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Facts about Duradek
All products designed for exterior use will eventually be affected by Mother Nature. PVC, man's best attempt at prolonging the life cycle of various building products, performs an admirable job in delaying the inevitable, but it will, however show some signs of degradation.
Warnings against the effects of UV (ultra violet) rays on the skin are common. After a period of years, these same rays may affect outdoor products and therefore manufacturers add UV screens and stabilizers to prolong the life of PVC (vinyl) materials. These screens are designed to resist the cracking, embrittlement and discoloration of the vinyl. The thicker the vinyl, the greater the resistance to degradation.
APPEARANCE VERSUS WATERPROOFING
The prime function of the sheet vinyl product you purchased is to waterproof the space beneath, to protect the structure from rot, eliminate maintenance and to provide a durable long lasting, skid resistant surface. Its initial appearance will eventually deteriorate, but this does not affect its ability to provide waterproofing.
SEAMS
The strength of our system is in the method we use to weld the vinyl sheets together. The vinyl sheets are overlapped and heat fused. The seam is visible. Other systems that previously offered invisible seams resulted in waterproofing failures.
SCUFFING
Like any other floor surface, vinyl may scuff if abused. Try to avoid dragging heavy objects over unprotected PVC. Skidding a bicycle tire, a roller blade or the edge of a running shoe across the vinyl creates friction, and the extreme heat and abrasion may possibly remove the print. Our membranes are manufactured with a solid 'base' color, which is complementary, rather than obtrusive if the print finish is removed. Normal traffic will not damage the vinyl at all. Solid color membranes are available for high traffic areas.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE MATERIAL AGES?
If an appearance change is desired, our sheet vinyls can be painted with a specially formulated coating. The emboss texture will be preserved but any print will obviously be replaced by a solid color.
COLOR/PRINT
As a rule, the lighter the color you choose, the cooler the surface will stay and the less deterioration will occur. Darker colors will fade faster and be warmer on the feet. All vinyl tends to 'yellow' slightly. Gray's show it the most, while the 'yellowing' is hidden within earth-toned products.
Products with higher contrast in the print may show signs of fading sooner than low contrast colors. Solid colors will resist the visible effects of the UV the longest. However, high contrast in the print helps to hide blemishes in the floor surface beneath, as well as the other from everyday use. The lower the contrast in colors, the more these blemishes and the dirt will show. Solid color products are the most unforgiving. Blemishes such as plywood seams, nail head depressions or even plywood grain patterns can show up in late evening or early morning sunshine which casts a long, revealing shadow.
With our 30-plus years of experience, Duradek membranes are designed with proven blends of color, print and texture which offer the most long-lasting performance the industry can offer.