Our bamboo products are extremely durable to extreme weather conditions and only require a quick and easy annual maintenance program to help maintain the natural, beautiful look and feel. All our bamboo products are factory treated with our own specially formulated Cutek penetrating oil.
A revolutionary and ecollogical sensible way of giving the maximum protection to your bamboo.
Decking Installation Guide
Bamboo decking should first be left properly stored on a flat surface, off the ground and undercover out of direct sunlight for several days to allow it to acclimatize.
Spacing
- Allow a 4-5mm side to side spacing between boards.
- Allow a 4-6mm gap between decking boards and any other structure such as a house or walls.
- Allow a 2-3m gap between board ends.
- Allow a 300-400mm gap between joists and sub structures.
This will allow for natural expansion and adequate air circulation.
Ventilation
- The underneath surface of the board should be at least 30-40mm off the ground.
- The area underneath of the deck should be free of other materials to allow adequate air circulation.
- If the deck spans areas of water then a larger clearance gap is reccomended.
- A vapour barrier may be used to prevent moisture if the decking structure needs to be close to the ground.
Our unique hidden stainless steel fastener system allows for easy installation.
20 hidden fastners are required for a square metre of decking, working on a 400mm centres sub frame.
This method avoids having visible screw heads on the surface of the deck. A gap of 4-6mm is already set by the hidden fastener which slots into the profile of each board. Each fastner is screwed to the joists making a strong and durable strucuture. This method greatly reduces installation time and is more pleasing to the eye.
We advise using carbide tipped saws for cutting our bamboo products.
After installation the surface can be sanded and cleaned and left as a natural finish or a suitable coating can be applied following the manufacturers instructions.
Maintenance
Cutek is a specially formulated penetrating oil that is designed to diffuse deeply into the bamboo to provide exceptional water repellency and assist in controlling warping, cupping and splitting. It is resistant to surface fungus and mould with a highly effective, yet safe biocide component. Cutek penetrates very deeply allowing it to protect the bamboo from within while leaves no film on the surface. The Cutek oil penetrates so deeply it repels water for years from the inside out. Cutek gives the bamboo a natural mat finish that is dry to the touch on the surface while staying in a semi-liquid state in the sub-surface. This means that surface abrasions and scratches can still be protected unlike all other wood finishes.
Most other finishing products on the market are mostly composed VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) that flash off the wood relatively quickly, hence providing no long-term benefit to the timber and more importantly are damaging to the environment.
After installation we recommend one further application of Cutek. Depending on wear and traffic we recommend an annual cleaning and re-coating. There is no need for sanding or stripping, dramatically reducing maintenance costs and efforts. This will ensure your bamboo products have a long and trouble free life.
A variety of natural looking coloured, formulated pigments that contain strong UV filters can be added to Cutek oil giving each installation the desired finish, letting the bamboo retain its natural grain. This can easily be applied using brush, roller or rag following the guidelines on the bottle provided.
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Cutek Benefits
- Does not peel or crack
- Resistant to mould and mildew
- Very easily applied by almost anyone, no need to hire a tradesman
- Suitable for exterior and interior application
- Two coat system with no special primers or multiple products required
- No sanding or stripping, ever. Requiring only a simple wash down before re-coating
- Can be used as a clear finish or colour tinted to your requirements
Flooring Installation
Bamboo flooring should be left to acclimatise properly in the room you intend fitting. Store them flat, open all packaging and ensure floor is dry. 7-10 days is recommended.
Methods of Installation
Floating - Lay on top of an underlay, clicking together Uniclic boards or gluing tonge and groove witha PVA glue.
Nailing - Use on wooden or ply sub floor. Use nail gun on grooves. 18 Gauge, 25mm brads are adviseable.
Gluing - Directly gluing on to flooring using a specialist elastic floor glue. If laying on a concrete screed floor ensure moisture is less than 3%, if it is above 3% use a damp proof membrane.
Finishing
All our bamboo flooring products are pre-finished with a poly urethane lacquer (Except for our Luxury Wide Board). There is no need to re-apply once the bamboo flooring is laid. However it is possible to re-fresh the finish by degreasing, and then lightly sanding the flooring, before reapplying a quality lacquer.
If the floor has been waxed, heavy sanding back to bamboo is necessary.
Underfloor Heating
Strand woven flooring is suitable for underfloor heating. The laminated flooring is only suitable when the gluing down method of laying has been used.
Ballustrade/Parapets
Ballustrades and parapets must be at least 900mm in height for decks that are under 600mm from the ground and 1100mm in height above 600mm. No space between components should exceed 100mm.
- Our outdoor laminated bamboo products are manufactured form the highly durable Moso bamboo plant and are perfectly suited for extreme outdoor weather conditions. We are the only supplier in the U.K. using patented techniques for ensuring a 25 year guaranteed life span. All lumber is pre-treated with our special formulated Greentek penetrating oil.