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Wood Characteristics
Preston Woodcraft hardwood deck tiles and outdoor accessories are made of responsibly harvested South American tropical hardwoods. These hardwoods are very dense and naturally resistant to insects and decay. These woods (like all wood products) are a product of nature and therefore have a variety of grain and color. And, of course, over time with exposure to the elements, wood will always develop small checks and cracks. These are not structural defects, and will occur even with a consistent care and maintenance program.
Care & Maintenance
No maintenance is required if retaining the original color is not important and if the product is installed in a generally open and non-shaded area. Like all wood that is exposed to the elements, the color and grain will change over time. The climate factors that affect this include the amount of direct and indirect sunlight, temperature, humidity, moisture and other local conditions such as pollen or pollution. Without maintenance, our products will weather to a silvery-gray color. This is a patina layer that can be removed at any time to expose fresh wood grain and the accompanying original color (additional information on this below).
The most basic care and maintenance is occasional sweeping or blowing or water washing. This will remove many contaminants such as dust, pollution, mold or pollen spores, or seasonal foliage (leaves, seedpods, and such). This can be done as frequently as preferred.
To prolong the natural color after installation, a penetrating oil finish should be applied. Preston Woodcraft recommends oil from Deckwise®, Penofin®, Messmers®, and Cabots®. In addition to adding color back into the wood, these oil coatings also offer some UV protection as well as mold and mildew protection, and are easily applied with a brush or roller. Before applying any finish, first clean and remove any residue (procedure described below). After an initial oil coat is applied, an annual maintenance coat will continue to help keep the coloration for the next season. As with all cleaners, coatings, or sealants, it is recommended that a color test first be performed in a low visibility portion of the product before proceeding with the entire area.
If desired, Preston Woodcraft products can be more aggressively cleaned. This may be necessary if no maintenance has been done for an extended period and a return to the natural color is desired, or if there is an issue with excessive mold or moss. In order of lowest to highest intensity, 2 methods are described for cleaning:
Chemical Cleaning: We recommend using deck cleaning products available such as DeckWise® Hardwood Cleaner or DeckWise® Hardwood Brightener which safely cleans the wood and also kills mold spores. Other wood deck cleaning products are also suitable. After cleaning, our product is ready for a coating of penetrating oil (if desired) once it is clean and dry.
Pressure Washing: You can use a water pressure washer to quickly remove built-up dirt, mold or mildew. This cleaning method will bring most of the original color back to your purchase. Preston Woodcraft recommends using a rotary-style wand attachment or rotary surface cleaner to avoid making obvious stripes in the wood. Excessive pressure washing in a concentrated area will remove some wood grain (and will make a color match over the product more difficult) and could alter the shape of the edges or gouge the surface. Test the cleaning an inconspicuous area first. Pressure washing is the fastest method of cleaning.
If some light surface damage has occurred, our products can be sanded with a common palm sander and 100-250 grit sandpaper depending on the desired finish. If the damage is too deep or excessive, the damaged components can be easily replaced. Contact Preston Woodcraft to purchase replacement parts or for complete product replacement.
With simple care and maintenance as described above, the appearance of your Preston Woodcraft products can be retained in a nearly new condition for several decades.
