is comfortable to walk on and is visually appealing. It comes in a variety of styles, colours, designs and materials. This flooring is impact resistant, waterproof, weatherproof, mildew-resistant and resistant to fading from UV rays. It is also easy to clean and maintain.

Some condo corporations may require approval before allowing modification to condo balconies. Concern for the building infrastructure would likely result in denial for outdoor balcony floors that require adhesion to or drilling into concrete. Flooring that may reduce drainage or prevent damp areas from drying can also result in infrastructure damage and may not be approved.

Floating floors, those not fastened to a concrete floor, are likely to receive approval for installation by a condo corporation. The most economical of these decks are constructed with recycled rubber. Higher quality and stronger deck flooring, constructed with wood-plastic composites, can be more durable than either wood or plastic. The best quality deck flooring is constructed with hardwood.

Darryl Jordan is President of Outdoor Floors; a company that provides and installs outdoor flooring on balconies and terraces. He provides suggestions on what to look for in a balcony deck:

• Designed to maintain the integrity of the building envelope and deck construction
•  A “floating” floor that is not fastened to the floor, walls, railings or any other part of the structure
•  Low maintenance
•  Able to handle humidity, snow, liquids and salt without damage or discolouration
•  Impervious to mould, mildew, rot and insects
•  Fade resistant, particularly to ultraviolet (UV) rays
•  Quality tiles, made of premium woods or plastic; lesser quality materials are prone to fading and will need re-surfacing (sanding & staining) treatments every two or three seasons
•  Tiles that do not require screws or other metal which can rust and stain concrete