Care & Maintenance CleverDeck

CleverDeck Care & Maintenance Recommendations

CleverDeck composite decking is virtually maintenance free, needing only periodic cleaning to keep it looking great:

Initial Weathering and Removal of any Residual Tannins

Your CleverDeck composite decking boards are made from a combination of recycled plastic, hardwood flour and rice husks. When new there may be some residual tannins in the wood flour component of your decking boards. This tannin will leach out of the board the first few times that the deck board is wet and will appear as a water stain after the board has dried. This water (tannin) stain can be removed by washing with water if required otherwise it will disappear after the board has been wet/dried several times. You will also notice the softening of the surface colour as the board is exposed to the weather over the first 4-12 weeks. This natural weathering effect varies across the colour range.

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General Cleaning

Like any floor in your home CleverDeck looks best when the surface is kept clean. Cleaning with a broom or mop should be undertaken regularly. The frequency of cleaning should be based on the amount of organic debris that ends up on your deck via overhanging or nearby vegetation as well as general dirt and grime that builds up from regular foot traffic.

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Mould and Mildew

CleverDeck has an antifungal solution added as part of the formulation. This means your CleverDeck is protected against mould, mildew and germs, including bacteria. We recommend that you regularly sweep your deck and periodically wash any dirt and debris from the surface making sure that twigs and leaves do not build up between the boards.

Mould or mildew may develop on the deck if foreign matter and dirt is allowed to build up on the boards. If this occurs we recommend that you wash down your deck using a mild solution of warm water and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) or Intergrain Reviva or Cabot's Deck Clean. Make sure that you follow the manufacturer's recommendations for use and always test the solution in a non prominent area of your deck first. You can use a pressure washer but do not run this at greater than 8Kpa (1200 PSI) or position the nozzle within 300mm from the deck surface as this may mark the surface of the deck.

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Scratching

The machined finish and embossed pattern on the surface of CleverDeck is designed to hide most minor scratches. Be careful not to drag furniture or heavy items across your deck as this action may lead to significant scratches on the deck surface. We recommend that a protective mat or furniture pads are used to protect against contact from sources such as furniture legs, BBQ's or planter stands. Larger scratches can be removed by lightly sanding the face of the board. Please note that over sanding of your deck boards may remove the embossed grain pattern.

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Staining

CleverDeck composite decking has an open fibrous surface that will stain if oil, grease, wine, red clay, leaf matter (tannin) or rust is allowed to remain on the surface and penetrate the fibres. The best method of removing stains relies on cleaning the area immediately after the stain occurs (before it soaks in to the cellulose fibre). A strong solution of detergent and hot water, applied immediately after the staining has occured will remove most stains. Handy Andy by Clorox Australia has been found to work well on general food and drink stains when applied undiluted and scrubbed in to the stain and then left wet for 10 minutes before washing off the solution with water. If immediate cleaning is not possible or the stain has a high fat/oil content wet the surface of the deck and sprinkle OMO washing powder directly over the stained area, leave for 24-48 hours and then scrub the area with hot water and wash off. For heavy staining several applications may be required. High pressure washing may also help to remove the stain however caution is required when using high pressure washers as explained in the mould/mildew section above.

Always allow proper ventilation and respiratory protection when using chemical cleaners. Make sure that you follow the manufactures recommendations when using any cleaning products.
If all else fails, you can lightly sand the face of the deck board to remove the stain. Please note that over sanding may remove the embossed grain pattern from the board.
Constant metal contact may produce rust stains on your deck. You should use a protective mat or plastic caps to protect against metal contact from sources such as furniture legs, BBQ's or planter stands.
In order to avoid heavy grease staining if a large amount of cooking oil/fat is likely to fall from your BBQ on to the deck a protective mat placed over the decking and covering the area immediately around your BBQ is highly recommended.

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Painting

CleverDeck does not require any painting over the life of the product. If you want to change the colour of the decking we recommend that you take a sample or off cut of CleverDeck to your paint supplier and test the suggested surface coating before purchasing and before applying to the whole deck surface to ensure that a suitable bond between the deck and the finishing coat is achieved. The paint will not penetrate the surface of the material like traditional wood. Always wait until the surface weathers before painting to provide more cellulose exposure for the paint to adhere to.

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Miscellaneous

Make sure that heavy items are well supported and positioned so that they are sitting above the joists/ substructure. Constant loading on any individual deck board without immediate joist support may cause that board to sag. CleverDeck is not suitable for use as a structural support.

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