Your roof top deck has plenty of clearance,most of mine have the width of the stringers 1 1/2''. I would sugest using counstruction adhesive as well as SS screws be very sure the screws do not go thru the stringers be very sure as well during install you dont damage the roof...like hiting it with the edge of a board,droping a drill bit first on it,steping on a screw things like that. Your right if your going to use anything on it use the S American lumber not manmade material. With your pool deck provide cross ventalation. This can be done with screen vents in the framing if this is not completly possible install floor vents in the decking combined with the frame vents. Cross ventalation is a vastley over looked but much needed addtion to any decking project. The gap between the decking boards will have no effect one way or the other venting your project unless there is air moving under it. If possble a drain system under the pool deck might help if done corectley but do not put a ground cover like plastic sheet/tar paper under it 1'' ipe will react the same way 3/4'' ipe will under the same conditions. The life span of both is also the same. J.

Hi Scott, Yeah, I thought of that, but we sanded off sticky residue on a sub floor once, and it totally gummed up the sander. This residue stays moist due to the heat and water it is exposed to. DH said scrape it, but I am afraid of doing damage to the wood. I was hoping someone might have had some experience in a product or chemical that would remove the glue. Regarding the latex paint - I am thinking it won't hold up with all the moisture. Whatever we do, I really don't want to have to be doing it again the next year. I'd like it to last a few years. I told DH that I just want to put peel and stick vinyl tile over it - I was thinking we could even put it over the glue since we want it sticky anyway. And, I was thinking we wouldn't even have to remove the other vinyl. The only thing is that the deck is only 21" wide, and most tiles are 12" square, so we would end up having to purchase twice the amount of tile to cover it. Lynne

If you are getting a safety cover, one item is a must, a Toters 96 gallon trash can. The wheels make it portable and easy to move, the safety cover will fit in it when folded for the Summer and the lid keeps mice and other rodents out so they can't nest and chew(expensive repairs), can hold pool toys and tools, pool sweeps, and stuff in the Winter, and are extremely durable. I also like Rubber Maid deck boxes for storing powdered chems such as Alkalinity Increaser, pH Increaser, 3" tabs, di-chlor and cal-hypo powdered shocking powders, DE, ... I DON'T use air tight storage so that any fumes can dissipate don't accumulate. Any liquids such as algaecides, Muriatic acid, sequesterants should be stored where they can't freeze and won't be subjected to very warm/hot locations, i.e. not next to a furnace. Also keep them out of reach from young children. I minimize the quantity of these I keep on hand. Scott

IMO, chances are that the water is the result of a high water table...which if so, will be an ongoing problem...especially when you consider that problems such as this only get worse as more building occurs. Best bet is to find out the source for certain...then decide. If for some reason this is a non-issue for you, the ONLY way to determine the presence of mold as well as the type of mold is to hire a reputable environmental firm that employs individuals with degrees in bio-sciences in order to have the best chance that the sampling process is conducted properly. Almost all HI's who claim that they test for mold have taken a quickie mold-is-gold 8 hour course...which does little if anything to train in proper air sampling and swabbing protocol.