WPC or composite timber is an extruded timber replacement product made from a mix of plastic (virgin and recycled) and cellulose fibre (wood/bamboo/rice husk). It was invented in the USA in the late 1980’s/early 1990’s and has been evolving ever since. Primarily designed as a substitute for certain types of timber (i.e. decking) it is currently produced and sold all over the world.
Composite timber offers a low maintenance alternative to timber with no oiling or staining required and the option of a concealed fix. Unlike most timbers, using composite timber ensures that there are no splinters, sap or tannins runs, no rotting and it is also white ant/termite resistant.
No, they all vary according to the type, quality and quantity of the raw materials used as well as the profile of the extrusion, quality of tooling and the skill/knowledge/IP of the manufacturer. Futurewood uses high grades of post-industrial recycled polyolefin (plastic) as well as virgin polymers, hardwood wood flour, rice husks, pigments, UV inhibitors and fungicides. In the harsh Australian environment, solid composite timber decking is preferred to hollow composite timber decking due to the differences in surface area/moisture absorption and profile strength/design. Finish look and the weathering (colour change) of composite timber decking should all be considered before deciding which brand of composite timber you choose. Fixing of decking boards is also an important consideration as not all concealed fixing is the same; some types of concealed fixing are expensive and cumbersome and require glue to be used under each board. Futurewood Deck Clips are very easy to use, reduce installation time (saving labour costs) and are very economically priced. There are 4 types of clips in the range that cover most installations and provide a complete deck board fixing system.
CleverDeck Xtreme composite timber decking is made from cellulose material (hardwood sawdust ground into a wood flour) and recycled and virgin polyolefin plastic. The CleverDeck Xtreme shell is made from a proprietary combination of virgin polyolefins (plastics), filler, colour pigments and UV inhibitors. The core of CleverDeck Xtreme is made from a combination of hardwood wood flour and recycled polyolefins (plastics), filler and fungicides.
CleverDeck Xtreme composite timber decking is produced using a proprietary blend of plastic and cellulose fibre materials. The formulation has been designed and tested to meet the demands of a typical Australian deck when installed in accordance with the fixing recommendations. For further information regarding design and performance characteristics refer to the technical specifications on the Futurewood web site.
CleverDeck Xtreme composite timber decking will heat up at a slightly higher rate than timber when exposed to direct sunlight. Darker colours will retain more surface heat (up to 20 degrees Celsius or more above the ambient temperature). The scalloped back feature of the CleverDeck Xtreme decking boards is designed to allow a cooling air flow between the joists and the deck boards.
CleverDeck Xtreme composite timber decking will burn under excessive heat like all timbers. There are many different Australian standards that relate to the fire performance of a building material. These standards apply based on building types, uses and material placement/applications. AS3959.2009 relates to a BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) rating. CleverDeck Xtreme has been tested and passed the BAL29 level.
CleverDeck Xtreme composite timber decking is produced with a polymer skin that is highly resistant to most chemicals and has an extremely high level of moisture resistance. Any chemical/liquid spills should be washed off immediately to avoid the potential of any damage to the polymer shell that may occur over time if the spill remains on the decking surface. Fat, wine and other food stuffs do not stain the material and can easily be washed off using Futurewood’s composite timber cleaner. You can contact Futurewood directly to purchase the composite timber cleaner and refer to the CleverDeck Xtreme Care and Cleaning Guide on the Futurewood web site for more information.
The colour in CleverDeck Xtreme composite timber decking has been developed using special pigments mixed with a combination of virgin polymers. UV inhibitors are also added to help protect the colour pigments used in the product from continual exposure to UV radiation. The colour will gradually lighten over a long time but will hardly be noticeable much like the duco on your car.
CleverDeck Xtreme composite timber decking is protected by a 10 year “no fuss” Australian domestic or 7 year commercial warranty that includes covering the cost of labour to replace any faulty boards. The special polymers used in the formulation of CleverDeck Xtreme will ensure that you enjoy years of low maintenance use unlike some timbers that will rot and deteriorate after only a few years if not properly maintained.
CleverDeck Original Composite decking is made from a combination of cellulose material (hardwood wood flour & rice husks) and recycled polyolefin (plastic from industrial waste). These main ingredients are classified as recycled and represent 90% of the overall material. They are combined with colour pigments, UV inhibitors fungicides and fillers to deliver a very low maintenance and sustainable alternative to the rainforest timbers, typically used for outdoor decking.
The standard CleverDeck Original decking boards are 138mm wide x 23mm thick x 5400mm long. The standard colours are Weathered Stone, Walnut, Slate Grey, Mahogany and Chocolate. Custom length boards and colours are available subject to certain conditions. Slight colour variation between boards is natural however we recommend that wherever possible you purchase all the boards required for your project from one batch in order to avoid more extreme colour variation that may occur between different batch runs.
CleverDeck Original composite timber decking is produced using a proprietary blend of plastic and cellulose fibre materials. The formulation has been designed and tested to meet the demands of a typical Australian deck when installed in accordance with the fixing recommendations. For further information regarding design and performance characteristics refer to the technical specifications on the Futurewood web site.
No, CleverDeck Original composite timber decking is designed for use as decking and is classed as “non-structural” material.
CleverDeck Original composite timber decking will heat up at a slightly higher rate than timber when exposed to direct sunlight. Darker colours will retain more surface heat (up to 20 degrees Celsius or more above the ambient temperature).
CleverDeck Original composite timber decking will burn under excessive heat like all timbers. There are many different Australian standards that relate to the fire performance of a building material. These standards apply based on building types, uses and material placement/applications. A commonly referred to standard is AS1530.3 which relates to ignitability, spread of flame, heat evolved and smoke developed. CleverDeck Original composite decking performs well across these indices for this standard. AS3959.2009 relates to a BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) rating. CleverDeck Original is suitable for BAL – low and in some instances BAL12.5 or BAL19. If a higher BAL rating is required, you could use CleverDeck Xtreme capped composite timber decking that has been tested and passed BAL29. Contact Futurewood for further information regarding BAL options.
CleverDeck Original composite timber decking is produced with a non-chemical reactive polymer core and has a high level of moisture resistance. Any chemical/liquid spills should be washed off immediately to avoid the potential of any staining or damage that may occur over time if the spill remains on the decking surface. Fat, wine and other food stuffs may stain the material if left to soak in over time. Most stains can be washed off using Futurewood’s composite timber cleaner. You can contact Futurewood directly to purchase the composite timber cleaner and refer to the CleverDeck Original Care and Cleaning Guide on the Futurewood web site for more information.
The colour in CleverDeck Original composite timber decking runs right through the boards. These boards are made with UV inhibitors that help protect the colour pigments used in the product from continual exposure to UV radiation. The colour will soften over the first 4-12 weeks that your deck is exposed to the elements. This is a natural bedding in process caused through the lightening of the cellulose fibre in the formulation. Once the initial colour weathering has taken place, the lightened shade will be maintained over many years.
CleverDeck Original composite timber decking is supplied in a fully finished condition unlike most timber decking. When you consider the cost of cleaning and sealing/oiling/staining your timber deck and the ongoing maintenance associated with annual oiling etc. CleverDeck Original should save you a considerable amount of time and money over the many years of its useful life compared with high maintenance timber. Refer to the “cost calculator” on the Futurewood web site to help you compare the cost of using CleverDeck Original composite timber decking against hardwood timber on your deck. Simply type in your own quoted prices to determine the cost comparison between CleverDeck Original and the alternative timber for your decking project.
CleverDeck Original composite timber decking can be installed on to any type of subframe that meets the required load bearing capacity. The joists can be timber or metal. You can also use Futurewood’s Ultralow Aluminium Joist and Pedestal Grid System that can be used where the maximum height of the deck including the subframe needs to be as low as possible. The Futurewood Ultralow Aluminium Joist and Pedestal Grid System can, when fixed with a CleverDeck Original decking board, fit within a 70mm maximum height limit.
