What You Need to Know About Roof Decking

Aerial view of a gray shingled roof with intersecting pitches and a triangular dormer. The clean lines and neat shingles convey a sense of order and precision.

The structure of a roof is complicated. When tackling any projects surrounding it, the decking is perhaps the roofing component you should think about the most, as any damage to the decking will lead to leakage. In this post, A&A Services Home Improvement gives the lowdown on roof decking.

What Is It For?

Any experienced roof repair and replacement professional will tell you that the purpose of decking is threefold.

Being the flat surface of the roof structure, roof decking provides the foundation on which the many layers of underlayment and asphalt shingles can be laid properly. Although made of a combustible material, the decking helps delay the spread of fire through the use of flame retardants. Also known as the sheathing, this component is the anchor of the roof’s weather protection.

How Is It Constructed?

Decking can be built in various ways in order to achieve different architectural goals. The primary materials used to build it are plywood and oriented strand board, a kind of engineered wood. Any honest roof repair and replacement contractor would agree that the latter is the more popular choice these days.

Decking boards can also have a tongue-and-groove design. In addition to ease of installation, such design elements are useful for lending beauty to the space when there’s no ceiling.

In the past, plank sheathing was a popular roof decking solution. With this method, the planks are spaced one-and-a-half inches apart from one another. Alternatively, step sheathing can also be used, in which the space between boards varies based on the kind of shingle used.

What Is the Biggest Threat to Roof Decking?

Moisture is the number one enemy of roof decking. It can get wet due to condensation, which is likelier to occur in winter when there is a great need for heating. Rain is also a concern, of course. The moment it starts to rot, the roof decking will begin to absorb more water, which accelerates its deterioration and inflates the cost of roof repair.

Giving the decking a regular checkup is key to the longevity of any roof. Call A&A Services Home Improvement at (978) 219-2343 to schedule an inspection in Peabody, Salem, or Andover, and get an estimate for whatever other service your roof may need.

Many roof repair projects stem from roof decking neglect. Check out this blog to get the lowdown on this important roof component.

Tags: constructed, roof decking, roof structure

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