When Atchison Heller Construction was asked to revitalize a historic, mid-century modern Lexington, Kentucky home the plans included a custom Ipe rooftop deck on the second floor. They needed a solution that would allow for proper drainage off a flat rooftop while still melding with the iconic exterior of the home. Mataverde Premium Decking and Siding was happy to help.
The house, designed by the famous Kentucky architect Richard Isenhour, was built in 1972. Locally, it is proudly known as a beauty of mid-century features, like stacked rooms and open floor plans. Isenhour designed it with both utility and style in mind. But, like all beauties can after 50 years, she was in need of revitalization. Builders Heller Built and Atchison Construction (formerly Atchison Heller Construction) and architects Gibson Taylor Thompson stepped up to make the upgrades, while retaining the style and function that Isenhour designed so singularly well.
Design drawing of the Lexington, KY Isenhour project, courtesy of Atchison Heller Construction.
Looking for more Rooftop Deck Ideas? Click Here.
Eurotec Rooftop Deck System Was The Solution
Atchison Heller is doing a truly amazing job with the extensive renovation work needed on this home, including Ipe Decking and Rainscreen. We spoke with Austin Heller, Project Manager, and the impressive craftsmanship and attention to detail by Atchison Heller came through.
Heller shared that they discovered Mataverde Premium Decking and Siding and the Eurotec Rooftop Decking System through their carpenter. They were excited about the product performance and the support provided by the Mataverde Team.
In this @atchisonheller Instagram post, Austin Heller is flanked by two architects from the Gibson Thomas Taylor firm (IG: @gibsontaylorthompson).
[We built an] "...exposed deck, a waterproof deck, above a conditioned room which was super tricky", "I don’t think there’s anything harder to do…and I was really happy with the way it turned out.”
– Austin Heller, on the Mataverde Eurotec Rooftop Deck System
Looking for inspiration? We put together some ideas for you:
A Tricky Flat Rooftop Deck Situation
The home includes a room with an indoor lap pool, and the rooftop deck was built on the top, as a balcony. This required drainage off and away from where it could puddle, to avoid issues with leaks and mold. As Austin Heller described it to me, it’s an “exposed deck, a waterproof deck, above a conditioned room which was super tricky, but it turned out really, really good. I was really happy with everything”, said Austin, “I don’t think there’s anything harder to do, in what we do, than that and I was really happy with the way it turned out.”
Austin Heller walks you through their Mataverde Eurotec Rooftop Deck
installation. Watch the videos here.
Get information on the Euro-Tec Deck System Now, Click Here
Singing the praises of Mataverde Ipe Decking
"How gorgeous is this decking that just went down at our #watersidereno? This is some special stuff, this is the same Brazilian hardwood, Ipe, that was used for the vertical siding on this project. Ipe is an incredibly strong, durable, and of course, beautiful wood that we love using in any exterior application."
"The color is a prefinished option from @mataverdecking...and holy moly does it look good! Can't wait to see the outside space when it is done, it is going to be like nothing else!"
This prefinished stain has a gray semi-transparent tint. The gray tint provides some UV protection for the wood. It also helps create the look of an 'instantly weathered' deck.
Is Ipe decking right for your next project? Click Here to learn more
So how did they build the rooftop deck?
Atchison Heller and their architects put a lot of thought into their designs and take pride in making the project the best it can be. They used a specialized joist system on top of the adjustable deck pedestals. Then they used the Mataverde Euro-Tec Deck system as a standoff system. The Ipe decking material was installed on top of the deck frame system.
The Eurotec rooftop deck system was not attached to the roof. The system 'stays put' by its own weight at wind speeds up to 120 MPH, without any additional fastening. The gaps between the deck boards allows water to drain to the roof below. Using the Eurotec Rooftop Deck Pedestals, Atchison Heller was able to “dial” each pedestal up or down to accommodate the slope of the roof.
Eurotec Adjustable Deck Pedestals each dial to the right height.
To watch the Isenhour House videos, click here.
This allows bulk water to escape through the gaps in the decking boards, out and away from the deck and the house exterior to prevent water damage. And since they chose Ipe decking there is very little to worry about in terms of hardwood maintenance or damage, since the dense fiber strength of Ipe won't easily absorb water and has a naturally high resistance to rot and insect damage.
Looking for rooftop deck ideas and inspiration? Here's plenty:
The Mataverde team can't wait to see the finished house. Follow @mataverdedecking on Instagram for updates, and @AtchisonHeller #WatersideReno to see the whole house project in progress. It's an honor to be partnered with them on this historic Kentucky home.
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