These boards are made from recycled plastic which expands and contracts. You MUST allow for this when fitting to a metal frame.

Guidelines

1. Pre-drilling holes before installation is recommended. Oversize holes by min of 2mm in relation to bolt size.
2. Use a stainless-steel bolt and washer system. DO NOT use countersunk screws. 6mm bolts are most popular. 6mm stainless bolts, washers and nuts available from Talitech in native stainless and chemically blackened stainless finish.
3. DO NOT over tighten bolts, allow for thermal expansion at the rate of approx 2.1mm per linear metre per 10-degree rise in temperature.
4. For the T&G boards, slot gently into each other as they are a loose – fitting board.
5. Boards should be fitted where possible, at or near its anticipated upper service temperature and always stored in a level and flat condition.
6. Before installing, boards should be stored at the ambient temperature that it will operate in once fitted. Ideally this needs to be 24 hours or longer.
7. Sawing: preferably with an electrical circular saw, with a large blade if possible. A small blade can heat up, causing the material to melt and to become more difficult to saw. When sawing the tongue and groove boards length ways the smaller piece can become bowed.
8. DO NOT nail or glue any part of the planks, when fitting to a metal frame.
9. You can ONLY nail or screw boards when you are fitting the plastic boards to each other. E.G: Raised flower beds, garden furniture. In these cases, everything expands and contracts together! So no need to allow extra room.

Recommendations

Please note that these recommendations may need to be altered to suit your particular project depending on where the boards are being used)

BRACE SUPPORTS

• • Rules for T&G boards being fitted vertically or horizontally:
    • 28mm T&G boards, anything over 1100mm tall needs a center brace.
    • 24mm T&G boards, anything over 600mm tall needs a center brace.
  • Rules for 95x20mm boards being fitted vertically or horizontally:
    • 20mm Square Edged boards should be supported every 500mm

  Only 1 bolt is required at Top, Middle (if center braced) and Bottom.

  Fortification (strengthening) strips are now available for the 28mm T&G boards.

• By using these every 3rd board it can eliminate the need to center brace up to approx. 1800mm tall or wide if being fitted horizontally.

  If fitting into stable doors/partitions etc, always over compensate and err on the side of caution when bracing boards as high impact is highly likely.

  When using the T&G boards for external structures, the use of a U-Frame is recommended. The boards need to be framed on all 4 sides and should not be packed too tightly.

An effective way of securing the first and last boards is to screw a long, strong screw horizontally through the side of the frame into the first and last board. Ensure that the screw is inserted at least 7 – 8 cm into the board.

Alternatively, halfway down the frame’s vertical length a small metal plate (at least 5cm x 5cm) can be screwed across the joint where the side of the
frame meets the first / last board. This will secure the end boards to the frame and prevent movement.

The intermediate boards are held straight due to the T&G system.