Frequently asked questions
We have listed below the questions we are asked most often about interlocking
patio pavers.
Click on any of the links below to see the answer to
a specific question.
General
Where to use
Installation
Maintenance
Q. Where can I use the pavers?
A. Practically any solid,
even surface e.g. courtyards, balconies, patios,
porches, roof tops, hot tub surrounds, pool surrounds,
garden paths, boat decks, garages, gazebos, sun rooms,
basements, campgrounds…..anywhere you would like a
beautiful wood deck or floor.
Q. Does extremely cold conditions
affect the plastic base?
A. Although the impact resistance of polypropylene used for the base is
progressively reduced below -20°C, this will not normally affect the pavers are installed
or removed in such conditions, as the plastic interconnecting tabs would be more
brittle. Wait til it gets bit warmer to install or remove the tiles.
Q. Does water or heavy rainfall
affect the pavers?
A. Due to the gaps between the slats of wood and the specially designed mesh
base, any water drains away quickly and freely. No water remains trapped or in
extended contact with the wood.
Q: If the pavers are not glued or fixed to the floor, then what’s to stop them
from moving?
A. The pavers have inbuilt tabs on all sides which lock securely to the adjacent
tiles so they cannot move once laid. Q.
What
about installation in extremely hot, dry locations?
The polypropylene base can withstand temperatures up to 60 degrees C without any
problem.
Q. Can the wood slats come loose?
A. No. Each wood slat is secured to the plastic base by at least two corrosion
resistant screws.
Q. Will the wood twist or warp in hot, humid conditions?
A. The small gaps left between the slats of wood allow the wood to naturally
expand and contract as needed. Under some conditions, a slight cupping of the
wood slats may occur after heavy rainfall, but this will disappear as the
surface dries.
Q: Is the wood on the pavers affected by snow or extremely cold conditions?
A. The wood is unaffected by snow although you may notice some minor cupping of
the wood slats just after the snow has melted and the wood surface is still wet.
This cupping will disappear once the snow completely melts and the wood surface
dries.
Q. What is the cost difference between installing this product versus a
traditional deck?
A. Since you can install the pavers yourself, the difference in installation
cost is huge. Also, if you compare the material cost of building a hardwood deck
the traditional way, the materials cost would be far higher. Typically you can
expect that a interlocking paver installation will be less than half the cost of building
a conventional hardwood deck. Wood pavers also offer more possibilities in terms
of design and can easily be taken up and reinstalled in another location as
required. If you are installing the pavers over an existing concrete patio, then
consider the massive savings in time, cost and the backbreaking work of digging
up and re-laying the concrete pad.
Q. Can a car be driven over the
pavers?
A. Whilst the plastic bases would support a car being driven over the pavers, we
do not recommend their use for vehicular traffic.
Q. How fire resistant are the
pavers?
A. Since the pavers are solid wood and attached to a plastic base, you need to
take the same care as you would with a conventional wood deck, against fire. The
pavers can however be used around BBQ areas provided normal precautions are
observed against hot coals or burning embers falling on the tiles.
Q. How long will the pavers last?
A. Although the warranty period extends for 5 years from the date of purchase,
the wood used on the pavers has a rated durability in excess of 15 years under
normal exterior conditions.
Q. How long is the warranty?
A. The pavers are guaranteed against faulty workmanship for a period of five
years from the date of purchase. This does not cover natural imperfections or
variations in timber, misuse or failure to maintain the timber, or being laid on
a surface that is not well drained.
Where can the pavers be used?
Q. Can you only install the pavers over concrete?
A. Whilst covering drab concrete surfaces is an ideal use for the pavers, they
can equally well be laid over ceramic tiles, pavers, existing wood decks, and
other hard surfaces.
Q. Can I use the pavers indoors?
A. Certainly. However you should take care that if any crumbs or other food
particles fall in the gaps between the wood slats, they are vacuumed away
promptly.
Q. Can the pavers be laid directly on bare earth?
A. We normally recommend the pavers are laid on well compacted gravel rather than
bare earth. If you wish to lay the pavers directly on bare ground or grass, we
recommend covering the area to be laid with weed control mat before laying the
tiles. In all cases, the ground should be firm, level and with a slight slope
for drainage.
Q. Can I lay the pavers on a conventional deck sub frame resting on the wood
bearers?
A. The pavers are not designed to be laid on bearers. They must be laid on a
solid surface.
Q. Can the pavers be laid directly on rooftops covered with a rubber or
bituminous membrane without damaging or puncturing the membrane?
A. The pressure on the paver base is normally distributed in such a way that
no damage will occur. However if you wish to take additional precautions,
then we suggest laying down a suitable geotextile mat before the tiles are
laid. Although such fabric matting would probably
be the lowest cost option, sometimes a building owner may require something
more substantial as an extra safeguard. In that case the best alternative
would probably be to lay down an EPDM sheet which costs from about 50c per
sq.ft. and comes in continuous sheeting as large as 50' x 100'. Q. Can the
pavers be laid on a sloping roof deck?
A. If the slope is not so great
that you can actually walk on it, then the pavers could satisfactorily be laid. Some slope is ideal as it allows water to drain freely away.
Q. Can the pavers be laid over an existing weathered wood deck?
A. Provided the surface and supporting framework are structurally sound and the
surface is even, the vers are an ideal and cost effective way to bring an
existing deck back to its former glory.
Installation questions
Q. How long does it normally take to install a deck or patio?
A. Most decks can be installed in one to two hours, depending on the size and
complexity. Decks with curved edges or fitting around pipes etc may take longer
due to the extra paver cutting required.
Q What tools are required?
A. The only tools required are a tape measure, carpenter's square, hand saw, jig
saw (if there are any curved areas) screwdriver, utility knife and sandpaper
(for smoothing any cut edges).
Q: Are the pavers glued or secured to the floor in any way?
A. No. Installation of the pavers requires no adhesives, nails, screws or any
other fixing devices.
Q. What level of skill is required to install the
pavers?
A.. If you played with Lego ® as a child, then you will find laying the pavers
just as easy. The pavers lock securely and precisely in place with just a gentle
push. Alignment of the pavers is automatic so you just extend the deck in
whichever direction you want without any alignment problems. You only need to be
able to use a handsaw or jigsaw if it is necessary to cut any pavers to fit
around pipes or to fit a final row of tiles against a retaining wall or the
outside deck edge.
Q: What do I do about corners or curved areas?
A. You can just simply cut the pavers with a handsaw or jigsaw. You may however
need to insert additional screws via the existing screw holes in the plastic A.
base to ensure that each wood slat is still secured with a least two screws.
Q. Is any kind of underlayment or special surface preparation required?
A. No. Only if the pavers are installed directly on the ground, then a weed
control film should be laid first.
Q. How do I hide the plastic tabs on the outside edge of the tile?
A. Matching edge reducer pieces and corner reducer pieces are available that
simply snap into place on the outer edge of a row of tiles.
Q. How level does the surface beneath the
pavers have to be?
A. The tiles can "bridge" about 3/8 in. of vertical mismatch in a concrete
sub-surface as long as any such cracking does not lie directly below the join
between adjacent tiles. Excessive unevenness in a concrete surface will need to
be repaired with a patching compound or resurfaced prior to installation.
Q. Can I use the pavers for steps or stairs?
A. We don’t recommend using the pavers for steps or stairs unless they are
screwed securely to the base of the stairway. Additionally end capping should be
fixed to the edge of the paver to hide the plastic base. However we normally
recommend using solid wood to construct a stairway or alternatively plain or
tiled concrete
Q. How soon can I use the deck after installation?
A. You can use your new deck immediately.
Maintenance aspects
Q. Does the sun affect the wood
in any way?
A. Any hardwood deck will eventually fade and turn grey if not treated with a
suitable preservative oil at regular intervals. Although the pavers are
pre-finished with a preservative oil containing some UV absorbing properties,
the oil will not provide a permanent protection against natural fading or greying of the timber. To assist in preserving the original wood colour as long
as possible, we recommended that a good quality decking oil be applied every 6
to 12 months depending on the prevailing climatic conditions.
Q. Will the wood grow mold and mildew?
A. In normal conditions, the gaps between the wood slats and the special mesh
base ensure good airflow and quick drying which inhibits mold and mildew growth
on the decking. If installed in exterior areas which remain damp and out of
direct sunlight, then some growth of mold or mildew may occur as with
conventional wood decking
Q. How do I clean the pavers?
A. Light debris or dirt that may collect between the wood slats can be removed
with a stiff broom, leaf blower, vacuum cleaner, or you can use garden hose or
pressure washer.
Q: Can I remove or
move around the pavers once they are laid?
A. You can easily lift up any or all of the pavers and re-install them in a new
location as required without any danger of damaging the
pavers.
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