Facts and Questions
Inspired by Nature, Engineered by Man
The 10 most Frequently asked questions about Earth-wood
USES AND APPLICATIONS:
Q. What applications can Earth-Wood products be used for?
A. Earth-Wood is versatile enough for Marinas, decks, porches, patios, pool and hot tub surrounds, walkway, docks, boat slips, fencing, siding, cladding and just about any other application you can imagine.
MAINTENANCE and DURABILITY:
Q. How Slip resistant is Earth-Wood Decking?
A. Very. Due to the extremely high friction rating, wet or dry, Earth-Wood Decking is ideal for those situations where surface water/rain could lead to slippage. Earth-wood decking is The Only Wood surface available which has been tested to British Standards and has passed in both wet and dry conditions as being suitable for use around swimming pools.
Q. How long will Earth-wood decking retain its colour tones?
A. Due to the UV stabilizers incorporated into the polymer matrix of the product Earth-wood will fade by an almost unnoticeable 10% over the first six months and will then retain this colour for 10 to 15 years. At this point you can either sand, paint or stain your Earth-wood product or Return it for a discount against another order in a different profile or colour. We will shred it, wash it and recycle it.
Q. Will Earth-Wood Decking rot or decay like traditional timber decking?
A. No. Most rot and decay are caused by a combination of weathering due to moisture absorption and/or insect damage. Due to the extremely low moisture absorption rate (0.02%) water does not have any deteriorating impact on Earth-Wood Decking while the polymer content provides a barrier against the threat of any insect damage.
Q. How maintenance free is Earth-wood decking?
A. Extremely. No staining, No Treating, No Preservatives. No repairs from rotting, splitting or insect damage. No embarrassing faded and old looking deck surfaces. No difficult moss or fungus to remove. Just Cleaning.
Q. Will Earth-Wood decking splinter, split or crack?
A. No. Due to the unique manufacturing process Earth-wood is guaranteed not to splinter, split or crack (under normal conditions).
MOULD & FUNGUS:
Q. Will fungus and moss grow on Earth-Wood Decking?
A. Fungus and moss will not grow on a clean Earth-wood deck but will grow on any dirt or debris residue which has not been cleaned. The key here is to avoid an accumulation of surface debris or puddling. Carry out routine sweeping and hosing down of your Earth-Wood Decking to avoid these issues.
Q. Will mould or mildew grow on Earth-wood Decking?
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.
COST ISSUES:
Q. Is Earth-Wood Decking more expensive than timber?
A. Yes. This is due to the cost of the technology involved coupled with the cost of the recycled raw materials and additives. When compared to hardwood decking, the cost difference is less with Earth-Wood decking providing a number of advantages and improvements in performance. Earth-Wood decking has already been used to replace problem surfaces of hardwood and softwood decking in a number of high profile marine and commercial applications.
OTHER QUESTIONS:
Q. What is Earth-Wood Decking made of?
A. It is made from reclaimed wood flour (finely graded sawdust) and recycled/reclaimed polymer which has been collected and removed from commercial waste streams. Once removed it is separated, processed, washed, shredded / pelletised and compounded with our wood flour.
MAINTENANCE and DURABILITY:
Q. How durable is Earth-Wood Decking ?
A. Due to the wood flour grains being encapsulated by the polyethylene the product becomes extremely durable in comparison to traditional timber. There is an extremely low moisture absorbency factor of less than 2% and this in comparison to timber at circa 25% leads to less algae and moss growth which in turn increases the longevity of the product.
Q. How often do I need to paint or stain my Earth-Wood 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 cleaning solution or proprietary deck cleaning product to remove surface debris. So with the exception of cleaning, your deck is maintenance free.
Q. Can Earth-Wood be painted or stained?
A. Earth-Wood boards come in a range of attractive colors. Painting or staining is not required, but can be done if desired. Use a high-quality acrylic latex primer and topcoat. Please note that painted Earth-Wood surfaces lose some slip resistance and will require annual maintenance in repect of the coating applied.
Q. The deck boards have some color variation. Is this normal?
Yes. Like lumber or any natural product, Earth-Wood may vary slightly in color, creating a distinctive and attractive look as found in nature.
Q. Will Earth-Wood decking 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 nearest the surface that fades and not the pigmented polyethylene. This 10% fading/weathering will not be very noticeable and once complete the remaining tone will be retained for many years.
Q. I’ve already got timber decking in my garden but in the height of summer the surface gets very hot. Does Earth-Wood Decking do the same?
A. No. Generally Earth-Wood Decking offers a much cooler surface than timber.
Q. I have a holiday home in southern Spain and suffer termite problems with timber products. Can I consider Earth-Wood Decking or will it succumb to the same problems?
A. Yes you can use Earth-wood and No it will not succumb to the same problems. Earth-Wood Decking is resistant to termites and any other form of wood boring insects so it is therefore an ideal and long term economical solution for you.
ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS:
Q. What is the difference between recycled plastics deck products and Earth-Wood Decking?
A. Recycled plastics are made entirely of plastic waste whilst Earth-wood is a mixture of moisture controlled and graded wood flour (50-55%) and polymer (45%) both generated from waste materials. Thus providing the best qualities of both products in one.
Q. Why is Earth-Wood a superior alternative to pressure-treated lumber?
A. Unlike pressure-treated pine, Earth-Wood profiles will not split, crack, warp, rot or decay. They will retain their natural look and appeal for many years without staining or treating. The boards contain no knots and are highly resistant to termites. They’re easy to maintain (just cleaning) and require no painting or annual sealing so you have more time to enjoy your deck. And Earth-Wood does not contain toxic 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 Earth-Wood Decking is it is derived from recycled commodities and is itself recyclable. This is great news for the environment that we all live in.
Q. Is Earth-Wood safe for family, friends, and the environment?
A. Yes. Earth-Wood will not splinter so it’s kind to bare feet. It’s slip resistant, especially when wet. Earth-Wood does not contain toxic materials, hazardous chemicals or preservatives.
Q. I’m considering Earth-wood Decking 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 an Earth-Wood Decking.
COST ISSUES & WARRANTY:
Q. Does Earth-Wood Decking cost more than wood to maintain?
A. The initial cost of your Earth-Wood might be a bit more than other surface materials but compared with wood products, it will save you tremendously in time, effort, and money during the life of your deck.
Consider the following before purchasing a wood deck:
The decking material represents less than 15% of the total cost of most decks. To keep your wooden deck looking good you will spend this amount again in maintenance costs within 3-5 years. And again, and again
Earth-Wood requires no annual maintenance and very little care (cleaning only). A typical wood deck will require stain or preservative at least once a year to maintain its color and appeal. Consider the time, hassle and material cost involved.
Earth-Wood profiles are manufactured in uniform lengths and widths. This helps to decrease installation time significantly over wood materials. Installers will also remove your waste Earth-wood at no cost.
Earth-Wood is backed by a 20-year limited warranty which covers the very issues of concern associated with most timber decks.
Earth-Wood does not split, splinter, decay, rot or warp and is highly resistant to insects/termites.
Q. What is the Earth-Wood’s warranty?
A. Earth-Wood comes with a 20-year limited warranty that provides comprehensive coverage against splintering, splitting, rot or decay, and termite/insect damage.
CONSTRUCTION / STRUCTURAL QUESTIONS:
Q. Can Earth-Wood Decking be used for any decking application?
A. Yes. There really is no limitation on using Earth-Wood Decking in situations traditionally associated with timber decking.
Q. How difficult is Earth-Wood Decking to work with compared to timber?
A. You can work Earth-Wood Deck as you would timber. All tools normally used for working timber can be used to work Earth-wood Decking and as there are no resins, glues or natural defects in Earth-wood it is not hard on your tooling.
Q. Is Earth-Wood Decking really slip resistant in any condition?
A. Yes. Under wet or dry conditions provided you keep it clean.
No. Under icy/snowy conditions
No. Where surface dirt or leaves have 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 use Earth-Wood Decking for load bearing applications such as joist work or structural work?
A. Earth-Wood Decking 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 Earth-Wood Decking for major structural work unless there has been an assessment by a structural engineer.
Q. Is Earth-Wood Decking fire retardant?
Due to the fact that it is a very solid product with little or no air pockets (unlike timber) and as a result of its composition, there is a greater temperature required to achieve flammability. Once flammability is achieved it will burn at a significantly slower speed than typical timber products, (up to 70% slower). It is therefore more fire retardant than comparable softwoods or hardwoods
|
