Porcelain or Stone Tile on outdoor decks provides a beautiful surface but the failure rate is high. This paper discusses the common pitfalls of a tile overlay from the construction of the deck through the application of the top finish. It deals primarily with decks and balconies on wood frame buildings with a focus on protecting the structure with solid waterproofing (roofing) details. It also prepares the reader with the questions to ask when choosing tile, thinset mortars, decoupling and drainage mats and making decisions on slope and railing attachment.