Short installation instruction

We recommend entrusting the installation of terrace boards in the safe hands of our professionals. However, if you do the installation of the terrace boards yourself, please follow exactly the directions listed below, which will guarantee a long service life of our material:

1. Upon receipt, the material should be allowed to acclimate for at least 24 hours, stored in a shady, dry and smooth-faced place.

2. When designing the subfloor construction of the terrace (alignment), the distances between the centers of the sleepers must not exceed 400 millimeters.

3. For terraces with a medium and low load: 400 millimeters between the centers of the sleepers. For terraces with a high load, such as a public place, we recommend reducing the distance to 300 millimeters.

4. When creating a terrace subfloor and providing the interval between the load-bearing elements required above, we recommend leaving the smallest space on the outer edge of the terrace, thus guaranteeing a stronger foundation for the part of the terrace that will have a higher load.

5. When fixing the terrace boards, compensating gaps in the longitudinal direction to the board or obstacle (house wall, tree, etc.) must be observed.

6. A gap of 1-2 millimeters must be observed for each running meter of the terrace board so that the material can expand in hot and humid weather.

7. When installing terrace boards, overhangs of more than 50 mm are not permitted! The ends of the boards must be secured with a sleeper no further than 50 mm from the end of the board to prevent incorrect load formation. The example below shows how the boards should not be installed (the end of the board on the left is not fixed, the compensation gap on the right side of the wall is not observed).

8. We recommend not to lay the terrace boards longitudinally to avoid gaps in the terrace covering, but if the geometric dimensions of the terrace do not allow the use of solid boards, each end of the terrace board should be placed on its own sleeper, creating a double sleeper in this place.

9. Only stainless-steel screws of sufficient thickness (3.5 mm) should be used to fasten the boards. The screws work in tandem with our mounting brackets.

10. If you drill through the board when using the screws to screw the board in, the full warranty conditions may not apply. We recommend assembling our boards only with our mounting brackets.

11. When planning the terrace covering, it is very important to create a 1 % slope for the entire terrace covering to ensure drainage of water from the terrace. At the same time, care must be taken to ensure that the terrace boards do not end on a sleeper which may prevent the drainage of water from the ends of the boards.

12. Terrace boards must be properly fastened so as their location cannot change and deform. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us and we will help! All these installation terms are binding on any customer who has purchased our product to guarantee the full warranty period. You can find the full warranty conditions on our website.

Warranty conditions for composite terrace boards

It is important to know and observe:

TOP DEX terrace boards are made of wood and plastic composite material (hereinafter WPC), which contains 55% natural wood. Continuous quality control is ensured during the production process in order to provide you with a sustainable product of the highest quality. TOP DEX WPC terrace boards have all the same advantages as terrace boards of any other material, at the same time this product has a significantly longer life and resistance to the adverse effects of environmental factors while requiring only minimal care.

TOP DEX WPC terrace boards will serve you significantly better than the ordinary wooden terrace, but it is very important to remember that they are still made of composite material and are exposed to the external environment, which is why it is important to follow care and operating rules in aims to take full advantage of this product. Proper installation plays a very important role in the further operation, so if you have purchased this product apart from installation services, please read the following carefully.

TOP DEX WPC terrace boards and their installation system (boards, sleepers, fasteners, etc.) are intended for the construction of a terrace covering for domestic use. Each designed board is able to withstand bending loads from 250 to 350 kg/m, if all the installation conditions described below in the correct installation rules are met. Neither the boards nor the mounting brackets are intended for structural and industrial load applications, it is only a covering material intended for the creation of a terrace.

Rules for proper installation:

The warranty for TOP DEX WPC terrace boards does not cover cases when they are incorrectly or improperly installed, or there were used the third-party installation accessories, screws, and mounting brackets. This does not apply to the subfloor. If you want to use a different type of subfloor, please contact your TOP DEX distributor, and find out about the alternative parameters to be met by sleepers.

The TOP DEX WPC terrace board warranty is valid if all the conditions described in this document are met. The installation of terrace boards must be entrusted to professionals in order to guarantee the longest possible service life from this material, so we take care of your time and offer our services in calculation, estimation, planning and installation of terrace coverings. However, if you carry out the terrace covering installation work yourself, please follow exactly the conditions listed below, which must be met for the material warranty to be valid in full:

• Upon receipt, the material should be allowed to acclimate for at least 24 hours, stored in a shady, dry and smooth-faced place.

• When creating the construction of the terrace subfloor, the maximum distances between the centers of the sleepers of lathing must be observed:

• For terraces with a medium and low load: 400 millimeters between the centers of the sleepers. For terraces with a high load, the distance must be 300 millimeters.

• When creating a terrace subfloor and providing the interval between the load-bearing elements required above, we recommend leaving the smallest space on the outer edge of the terrace, thus guaranteeing a stronger foundation for the part of the terrace that will have a higher load.

• When fixing the terrace boards, compensating gaps in the longitudinal direction to the board or obstacle must be observed.

• A gap of 1-2 millimeters must be observed for each running meter of the terrace board so that the material can expand in hot and humid weather.

• When installing terrace boards, overhangs of more than 50 mm are not permitted! The ends of the boards must be secured with a sleeper no further than 50 mm from the end of the board to prevent incorrect load formation. The example below shows how the boards should not be installed (the end of the board on the left is not fixed, the compensation gap on the right side of the wall is not observed).

• We recommend not to lay the terrace boards longitudinally to avoid gaps in the terrace covering, but if the geometric dimensions of the terrace do not allow the use of solid boards, each end of the terrace board should be placed on its own sleeper, creating a double sleeper in this place.

• Only stainless-steel screws of sufficient thickness (3.5 mm) should be used to fasten the boards. The screws work in tandem with our mounting brackets.

• If you drill through the board when using the screws to screw the board in, the full warranty conditions may not apply. We recommend assembling our boards only with our mounting brackets.

Terrace boards must be properly fastened so as their location cannot change and deform.

The warranty does not cover cases where the boards are deformed due to improper fasteners or screws that cannot hold the boards in their intended places or, on the contrary, prevent them from thermally expanding and shrinking due to environmental factors.

The warranty does not cover cases when the damage to the terrace boards has been caused by incorrect installation, incorrectly designed or when the subfloor (lathing) is made from incorrect materials, or its deformation has led to overloading of the terrace flooring. The warranty is not provided if the TOP DEX WPC decking boards have been dismantled from the original installation location and re-installed at another location without complying with the requirements and recommendations in this document.

Examples of exposure to inappropriate environmental conditions

TOP DEX WPC terrace boards are a physical material with their own characteristics and, although it is a wood-polymer composite material that is much more durable and sustainable than ordinary wooden terraces, it can be negatively affected and damaged by prolonged exposure to moisture. The following is a list of situations that significantly reduce the life of the boards and are not covered by the Warranty:

There is insufficient ventilation under the terrace deck. No drainage of water away from the base is provided, which results in standing puddles and/or increased humidity under the terrace.

The terrace boards are in standing water or the terraces are not cleared of snow during the winter.

The terrace boards have been in contact with saltwater.

No slopes have been observed during the installation of the terrace, as a result of which standing water regularly remains on the terrace. We recommend a 1 % slope when installing terrace boards, which means a 1-centimeter slope per each running meter of the board, in order not to create standing water on the terrace board and to ensure the full warranty conditions. If an ice cork has formed in the inner cavities of the terrace, which will destroy the terrace boards during expanding.

There are objects on the terrace for a long time, under which the moisture accumulates without the possibility of drying out or naturally ventilating, such as carpets, large boxes or other waterproof coatings.

Terrace boards are in direct contact with concrete, walls or other surfaces through which water may flow without the possibility of sufficient ventilation of the terrace board.

Cleaning and maintenance are recommended:

The TOP DEX WPC terrace board warranty is valid if all the conditions described in this document are met and when reporting a defect to TOP DEX technical professionals, if necessary, it is possible to detect the defect in person. The warranty does not cover damage caused due to the absence of maintenance and cleaning, by presence of excessive moisture, due to inaccurate installation of the terrace, as well as natural disasters that have caused physical damage.

Regular non-maintenance of the terrace can lead to a scenario where the warranty is not valid, so we recommend washing your terrace with a high-pressure cleaner at a distance of 20-40 cm at a pressure of 5-8 bar at least twice a year.

Examples of misuse:

Although TOP DEX WPC terrace boards have a much longer lifetime than ordinary wooden terrace boards, they can be easily mechanically damaged with various mechanical tools, we remind you that these terrace boards are for domestic use only.

The warranty does not cover any mechanical damage to the terrace boards caused by mechanical tools or regular improper overloading. The Warranty does not cover any damage or changes to the terrace boards caused by animals, plants, as well as the result of malicious acts of people. The warranty also does not cover damage to the boards caused by improper storage, displacement, installation, operation, maintenance, or force majeure. Normal wear and tear and slight discoloration are not covered by this warranty.

Final provisions.

TOP DEX guarantees that during the warranty period the terrace boards of TOP DEX after their purchase will not crumble, crack, deform or form scratches. The service life and quality of TOP DEX WPC terrace boards directly depend on compliance with the terms of the Warranty and the operating instructions.

TOP DEX WPC products are manufactured by the hot extrusion method and are a wood fiber and high-density polyethylene composite material. All products have dimensional tolerances of +/- 1% longitudinally and +/- 3% wide. The color tone of TOP DEX WPC terrace boards is not contractually binding, it may differ between different production batches depending on raw materials, production temperature, surface treatment direction, strength and depth, so we recommend purchasing all necessary materials in one go.

In the process of surface treatment of boards, grinding takes place in one specific direction. If boards with opposite grinding directions are placed next to each other, they may differ visually. In all cases of Warranty event in accordance with the provisions described in this document, it covers only the costs of the TOP DEX terrace boards and sleepers, if purchased together, by replacing the damaged products with new ones. The Warranty does not cover the costs of dismantling, installation, transport or disposal of terrace boards, as well as other indirect costs, if any. The Warranty does not cover any other damage to the customer, or third parties caused directly or indirectly by the defective product, limited to the replacement of the defective product with a new one.

When applying for a Warranty, a purchase document confirming the purchase must be presented: check or payment order. The Warranty claim must be submitted within 31 days of the discovery of the defect, informing an authorized TOP DEX distributor. The claim can be submitted in writing, describing the defect of the terrace boards, as well as the type of operation, accompanied by a document confirming the purchase and a photograph of the object. The total Warranty period for TOP DEX WPC terrace boards is 10 years. Each Warranty case will be considered separately, and TOP DEX reserves the right not to reimburse the cost of the material if the material is used improperly or installed in violation of the installation norms included in this document. These Warranty conditions for TOP DEX wood-polymer composite terrace boards are valid from 28.04.2020. and are valid for every product manufactured by TOP DEX: terrace board, sleeper, board fastening brackets and other products. If the customer has lost or not read these warranty conditions, it shall not exempt from liability for compliance during both storage and installation.