Mandioqueira is an attractive and versatile South American hardwood species that is mostly straight grained with an attractive natural light golden brown appearance. It has a medium texture and a medium to golden lustre. Mandioqueira is a naturally decay resistant wood species that offers excellent performance characteristics at an attractive price point. It comes with full FSC certification.

This economical hardwood decking is rated as having class 3 durability, making it suitable for exterior use out of ground contact, and ideal for use as decking. Mandioquiera is also used for boat and ship building, outdoor furniture and other carpentry and joinery applications. To ensure optimal stability it has been carefully kiln dried at source to a moisture content of approximately 14 - 16%.

Appearance

Mandioqueira has a medium to golden lustre and a medium texture. The grain although predominantly straight is occasionally interlocked (roey). The overall appearance is a pleasing light golden brown tone, however closer inspection will reveal tones ranging from light pinkish brown to red brown. The wood can contain a white substance in its pores.

The majority of boards are free of knots and any cavities have been filled; therefore it provides a clean contemporary appearance. Mandioquiera’s natural light golden brown tones are similar to the colour tones found in Oak, therefore this wood species would work well in situations where an (interior) Oak floor meets an (exterior) deck and a generally homogenous appearance is desired.

A small percentage of boards have raised grain on the reverse face of the board, which can be easily removed by a light sand if necessary. You may find approximately 3-5% of boards exhibit hit and miss near the ends of the boards which can also be resolved by sanding back until the edges are radial.

Storage and Handling 

For best results store your Mandioquiera decking out of direct sunlight and do not expose it to weather before installation.  Keep the boards off the ground by stacking them flat on timbers placed on the ground; this allows air to circulate around the stack.  Cover your deck boards with a waterproof breathable sheet to protect them from sun and rain until you are ready to install them.

Cleaning and Maintenance 

Your Mandioquiera deck will benefit from regular cleaning.  Brush the deck with a stiff broom to remove dirt and dead leaves, and ensure that the gaps between the boards are clear of organic debris.  Clean the deck periodically with Multi Wash by Sansin^® to remove grime and mildew.  Mandioquiera decking can be pressure washed, but it is important to select a low setting to prevent the wood fibres on the surface from being damaged.

If your Mandioquiera deck is weathered it is possible to restore the natural colour with Wood Cleaner by Sansin^®.  This product will remove weathering, mould, algae, mildew and iron stains and prepares the surface for recoating. 

If an existing finish or stain has broken down it can be removed using Paint and Stain Remover by Sansin^®.  This product will remove most failed oil-based or latex finishes, extreme weathering, water stains, mould and mildew and restore wood to its natural colour.

Equipment 

Mandioqueira decking can be crosscut with good quality chop saw using a tungsten carbide tipped blade.  Ripping can be done on a standard table saw, using a good quality, well-aligned fence and a tungsten carbide tipped blade.  When drilling, always use the highest quality drill bits available. If screwing through the face, use a countersink bit with a positive stop to ensure that all the screw heads end up at a consistent depth.  Screws can be lubricated to make installation easier.

Routing or planing can be done with either high speed tungsten carbide cutters. The feed speed should be fairly slow. 

Safety

A dust mask and eye protection should always be worn when working with any wood.  Avoid the inhalation of wood dust.  We recommend a dust mask with an activated carbon filter. Some people may have an allergic reaction to hardwood dust.  Remove wood splinters immediately to prevent infection.

Disclaimer

To ensure its quality, Mandioquiera decking from Silva is carefully manufactured, graded and inspected at source.  It is inspected again during the order picking process prior to despatch.  However, Mandioquiera decking is a natural wood product and is subject to variations in weight, density, colour, grain and performance. Mandioquiera decking is subject to dimensional changes as the moisture content in the wood fluctuates with humidity in the air. Swelling, shrinkage, checking, and other movement of individual pieces are normal occurrences in wood decking.

Deck Board Spans

21 x 145mm Mandioqueira decking should be installed with joists spaced at 400mm centres.  When installing the boards diagonally the joists should be spaced at 300mm centres.

Deck Board Spacing

21 x 145mm Mandioqueira decking should be installed with a 5mm gap between the boards.  The space between the boards allows for air circulation and slight expansion with changes to the humidity level.

Ventilation

It is important to allow adequate air circulation underneath the deck to prevent cupping and warping of the boards.  It is recommended that a vapour barrier is used on the ground to prevent moisture from absorbing into the underside of the deck boards.

Fasteners

There are a number of different options available for fastening deck boards to the joists.  We recommend screwing through the face of every board using 5.0 x 60mm Countersunk Stainless Steel Screws. Fix two screws into every joist at quarter points on the deck board (36mm from each edge).  We recommend that pilot holes are drilled prior to inserting the screws.  This is particularly important at the ends of the boards to prevent splitting. 5.0 x 60mm Countersunk Stainless Steel Screws will flex slightly as the wood expands and contracts as the level of humidity changes with the changing of the seasons.

For a cleaner finish we suggest recessing the screws and using plugs to hide the screw heads.  Plugs can be cut from off-cuts of decking using a relatively inexpensive drill attachment called a plug cutter. 

Hidden Fasteners

There are a number of hidden fastening systems available.  None of these products are as reliable as screwing through the face, and it is likely that there will be some additional movement of the deck boards when using hidden fasteners.  If using a hidden fastening system it is essential to allow adequate ventilation beneath the deck and to coat the deck boards with an appropriate finish on all sides prior to installation.

Hardwood wrench

The longer the deck board the greater the tendency for it to be slightly bowed. To overcome this, most professional deck installers will carry a tool called a Hardwood Wrench, or Bow wrench, which enables the user to easily straighten a bowed board single handed as it is installed.  The Bow wrench is relatively inexpensive and can save a lot of time, so it’s worth buying even if you only use it for one project.  It can also he hired from some tool hire stores.

End Sealer

Mandioqueira decking from Silva Timber is end-sealed during the manufacturing process to help prevent splitting and checking on the ends of boards.  We recommend that if the boards are cut during installation then the exposed end grain should be sealed as soon as possible.   A clear, water-resistant wax such as Osmo Wax End Sealer should be used.

There is no official standardised grading system for Mandioqueira Decking, however manufacturers generally adhere to the internationally recognised National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) grading system.  The standard quality of Mandioqueira commonly available throughout Europe is known as FAS grade.  It is also known and described by some suppliers as ‘First and Seconds’, ‘Prime Grade’, ‘No. 1 Grade’, ‘First Quality’,  ‘First Grade’ and ‘A Grade’. 

Regardless of the title attributed to it, the most important factor to consider when buying Mandioqueira is the quality of production. Mandioqueira decking from Silva Timber is carefully sourced from selected mills to ensure the highest levels of quality and consistency.

This product carries Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Accreditation.

FSC is a world-wide, independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation representing environmental and social groups and the timber and forestry industry. It aims to generate certification of forestry activity that incorporates clear guidelines and standards covering social, environmental and economic aspects of forest management.

Established in 1993 as a response to concerns over global deforestation, FSC is widely regarded as one of the most important initiatives of the last decade to promote responsible forest management worldwide.

The FSC label provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products, enabling consumers and businesses to make purchasing decisions that benefit people and the environment as well as providing ongoing business value.

Chain of Custody (CoC)

The FSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification system provides an audit trail from forest to final use. The rigour of the system is ensured by regular independent inspection at all stages in the supply chain.

FSC chain of custody (CoC) tracks FSC certified material through the production process - from the forest to the consumer, including all successive stages of processing, transformation, manufacturing and distribution.

Only FSC CoC certified operations are allowed to label products with the FSC trademarks. The FSC label thus provides the link between responsible production and consumption and thereby enables the consumer to make socially and environmentally responsible purchasing decisions.

Silva Timber Products meets the requirements for FSC Chain of Custody Standard FSC - STD - 40 - 004 (2004) within the BM TRADA Certification Limited Scheme for TRADA - Trak chain of custody certification.

Certificate number:- TT-COC-002296