Attractive hardwood decking at an economical price
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.