MAINTENANCE / DURABILITY QUESTIONS
Q. How durable is Maine DeckŪ composite?
Q. Will Maine DeckŪ rot, splinter or decay like my existing timber decking?
Q. How often do I need to paint or stain my Maine DeckŪ decking and is it really maintenance free?
Q. Can I apply de-icing salts to Maine Deck?
Q. Will Maine DeckŪ fade over time?
Q. Ive already got timber decking in my garden but in the height of summer the surface gets very hot. Does Maine DeckŪ do the same?
Q. Is Maine DeckŪ more expensive than timber?
Q. Im considering Maine DeckŪ in an area that has a gum problem. How easy is it to remove chewing gum?
Q. I have a holiday home in southern France and suffer termite problems with timber products. Can I consider Maine DeckŪ or will it succumb to the same problems?
ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS
Q. What is Maine DeckŪ made of?
Q. What is the difference between recycled plastics (styrenes) and Maine DeckŪ wood polymer composites?
Q. What do I do with my off-cuts?
CONSTRUCTION / STRUCTURAL QUESTIONS
Q. Can Maine DeckŪ be used for any decking application?
Q. How hard is Maine DeckŪ to work with compared to timber?
Q. Can Maine DeckŪ be used around hot-tubs and swimming pools?
Q. Is Maine DeckŪ really slip resistant in any condition?
Q. Can you bend Maine DeckŪ?
Q. Can you use Maine DeckŪ for load bearing applications such as joist work or structural work?
Q. Is Maine DeckŪ fire retardant?
STAINS / FUNGUS QUESTIONS
Q. Will fungus and moss grow on Maine DeckŪ?
Q. Will mould or mildew grow on Maine DeckŪ?
MAINTENANCE / DURABILITY QUESTIONS
Q. How durable is Maine DeckŪ composite?
A. Due to the wood flour grains being encapsulated by the polyethylene the product becomes extremely durable in comparison to traditional timber. The Premier Range has an extremely low moisture absorbency factor of less than 1% and this in comparison to timber at circa 17-25% leads to less algal and moss growth which in turn increases the longevity of the product.
Q. Will Maine DeckŪ rot, splinter or decay like my existing timber decking?
A. Not at all. Due to the extremely low moisture absorption rate water cannot have any deteriorating impact on Maine DeckŪ.
Q. How often do I need to paint or stain my Maine DeckŪ decking and is it really maintenance free?
A. The product does not require traditional timber treatments or any other kind of treatment BUT it will of course require normal cleaning with a pressure washer or hose/brush with a weak bleach solution or proprietary deck cleaning product to remove surface debris.
Q. Can I apply de-icing salts to Maine DeckŪ?
A. Yes but to clarify this we do NOT recommend using rock salt as this will scratch the surface. We recommend using calcium chloride instead.
Q. Will Maine DeckŪ fade over time?
A. It is estimated that the product will fade by about 10% over the initial 6 months depending on light and weather conditions. It is only the wood flour that fades and not the pigmented polyethylene. Any initial natural colour variance in the wood flour will all eventually fade to the same tone once weathered.
Q. Ive already got timber decking in my garden but in the height of summer the surface gets very hot. Does Maine DeckŪ do the same?
A. Generally, Maine DeckŪ offers a much cooler surface than timber.
Q. Is Maine DeckŪ more expensive than timber?
A. Yes. The reason for this is due to the cost of the technology involved coupled with the cost of the recycled products and pigments. However, when compared to hardwood decking, the cost difference is closer and certainly the advantages of Maine DeckŪ outweigh those of hardwood versus softwood. Remember, there is little maintenance involved and Maine DeckŪ has already been used to replace problem surfaces of hardwood and softwood decking in very prestigious places such as National Trust.
Q. Im considering Maine DeckŪ in an area that has a chewing gum problem. How easy is it to remove chewing gum?
A. Very easy. Due to the low moisture absorption factor, chewing gum does not adhere easily to the surface of Maine DeckŪ.
Q. I have a holiday home in southern France and suffer termite problems with timber products. Can I consider Maine DeckŪ or will it succumb to the same problems?
A. Maine DeckŪ is resistant to termites and any other form of wood boring insects so therefore is an ideal and economical solution for you.
ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS
Q. What is Maine DeckŪ made of?
A. It is made from recovered post-production untreated softwood flour and recovered post-consumer high density polyethylene. The wood flour has had excess moisture removed and is graded to an exacting degree. The polyethylene is recovered from plastic bottles such as those used to dispense milk and fruit juices from in your home.
Q. What is the difference between recycled plastics (styrenes) and Maine DeckŪ wood polymer composites?
A. Recycled plastics are made entirely of plastic waste whilst wood polymer composites are a mixture of moisture controlled and graded wood flour (50-60%) and polyethylene (30-40%) both generated from recovered waste materials.
Q. What do I do with my off-cuts?
A. Contact your local installer who can send them back to our manufacturing plant for further recycling. The great thing about Maine DeckŪ is that it is derived from recycled commodities and is itself recyclable. This is great news for the environment that we all live in.
CONSTRUCTION / STRUCTURAL QUESTIONS
Q. Can Maine DeckŪ be used for any decking application?
A. Yes. There really is no limitation on using Maine DeckŪ in situations traditionally associated with timber decking.
Q. How hard is Maine DeckŪ to work with compared to timber?
A. You can work Maine DeckŪ as you would timber. All tools normally used for working timber can be used to work Maine DeckŪ.
Q. Can Maine DeckŪ be used around hot-tubs and swimming pools?
A. Absolutely. Due to the good slip resistance, Maine DeckŪ is ideal for those situations where surface water could lead to slippage.
Q. Is Maine DeckŪ really slip resistant in any condition?
A. No. Under icy conditions or where an accumulation of surface debris has been allowed to gather then clearly there will be problems with sliding on the surface but this would take place on any product such as paving, tarmac, etc.
Q. Can you bend Maine DeckŪ?
A. It can be heated to circa 80 degrees C and gently bent to create an artistically designed deck BUT this job is best left to professional installers.
Q. Can you use Maine DeckŪ for load bearing applications such as joist work or structural work?
A. Maine DeckŪ can be used for decking chassis work where there is compressive load bearing such as where the joists would be resting on an underlying concrete screed or beam. It can be used, following a full assessment of the application and full consideration to span of joists, to create suspended joists but this is best left to a professional installer. It is not recommended to use Maine Deck for major structural work unless there has been an assessment by a structural engineer.
Q. Is Maine DeckŪ fire retardant?
A. Currently, there is no UK certification for WPC's but due to the fact that it is a very solid product with little or no air pockets (unlike timber) there is a greater temperature required to achieve flammability (see our TECH DATA sheet).
STAINS / FUNGUS QUESTIONS
Q. Will fungus and moss grow on Maine DeckŪ?
A. In the right circumstances moss and fungi will grow on any surface. The key here is to avoid an accumulation of surface debris or puddling. Carry out routine sweeping and hosing down of your Maine DeckŪ to avoid these issues.
Q. Will mould or mildew grow on Maine DeckŪ?
A. Again, these can grow on dirty surfaces and if this occurs it is not the product that it is failing, it is the maintenance of the product.
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To find a Maine Deck Ū Stockist/Distributor or Preferred Installer in England, Scotland and Wales, 