FAQ's

General Product
Why use a PVC trimboard?
As a leading plastic material for the construction market, PVC is used to make windows, siding, flooring and pipe more durable and cost-effective. PVC requires less maintenance, outlasts and outperforms alternative materials, and makes quality housing more affordable. PVC looks and works like wood but is much more durable than wood. With PVC you get the traditional look without the ongoing maintenance.

What is Kleer?
Kleer is a free-foam cellular PVC that is manufactured from the highest grade PVC resins and processing additives. We recycle the trimmed off edges of our boards and introduce them back into our closed-loop manufacturing process.

Will Kleer perform well in the coastal areas?
Kleer is covered by a lifetime warranty against splinters, rot and delaminating or swelling excessively due to moisture, even in coastal areas.

What kind of Warranty does Kleer provide?
Kleer comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty that includes labor for the first two years.

What manufacturing process is used to make Kleer?
Kleer is manufactured using Free Foam Extrusion. The Free foam extrusion process has become the preferred method of manufacturing PVC trim because of the physical characteristics it creates. Kleer Trimboard has a consistent cell structure and density from surface to core that performs extremely well in all architectural millwork applications including routing, moulding and shaping.

Does the use of recycled materials affect the quality of Kleer?
The use of recycled materials does not affect the quality of Kleer Trimboards or Kleer products. Kleer has always recycled its own waste within its own manufacturing plant to keep PVC out of landfills. Kleer has spent an extensive amount of time researching the affects of producing a top quality product while being environmentally responsible by recycling not only manufacturing waste, but pre-consumer watse as well.

What is the value of third party certification of Kleer?
"Third-party" certifications are the highest level of unbiased assurance verifying independent product claims. Many manufacturing companies claim to be "environmentally responsible," however by providing certification Kleer has substantiated a complex assessment that relies on multiple, science-based criteria set forth by an unbiased party.

How long has Kleer been around?
Kleer was founded in 2003.

Is this a proven product?
Yes, similar first generation products have been around for over ten years. By conducting extensive research with dealers, builders, contractors, and consumers Kleer developed an advanced product with the preferred properties users are looking for.

Installation - Cutting, Routing, Gluing, and Painting

How do you cut Kleer?
Kleer can be cut using typical woodworking tools with carbide blades or bits. They should be sharp with a medium number of teeth. Too few teeth may create rough edges; too many teeth may cause the product to melt. Special care should be taken when using jig saws due to excessive heat build-up.

What kind of glue can I use?
Recent developments in adhesive technology have led to the introduction of several brands of glues and caulks engineered specifically for use with cellular PVC trimboard. Although you may use any PVC cement or glue with Kleer, we have found that Bond & Fill Structural and TrimTight PVC Adhesive provide excellent results and are easy to work with.

Can I paint Kleer?
Yes. Kleer can be painted with 100% acrylic latex paint.. A household cleaner can be used to clean Kleer prior to painting. Denatured alcohol may be used to remove stubborn stains that aren’t easily removed with the household cleaner.

What do I use for filling the nail holes?
Any product that is acrylic or urethane based will adhere to Kleer. Common fillers, caulks and exterior grade spackle with titanium dioxide work well. Be sure to use a filler that is a good match to the white color of Kleer should you decide not to paint.

Does it have to be painted?
Kleer does not need to be painted to retain its Limited Lifetime warranty. Since the product will get dirty over time, we recommend painting for aesthetic reasons.

How long will it hold paint?
Kleer does not absorb moisture, so it is not subject to the same moisture cycling that causes paint to peel off wood (which is a major cause of paint failure). When applied accordingly to the paint manufacturers instructions, Kleer typically holds paint for many years.

Can you paint it dark colors?
When using 100% acrylic latex paint a color with a light reflective value greater than 55% should be used. If a color with a light reflective value less than 55% is selected, Kleer recommends the use of a coating that is specially formulated for use with exterior vinyl products (like Sherwin Williams Vinylsafe products). The coating that is selected should be formulated to reflect the light energy that is normally absorbed by darker colors.

Can Kleer be bent to go around circle top windows?
Kleer can be bent using heat ovens, blankets or boxes. Once PVC is bent it will retain its form; it has no memory.

Can Kleer be run through a moulder?
Kleer can be run through a moulder with a typical arbor speed around 5800 rpm’s. Since the tightness of the core will determine the quality of the finished product, Kleer has become the preferred brand for millwork applications.

What kind of fasteners should be used with Kleer?
Kleer should be fastened to a solid substrate with a fastener that is long enough to penetrate into the substrate at least 1-1/2”. A round head siding nail or trimhead screw should be used. Use the “Rule of Thumb,” if you can bend the fastener between your index finger and thumb, the fastener does not have enough strength to minimize the thermal expansion of PVC.

How do I join pieces?
Kleer can be joined by either using a scarf-cut with glue or a square cut with biscuits and glue. For additional information on joining Kleer please refer to our Installation Guidelines.

Do I need to Pre-drill?
Except for cold weather installations, or when using larger fasteners, pre-drilling is not necessary.

How much does Kleer PVC Expand and Contract?
If left unrestricted, Kleer will expand and contract approximately 3/8” per 18’ length with a 50⁰ change in temperature. When properly fastened, however, the expansion and contraction can be reduced to approximately1/8” per 18’ length with a 50⁰ change in temperature. Expansion and contraction is the #1 reason for call-backs. Using the right type and quantity of fasteners will significantly reduce expansion and contraction. All PVC trimboard products on the market have similar coefficients of linear expansion and expand and contract at approximately the same rate. For additional information on expansion and contraction, as well as how to properly fasten Kleer to minimize its impact, please refer to our Installation Guidelines.

Will Kleer turn yellow over time?
No, we include Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) in our formula to keep the product white.

Will Kleer rot?
No, because it is made from PVC, it will not deteriorate like wood over time.

Will it mold/mildew?
Like anything outside, mildew can grow on the product. However, Kleer is not a food source for mold or mildewso it can usually be washed off with bleach and water if it does occur.

What is the density of your product?
Density is similar to white pine, with a tight cell structure that makes milling the product easy.

Is this product dangerous to cut – is breathing the dust going to harm me?
Take the same precautions as you do with wood. The use of dust masks is recommended to avoid breathing in dust particles.