NewTech - CleverDeck Care & Maintenance Recommendations

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

General Cleaning

Like any floor in your home NewTech-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.

Mould and Mildew

NewTech-CleverDeck has an antifungal solution added as part of the formulation as well as an antimicrobial surface coating. This means your NewTech-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.

Scratching

The machined finish and embossed pattern on the surface of NewTech-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.

Staining

NewTech - 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 fat and oil 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, try to lift the stain from the surface using Eucalyptus Oil or Intergrain Reviva and then scrub with Handy Andy as described above. 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.

You can also lighten the colour of the stain by using bleach but be careful not to apply too much bleach as you may remove the colour in the deck board itself. Always test your cleaning solution in an out-of-the-way part of your deck to make sure that the solution will not bleach the colour out of your deck.
Additional products such as Kenco Degreaser or cleaning agents containing oxalic acid or phosphoric acid may provide greater cleaning power and help remove certain types of stains. No two stains appear to react the same way and a combination of cleaning solutions may be required to completely remove them.

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.

Painting

NewTech-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 NewTech-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.

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. NewTech-CleverDeck is not suitable for use as a structural support.

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