CARE & MAINTENANCE
Care & Maintenance
Timber windows and doors require care and regular maintenance to ensure they continue to look and perform perfectly. Under the ‘Duce Guarantee’ it is required that you maintain your windows and doors in the best possible way.
A six-monthly check and thorough clean is recommended in clean air environments, and a three-monthly check and thorough clean is recommended in coastal or damp environments. If these products are subjected to spillage of cement, render, or other material, you must wash them clean immediately or you may risk a permanent stain or damage to your doors or windows.
Care & Maintenance guide
Download the Care & Maintenance guide
Timber
Cleaning
- Wipe surfaces using a sponge cloth lightly dampened with water and a mild detergent. Dry off with a clean cloth.
Initial coatings and ongoing maintenance
- While we prefer not to recommend any particular brand of paint or type of finish, we do suggest that the finish does seal the timber, rather than just be a coloured stain. Some of the recognised brands of finishes and paints are Sikkens, Intergrain and Cabots for natural timber finishes, and Dulux and Taubmans for coloured finishes.
For products primed by Duce Timber Windows & Doors – Following installation, you need to apply extra coats of finish. This will offer longer time frames between touch-ups.
For products supplied raw by Duce Timber Windows & Doors – As timber is a natural product it needs to be sealed to protect it from the environment. This ideally needs to be done within 24 hours of delivery, and preferably prior to installation.
Check the finish every six months and re-coat and touch-up as necessary. The frequency and number of coats will vary depending on positioning, atmospheric conditions, thickness of existing coatings and exposure to the elements and other contaminates. We suggest that you consult your finish supplier for coating amounts and procedures.
Glass
Cleaning
- Wipe surfaces using a microfibre cloth, lightly dampened with water and a mild glass cleaner. Be careful not to clean glass when it is very hot or very cold. Extreme temperature changes can cause glass to crack.
For difficult spots, wipe surfaces using acetone on a clean cloth. Follow this with the above standard cleaning procedure to ensure all acetone is removed. Do not allow acetone to come in contact with any other surface, including painted surfaces, as it may cause damage.
Tracks
Cleaning
- We recommend all dirt, sand, dust and any other debris be removed as regularly as possible, particularly for sliding and folding windows and doors. This will protect your rollers and limit potential functionality issues. Vacuuming the tracks regularly is the best way to keep them free from becoming filled with debris and difficult to clean.
Remove all surface contaminants by wiping all visible track surfaces with a damp soft cloth and a mild detergent, then wipe clean with a clean cloth.
Maintenance
- Using a spatula or similar (not your finger), apply a small amount (typically a 1/4 teaspoon) of white petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or similar lubricant to the inner lip of each side of the track. Ensure that the wheels pass through the lubricant and it is distributed evenly along the track. Put additional lubricant around bearings. Lubricant reduces wear, improves smoothness and further protects against corrosion of track and bearings.
In severe environments, apply a thin film of a corrosion preventative such as CRC Marine 66, Innox or WD40, by wiping with a soft cloth moistened with one of these products.
Other Hardware (Rollers, hinges, locks, bolts etc)
Cleaning
- We recommend any dirt, sand, dust and any other debris be removed as regularly as possible. This will protect your hardware and limit potential functionality issues. Wipe down the visible surfaces with a soft damp cloth and then rinse off by wiping with a clean damp cloth.
Maintenance
- Keep rollers, locks and hinges lubricated with a silicone based spray. We suggest that you follow the procedures detailed on the silicone based spray packaging.
Avoid hosing or pressure cleaning any part of a window or door