Deck-Laying

Deck Laying Instructions

You will require the following items to hand in order to lay your new Dekkit decking:

1. A pencil,
2. A sharp Stanley type craft knife,
3. A sanding block with 60 and 40 grit paper,
4. A floor roller or rolling pin,
5. A cartridge and long sausage gun,
6. A glue spreader with 2mm teeth,
7. Weights,
8. Off cuts of timber such as Ply or MDF,
9. Masking Tape,
10. Power sander (If you have to flatten non slip areas).

Preparation
Dekkit is made from a flexible material which will contour to the surface it is adhered to so it is essential that the deck surface should be filled and faired. Steel and Wooden decks will require priming or sealing. Please contact us for more details. On GRP decks it is possible to lay Dekkit decking directly over a shallow non slip surface, however if the non slip is very pronounced it is recommended that these areas are partly flattened using a power sander and 60-80 grit sand paper.

Important
The panels must be laid out flat in a temperature of not less than 15ºC in order to stabilize the material and make it easy to handle.

Method
First remove all fittings and fastenings as required.

Lay Dekkit panels into position to check for fit and to ensure that the caulking lines line up between panels. If trimming is required this can be done using Stanley type craft knife, and a sanding block with 40 grit sand paper. Once you are content with position and fit draw a pencil line around the outside edge of each panel and mark positioning lines on the panel and deck using masking tape and lines. Remove panels and store flat.

Lightly abrade any shiny areas where deck is to be laid using 40/60 grit sand paper. Remove all dust then de-grease the whole area with a solvent degreaser.

Use a sausage gun, squeeze out the adhesive using a back and forward motion to cover an area of approximately one square meter at a time (fig.1)

Using 2mm toothed spreader, comb adhesive lines at a ninety degree to the caulking lines. (fig.2) As a guide, one 600g sausage of adhesive will cover around one and a half square meter of deck. This should be done in a temperature between 15ºC and 25ºC to conform to the adhesive speciation and to have the Dekkit panel in the best condition.

Fig.1	Fig.2	Fig.3

Place each panel of Dekkit on the adhesive. Start at one end and make slowly curved movements until fully in place. (Fig. 3) using the extensible Roller / normal roller or something similar, you work from the center toward the edges of the panel to expels all air and leave no air in pockets (Fig. 4).

Fig.4	Fig.5

Paste the ends with tape especially curves and corners, place boards or MDF wood veneer on the surface and fasten with the weights, this will ensure that it adheres well (Fig. 5). After 24 hours (more in cold temperatures) remove the weights, boards and tape, wipe off any excess adhesive using a wooden or plastic spatula. Replace fittings and your new deck is finished!