Decking Tiles Support

Firstly, please watch the following video, as it is the most efficient way to acquire information:

These guidelines are recommendations and it is our customers liability to undertake the installation with caution and safety to prevent any accidents during install.

Pre-install checks:

• The outdoor area you will be laying DECKO Tiles on is a hard and flat ground such as: concrete, pavers, existing wooden deck, hard packed road base etc.
• Dirt/Grass areas can be prepared for DECKO Tiles by removing the grass layer; laying road base gravel; compacting this road base gravel; and laying weed-mat down over it.
• You have calculated, or have gotten a calculation done by us on the exact number of tiles you need. Try our online Tile Calculator Tool: Outdoor Tiles Area Calculator — DECKO Tiles NZ
• Your outdoor area has adequate drainage
• Choose a design to lay your tiles: all inline, checkered or any other creative pattern you can think of.

Installation:

Installation of DECKO Tiles is simple, quick, and normally does not require any glue, screws, fasteners or specialty tools, only a wood cutting tool of your choice (handsaw, circular saw, jigsaw, drop saw etc.) to make cuts at the end of your area.

• Choose the best corner to start from, usually it is best to begin with the most exposed outside corner of your area - start with ramp edges if you have these - and make your way in toward the building. Make cuts at the walls to hide the cut sides of the tiles.
• Place each tile and edge piece one by one, interlocking them into each other. The interlocking system is symmetric so all sides can interlock into all others, meaning you can choose whatever design you like for your area.
• Lay all the full tiles first, leaving the tiles that require cuts last, such as ones against walls, edges, posts etc.
• Make cuts as required, and make sure to check if any off-cuts can be reused at another location, as our quotes consider offcuts larger than a 1/2 tile to be reused.
• For straight cuts a circular saw, handsaw, dropsaw or similar is recommended; for curved cuts or complex cuts use a jigsaw or similar.
• Before making a cut, please check the cutline on the bottom of the tile, to make sure there are no screws in the way, if there are, please remove them prior to making the cut.
• When you install between walls or any posts items which are blocking the heat movements, you need to leave an expansion gap for free expansion on the sun. Bigger areas 1-2 cm around and never to be installed tight. 
• You may wish to use DECKO Tiles as fascia, or to cover existing stairs. In this case you will require "Liquid Nail" glue or similar.
• Use many 'dots/blobs' of glue on the bottom of each tile to stick each one on the vertical surface or stairs.
• There are many ways of overlapping the horizontal and vertical tiles for a beautiful outcome, below are a couple of photos for inspiration:

• After installing, it is recommended to hose down or pressure wash the tiles as this will help in removing a layer of dust left on the surface from the factory. Especially on covered areas this can leave sediment marks after a light rain.

 

Disclaimers:

Safety First - Handling & Care of DECKO Tiles: Our 12.5 kg carton boxes contain up to 11 tiles and it is safe to handle and transport in this way. The carton boxes are manufactured in an eco-friendly way from recycled paper. Please recycle the boxes by disposing of them at your local card board recyclers or placing them in the recycling bin.

When tiles are stacked on top of each other during install they can slip, so do not walk on stacked, piled or loose tiles. 

Please store DECKO tiles in the box in a dry area until installation to keep the integrity of the boxes for handling, even though the product inside is waterproof. 

Skin contact: If skin or hair comes in contact with dust from the product, wash with soap and water.

Eye contact: If dust enters the eyes, wash out immediately with water. In all cases of eye contamination, it is a sensible precaution to seek medical advice.

Outdoor areas surfaced with DECKO Tiles with appropriate care should provide you with many years of low or no maintenance opportunity.

Although DECKO products require minimal upkeep, there are some basic tips to keep them looking great for many years to come. Regular sweeping and hosing are all that is generally required for basic maintenance of your deck.

After install if they get light rain or moisture they can show signs of staining. No problem. This is temporarily caused by the technological dust still on the surface of the tiles, which starts to float once they get the light rain and dry off. An abundant rain will wash out and no more issues. If you experience that and especially on covered areas, hose it and mop it after - recommended two different occasions for the best outcome.

We also recommend the following further measures to maintain and prevent damage to your DECKO deck.

• If affected by BBQ grease or other staining liquids is best to simply pour hot water from a kettle and soap onto the affected and using a sponge, mop or stiff brush, brush along the grains of the surface of the decking board. Avoid using any heavy commercial cleaning solutions. DO not use bleach as it will affect the colour of your boards significantly.
• It’s important to regularly clean the deck of debris, dust and mud where possible before it builds up in the gaps and cracks. A blower, vacuum, broom, brush and/or mop will do the job.
• We recommend a maintenance clean using a high-pressure water washer with a maximum power output of 2500psi and a 25 degree spray tip at a 35 degree angle every 6-12 months. try to spray along the grains of your deck along the length of the boards as spraying across the surface can cause damage. Try to ensure that each plank is sprayed with 100% coverage per pass.
• Do not allow metal items prone to rust to sit on your deck for extended periods of time, as this may rust stain the deck.
• If there is a particularly stubborn stain on the deck that cannot washed out, using 40 grade sand paper you can sand the top layer of the deck parallel with the direction of the grains on the surface of the board until stain disappears. WARNING: This method does decrease the decking material's size as this is an abrasive procedure, If done repeatedly or incorrectly can result in the product being ruined. Decko is not liable to replace products if it was ruined by the sanding method, as this should be a last case scenario option only.
• Place an outdoor mat or protector around BBQs to avoid fat and grease stains. Such stains can also be removed if necessary with the assistance of sandpaper after thorough washing with hot soapy water.

Painting, Sealing and Staining

We strongly recommend against applying a 3rd party coating to DECKO products. However, if you do decide for some reason to apply an external coating it should be done when the deck is fully cleaned and dried. Be aware that if you do apply an external coating, your warranty will be voided.

Scratches and Scuffs

Be aware that any sharp or hard objects such as furniture legs or rocks can scratch your deck, so make sure you protect the surface as much as possible. It’s typical that exposure to the sun will naturally cause small scratches to fade away within few weeks. DECKO boards also have the advantage of being made using an extrusion process which means the material is the same all through the board compared to other composites which have foils or coatings on the top layer. You can use 40 grade sandpaper to remove any accidental scratch or stubborn stains without damaging most DECKO boards. Just gently brush the area and apply a wet cloth afterwards.

Water Stains

You might notice some water stains on the surface of the boards after rainwater has evaporated. Water staining is relatively common, especially in the first months after the installation, as the wood component in composites releases tannin which mixes with the industrial dust that remains on the surface. It should disappear after heavy rain or by hosing and moping.

Staining is normally more prominent in lighter colours and will vary depending on environmental conditions such as local flora and fauna around the deck which might exacerbate staining. Avoid dripping and pooling of water on the deck where possible to avoid excessive water stains. These can generally be cleaned with  water and a mop. 

Please feel free to get in touch with the Decko team if you’re unsure about any maintenance issues. We’re more than happy to assist in keeping your deck or other Decko product in tip top condition!