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Installation Guides

STORAGE

Avoid dragging and throwing the boards while loading and storing. Facade boards should be stored horizontally on their flat surface, preferably in their original packaging, on a dry and level surface or on 50mm wide wooden posts with spacing not exceeding 500mm. Store in  a well-ventilated room.

MATERIALS & WORK EQUIPMENT

Required materials:

  • Facade boards
  • Beams
  • Starter Clips & Fixing Clips
  • Screws
 

Work equipment:

  • Cordless drill and torx nozzle
  • Saw
  • Measuring tape and pencil
  • Protective equipment (goggles, gloves etc.)
CUTTING

To cut WPC, regular wood cutting devices are suitable. Large tooth saw blades should be avoided.

BASE CONSTRUCTION

Regular wooden beams are suitable for the base framework. Beams should be installed at intervals of up to 400 mm. Where one facade board ends and another begins two beams must be installed side-by-side. The outermost beams should be installed so that the facade boards do not extend more than 30 mm over the edge of the beams. 

DRILLING

Most of the boards we supply are designed to be fixed using concealed starter or fixing clips.

However, where boards require fixing with screws, it is always necessary to pre-drill the screw holes into the WPC material.

 

The drilled hole should be smaller than the diameter of the screw. For instance, for a 4mm diameter screw, the drill should have a 3mm diameter. 

During the drilling process the drill should occasionally be drawn out of the drilling hole to remove any residue.

INSTALLATION OF NATURE CLADDING FACADES

Step by Step
  1. The beams should be attached to the base construction surface with fixing screws every 400 mm.
  2. Starter clips should be fixed at the bottom of each beam, positioned to give the desired ground clearance, ready for installation of the first board.
  3. The first facade board should be located into the starter clips.
  4. Fixing clips should then be fitted onto the beams to secure the board and provide the mounting point for each subsequent board.
  5. The last board should be fixed with a screw through the facade board. The screw holes should be pre-drilled into the facade boards. When fixing the screw through the board, leave a 30 mm space between the board edge and fixing point.

IMPORTANT: Leave an expansion gap of 5 mm around any obstructions, abutting walls, etc.

FINISHING EXTERNAL CORNERS

Solid Core Edge Board 150 x 20 x 4,200 mm is suitable for finishing external corners. An expansion gap must be left between the facade board and the edge board. If it is intended to cover the expansion gaps, Edge board Basic 78 x 14 x 4,200 mm is suitable for that purpose. Fixing screws for edge boards should be installed every 400 mm and distanced from the edges by at least 30 mm. 

FINISHING INTERNAL CORNERS

Internal corners can be finished without additional boards. However,  if it is intended to cover the expansion gaps, Edge board Basic 78 x14 x 4,200 mm is suitable for that purpose. Fixing screws for edge boards should be installed every 400 mm and distanced from the edges by at least 30 mm.

CONTINUING FACADE BOARDS

At the points where one facade board ends and a new board begins, two base beams should be installed side by side. A expansion gap must be left between the ends of the facade boards. If it is intended to cover the expansion gaps, Edge board Basic 78 x 14 x 4,200 mm is suitable for that purpose. Fixing screws for edge boards should be installed every 400 mm and distanced from the edges by at least 30 mm.

EXPANSION GAPS

Depending on the outdoor temperature, expansion gaps should be left at the joints.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Dakota Living’s WPC cladding materials are incredibly low-maintenance, especially compared to traditional wooden facades. You’ll never need to spend time or money on staining, oiling, or sealing. To keep your facades looking beautiful, all that’s needed is a simple periodic cleaning with a brush, soapy water, and a sponge or pressure washer.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAINTENANCE

  1. Dust and dirt. To remove dust and dirt, the surface should be cleaned with water and a brush, by wiping in the same direction as the pattern of the facade board. To remove ingrained dirt, use a pressure washer, and if necessary use soapy water.
  2. Scratches. Lighter scratches will vanish over time. To remove deeper ones, use fine sandpaper rubbing in parallel with the facade board pattern.

PLEASE NOTE:

  1. Always use detergents with a neutral pH to clean your facade boards. Stronger detergents can alter the surface colour.
  2. Never use industrial chemicals to clean your facade boards, as they can permanently bleach or damage the surface.
  3. To prevent scratching, only use a soft bristled brush when cleaning the surface.
  4. Detergents containing oxalic acid and/or methanol should only be used at low concentrations. If necessary, decrease the concentration by adding more water to the solution.
  5. Only use sandpaper with grit levels between 40 and 100. Do not use sanding machines!
  6. Never sand surfaces with a wood pattern. Sanding removes the relief surface permanently.
  7. When using a pressure washer, keep the nozzle at least 300mm away from the surface of the boards to prevent any damage.

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