LifePlus Decking - a new and improved timber decking delivering longer life plus improved performance

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LifePlus Information

Information available on this page includes:

PRODUCT INFORMATION

- How is the LifePlus Decking approach different?

- How does LifePlus® Decking deliver improved performance plus longer life?

TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS

The LifePlus® Decking System Essentials (V2)

LifePlus Decking Specification (V3 now available)

Installation Notes (V5 now available)

LifePlus Decking Guide (V4 now available)

LifePlus Decking Guide Essentials (V5 now available)
(Essential Information and Recommendations
for Design and Construction from
the LifePlus® Decking Guide)

Patent, Design & Trademark Information

NOTE:  Click on the following link (Amendments) to view the amendments from the previous version to the present for each document.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

LifePlus® Decking is a new, unique, high quality, hardwood timber decking, designed to enhance the enjoyment of outdoor decking areas by delivering improved performance over a longer life (click here for a copy of the LifePlus® Decking Brochure)

LifePlus® Decking combines innovative design with in-depth knowledge of timber and its performance and application particularly in fully weather-exposed conditions and is protected by a number of Australian Patent, Design and Trade Mark Applications.
 
 HOW IS THE LIFEPLUS DECKING APPROACH DIFFERENT?

Timber decks are generally a significant investment and are invariably built to enhance in some way the lifestyle of its owners, often as an outdoor living or entertainment area as an integral part of a new home design or added to an existing home.
 

However, traditional decking projects, unfortunately, often do not deliver on the owners expectations of lifestyle enhancement because of poor performance.  Poor performance can originate broadly from 2 sources.  The first is from a low cost focus and the second is from the sourcing of inadequate quality materials and/or use of poor construction practices through lack of knowledge of its short or long term impact.
 

In the first case,  the sourcing of all the elements of the project is based on the lowest price, including the decking timber, the subframe timber, the project construction (including subframe construction and installation of the decking timber) and initial and on-going application of protective finishes.

In the second case, an owner may be prepared to pay for a quality project and may even believe that it has been delivered but less than suitable quality materials and less than ideal construction practices may have been incorporated because of the competitive demands of the industry or lack of appreciation of the short or long term impact of such decisions. 

 

In many cases, again unfortunately, a decking project may combine some elements of good and not so good materials and construction practices so that the purchaser pays close to the expected amount for quality but may still receive a project which provides disappointing performance eg good quality decking and subframe timbers may be purchased but the decking may then be fixed with T-nails which do not provide sufficient hold-down and deteriorate prematurely or the deck may be hand-nailed with the nails in-line so that they split the joists - these are not unusual situations.       

Unfortunately, as a result of either of these 2 approaches,  timber decks often do not deliver on the lifestyle enhancing expectations, suffering from performance issues and reduced enjoyment by users of the deck.  These performance issues can take many forms, including:

- “short term performance issues” such as distortion, excessive swelling and shrinking or nails working out or failing, or
- “longer-term performance issues” such as premature deterioration of the substructure, fixings or decking material itself and even failure if he deterioration is not recognised .

LifePlus® Decking, in comparison, has a focus on delivering decking projects which perform well over a long life and are as great a source of enjoyment to the owners as they anticipate it will be.
 



PATENT, DESIGN & TRADEMARK INFORMATION

LifePlus® Decking is the subject of the following Australian Intellectual Property Registration:

Australian Innovation Patent No 2003100493 (Examined and Certified).
Australian Design Registration No 155986.
Australian Standard Patent Application No 2003204845.

Australian Registered Trademark No 96541
(LifePlus & Life+)

LifePlus® Decking is also the subject of a number of granted and pending international Patents, Designs and Trademarks, including:

Patent Cooperation Treaty Application
No PCT/AU2004/000825

New Zealand Design Application,
corresponding to AU Design Application 2106/2003
New Zealand Trademark Registration No 707428

Allowed US Design Patent Application
No 29/195905

Japan Design Registration No 1220160

UK Design Application,
corresponding to AU Design Application 2106/2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOW DOES LIFEPLUS DECKING DELIVER IMPROVED PERFORMANCE PLUS LONGER LIFE 

LifePlus® Decking and projects in which it is installed will deliver longer life plus improved performance (in comparison to traditional decking) as a result of the following (click on the link for detailed information):
- the unique and improved profile
- manufacture from only selected Australian Hardwoods
- a standardised manufacturing process for consistent quality
- the LifePlus® Decking System
 

THE UNIQUE AND IMPROVED PROFILE

The LifePlus® Decking profile is an improvement on the shape of traditional decking.



The profile incorporates:
 
-  A warp-reducing groove and ripple on the underside, to reduce in-service distortion and increase ventilation between the deck and joist, reducing the potential for rotting of the joist and underside of the decking; and
- Tapered sides, to allow any debris which enters the gap between the boards to fall through, making the deck easier to clean and reducing the likelihood that damp debris will hold moisture between the boards contributing to their deterioration. The larger gap at the joist level also improves ventilation.

LifePlus® Decking is available as:

 

LifePlus® Natural Decking, which has a natural textured finish, for situations where improved slip resistance is a consideration or where a more natural appearance is preferred, and

 

 

LifePlus® Classic Decking, which has a smooth dressed face, for situations where a traditional appearance is preferred and slip resistance is not a consideration.

 

 

 

The exposed surface of LifePlus® Natural Decking is sanded during machining, removing loose splinters and leaving the natural textured form of the sawn surface. The natural face also performs better than a dressed face when exposed to the weather.


The LifePlus® Decking profile is unique in hardwood being the subject of a granted Registered Design and Innovation Patent in Australia.  The profile is also the subject of granted and pending Registered Designs  in a number of overseas markets and an international PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) application.   

MANUFACTURE ONLY FROM SELECTED AUSTRALIAN HARDWOODS

 LifePlus® Decking is manufactured from “selected hardwoods” - high quality, durability 1 (outside above ground classification to AS 5604 – 2003 ) treated hardwoods with proven durability, stability and weathering characteristics to deliver superior performance in weather exposed conditions. Note that LifePlus® Decking is not produced from “mixed hardwoods”, which can be supplied from a variety of hardwood species including some which are of lower durability, higher shrinkage and lower stability than we would consider acceptable.
 

A STANDARDISED MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR CONSISTENT QUALITY
 

LifePlus® Decking is manufactured by a number of independent producers, to a common high standard of timber grading and manufacture to ensure that LifePlus® Decking, wherever it is purchased and whoever produces it, will be of the same high standard and deliver the same performance and longevity benefits.

The LifePlus® Decking producers are certified by an independent assessor to ensure that the required standards are maintained over time .

Treatment is with a non-chrome & non-arsenic preservative, either Koppers Arch Tanalith E or Osmose ACQ – not CCA.

THE LIFEPLUS DECKING SYSTEM

The LifePlus® Decking System is an integrated system of best practices in design; construction and finishing materials; and construction, installation, finishing and maintenance practices developed to deliver a satisfying decking project which performs well over a long life.
The LifePlus® Decking System combines good practices in:
- design and detailing,
- use of LifePlus® Decking,
- use of other quality, and suitable, materials for the sub-structure, fixings and finishes,
- foundation and sub-frame construction, &
- decking installation, finishing and maintenance.


Why is there a need for a decking system?

Although LifePlus® Decking will deliver longer life plus improved performance, using LifePlus® Decking is not enough, as many performance issues (problems) are unrelated to the quality of the decking timber ie:


LifePlus® Decking used badly
will not perform to its potential
 

Performance issues can originate in a number of areas including:
- design and/or detailing,
- choice of decking or structural timber,
- choice of other materials,
- construction of the substructure,
- installation of the decking,
- finish chosen or finishing techniques, and
- maintenance of the decking.

For a LifePlus® Decking project to perform well over a long life, LifePlus® Decking must be supported by quality in all other aspects of project delivery.

The LifePlus® Decking System has been developed to ensure that LifePlus® Decking and a timber deck in which it is installed is enjoyable to use and provides the expected performance and longevity benefits.
TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS
 

The LifePlus® Decking technical documents have been developed with varying level of detail to suit the varying knowledge, experience and requirements of consumers, designers, specifiers or builders.


An overview of the LifePlus® Decking System is described  in the LifePlus Decking System Essentials,

 

Specific requirements (but without explanation or supporting information) are provided in  the LifePlus Decking Specification (with  LifePlus Decking Specification Explanatory Notes), and LifePlus Decking Installation Notes. 

 

Greatest detail and explanation is provided in the LifePlus Decking Guide.

 

The essential information and recommendations from the LifePlus® Decking Guide, but without the detailed explanations have been compiled into the LifePlus Decking Guide Essentials.  

 

NOTE:  Click on the following link (Amendments) to view the amendments from the previous version to the present for each document.

LIFEPLUS DECKING SYSTEM ESSENTIALS

 

We are often asked what are the most important parts of the LifePlus Decking System.  In reality, all the parts are important and the system will be most effective in delivering a successful and satisfying decking project if it is applied in its entirety.  The

LifePlus Decking System Essentials (V1) gives an overview of the elements of the system which fit together to deliver a project which performs well over a long life. 

LIFEPLUS DECKING SPECIFICATION

The LifePlus® Decking Specification has been prepared for designers and consumers who want to be able to define all the elements of the LifePlus® Decking System when dealing with builders, in either discussing or specifying the requirements for a project.  Click on the following links to view a copy of the LifePlus Decking Specification (V2) and LifePlus Decking Specification Explanatory Notes  (V4).

 

LIFEPLUS DECKING INSTALLATION NOTES

Detailed information on laying LifePlus® Decking is provided in the LifePlus Decking Installation Notes  (click on the link to view and print a copy). The installation information is the same as in the other LifePlus® Decking documents, but focuses only on the decking installation and maintenance and is intended to be referenced when the decking is to be or has been delivered but before commencing installation.

Click here to view the LifePlus® Decking Installation Notes. (V4 is now available)

 LIFEPLUS DECKING GUIDE

 The LifePlus Decking Guide is everything we know about delivering timber decks which perform well over a long period.  The Decking Guide is written in great detail, likely more than a designer or builder would require, but important points are highlighted in bold text to allow the reader to skim through the document and only read in detail topics of particular interest.  Click here For a downloadable copy of the LifePlus® Decking Guide. (V3 is now available)
 

LIFEPLUS DECKING GUIDE ESSENTIALS

The essential information and recommendations from the LifePlus® Decking Guide have been compiled into the LifePlus Decking Guide Essentials which is aimed at experienced DIYers, designers and builders, as it addresses the critical issues involved in building a deck but without the more detailed explanations found in the LifePlus® Decking Guide.

Click here to view the LifePlus® Decking Guide Essentials. (V4 is now available)
 


 
 


 
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LifePlus® Decking - a new and improved timber decking delivering longer life plus improved performance


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Images by Aperture Architectural Photography

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Timber Innovations