Caring for the adjacent territory requires constant attention, time and money. Often you want to have a terrace, but the wood outside is a complete mess. Too much time and money has to be invested to maintain a normal appearance. There is an alternative - decking made of wood-polymer composite (WPC). Looks like a board, no paint required. By the way, it can be used in gazebos and on piers, on balconies, etc. Fences and stairs are made from the same polymer board. All in all, good stuff.
The decking board is intended for outdoor use in light buildings. Most often, flooring is made on a covered or open terrace, it is also used as a flooring around pools, in gazebos, etc. The operating conditions are complex, therefore, increased requirements are imposed on the material for its manufacture. It must tolerate well all weather conditions, poorly absorb moisture, be resistant to ultraviolet radiation, biological damage. And also strong, durable, beautiful and inexpensive. That's another set of properties. There are not many materials that match at least partially.
Terrace board - moldings for outdoor flooring
The same type of material is called decking from the English decking, which translates as flooring, but more often - as deck flooring. Apparently, therefore, you can still find the name "deck board". Actually, it differs in that longitudinal grooves are formed on the front surface for water drainage. On decks this is very necessary. The same grooves make the flooring less slippery when it rains. Often (but not always) decking are also made with longitudinal grooves.
What are they made of
Initially, very dense wood species with a lot of resins were used for decking. Such breeds do not grow in our latitudes, and it is too expensive to buy exotic things on the street. Of local wood, larch feels more or less on the street, but it acquires a gray color, no matter how you look after it.
At first, decking was made of wood
Later, heat-treated wood appeared. It is kept at a temperature of 140-160 ° C, as a result of which its density increases, it absorbs water less (several times less). With proper processing, it is not affected by fungi. But such a board costs not much less than "exotic". And yet it is wood, so maintenance is annual.
WPC board - what is it and what is it made of: a mixture of wood flour and polymer with a small percentage of stabilizing additives
Relatively recently, a wood-polymer composite or WPC has appeared. It is a mixture of wood fibers and polymer, to which coloring pigments are added. From the resulting mass, boards are formed by extrusion. The coating cannot be called natural, since polymers are used. But it meets most of the requirements. Let's say right away that you can't call a high-quality WPC decking cheap.
Polymer board for the terrace: pros and cons
Wood is, of course, beautiful. But on the street, it requires regular maintenance. Even with the condition of using modern chemistry. The same wood oil looks great throughout the year. But after a year the coverage needs to be renewed.Considering the fact that the cost of a good oil for difficult operating conditions is quite considerable, this is a rather tangible expense. Well, you also have to consider the time it takes to process. Let the oil just be applied to the wood, but this is also the time.
This photo is one year after styling
At the same time, the wood swells from moisture and dries up in the sun. And these are constant problems with the "hump" of the flooring. In general, those who have had the good fortune to look after a wooden deck want to try something different. WPC decking is often considered as an alternative. Firstly, it does not require special measures to maintain its appearance. All you need is cleaning. Secondly, it is cut / drilled with a conventional tool. The saw can be for wood or metal, and the drill is better for metal. There are also other advantages.
pros
You may like the appearance of the polymer board or not. And for the street, the coverage is at least good and, with the right choice, looks decent in years. Here are the advantages of a WPC decking:
Durability. The declared service life is 10-25 years. But these are only factories that provide supporting documents and do not hide their names. Untitled products are a risk, as they can crumble in a year.
It tolerates difficult operating conditions. Operating temperature range -50 ° C to + 50 ° C.
Maintenance-free. You just need to sweep away the litter and sometimes wash. The recommendations include an annual intensive cleaning. There are no other wishes. But you have to consider the color. If you have chosen a light deck, it is clear that marks and dirt will be visible on it. Either you have to fight or accept it. Or take "non-marking" colors.
The joints will be visible and you will have to put up with it ... Or somehow beat it by making a drawing
Does not change appearance. Perhaps it fades a little. The intensity of fading depends on the amount of wood in the composition. It can be from 50% to 80%. The more wood fibers, the more natural it looks, but it also fades more intensely.
Almost does not absorb water and, as a result, does not swell. It absorbs about 1-2%, depending on the composition.
Doesn't change geometry.
Does not rot, is not affected by fungi.
Some types allow you to restore the appearance (corduroy). Polymer board with "stripes" is processed at the exit either with a wire brush or emery. And the appearance is also restored - with a brush or sandpaper.
In general, the list of advantages is quite decent. The WPC terrace looks good, even after several years of operation. There are different textures and surfaces, different colors.
Minuses
There are no building and finishing materials without flaws. The first disadvantage of WPC decking is a large thermal expansion. And this "pulls" the complexity of the installation. There are types of WPC, when using which you can ignore the increase and decrease in size. But not with everyone. Usually, a special fastening is required - on mounting plates-clamps or on special fasteners.
The second minus is that wood-polymer concentrate does not like being in water. It can be wetted, but not kept in a puddle. Therefore, it is necessary to make sure that the water rolls down as quickly as possible. In the case of a non-continuous flooring (with a gap between the boards), the water goes away quickly anyway. But with continuous laying, it is better to choose the direction of the "grooves" so that the water flows down as quickly as possible. You can organize a slight slope towards the edge of the site.
As you can see, there is a difference in colors. Some manufacturers do not consider this a defect
What else is worth remembering. WPC consists of 50-70% wood. The resulting strength is not as high as that of tile or stone. You should not hit it with a hammer or drop large and heavy objects. Either it will crack, or a dent will appear, in the hollow boards the upper wall may break. So this must also be borne in mind.
All of the operational problems. There are still problems of choice. The fact is that we do not have a standard for WPC and they make it out of whatever.But there are certain signs by which you can cut off obviously low-quality products. However, there is such a problem.
From the unpleasant moments of installation - when cutting, the teeth of the saw are quickly erased, so that more than one blade is required and, preferably, of good quality.
Composite WPC board: which polymer is better
As already mentioned, polymer decking is a mixture of split wood and polymer. But polymers are a whole class of materials. WPC is made with PVC (polyvinyl chloride), polyethylene (PE) and propylene (PP). The ratio of polymer and wood is different. There are species that are 80% wood, in which there are 50/50. The appearance depends on the amount of wood in the composite. The more it is, the more “wooden” look the KDP has. But such a polymer board fades more, and it is softer and wears off faster.
WPC properties depend on polymer
The type of polymer also affects the appearance. WPC based on propylene has the most "natural" look, with PVC - the most "plastic". But each of the types of composites has its own nuances, and we will talk about them below.
Another thing is oil tolerance. For propylene and polyethylene, oil is a solvent. If oil is spilled on a coating based on these materials, it must be removed as soon as possible. You can use water with a special detergent for polymer decking or dish detergent. Then the surface must be well cleaned - rinsing off several times with clean water. For PVC, oils are not terrible. This is the plus of this type of WPC boards.
Flammability
All wood-polymer composite boards belong to combustible materials, but have different degrees of flammability. Composite with polyethylene and propylene burns no worse than wood, it should not be used in fire hazardous places. PVC burns worse but releases chlorine in the process.
Choose material consciously: properties of WPC based on different polymers
There are also concerns that polymer-wood board has an unpleasant odor. In general, at normal temperatures, it smells like wood. Only if the PVC-based composite is heated to + 50 ° C, a characteristic odor appears. Therefore, this material is recommended for laying under a canopy, and not in the open sun.
Thermal expansion and how to deal with it
Any WPC decking board has a large thermal expansion - 3 mm per meter of surface. The figure is impressive, but this figure is measured with a temperature change from -50 ° C to + 50 ° C. Agree, in real conditions such a drop does not happen in one day.
However, the thermal expansion is really great. With a board length of 6 meters, the increase in size will be about 8-10 mm, which is quite a lot. So a natural continuation of the theme is the problem of fasteners. How to fix the WPC decking so that there are no problems with thermal expansion? Depends on the type of polymer:
Polymer board for terraces with polyethylene can be fastened through with nails or self-tapping screws. Polyethylene is a viscous and plastic material. It compensates for such movements due to viscosity. And there will be no destruction of either the board, or the log or other support. We warn you right away, it is softer and wears off faster. But it is erased with intensive use. That is, in public places. There will be no such load near the house that will significantly affect the appearance.
As one of the options for solving the problem of joints and thermal expansion
Composite with PVC and PP is hard and brittle. This is good, since it is erased less, but it should be fixed only and exclusively on the plates. And plastic won't do. We need stainless steel, and their cost is considerable. And this is an additional expense and a more complex and time-consuming installation. This type of composite decking is good for public spaces. Where not the complexity of installation is more important, but abrasion.
There is also a peculiar way of dealing with thermal expansion. The flooring is assembled from small segments in length.It is not necessary to adjust them closely, as it is recommended even to leave gaps - for effective water drainage. These gaps will compensate for the increase or decrease in size. It turns out a kind of parquet. There is even a covering with this name - garden parquet. It is made from polymer boards. But its cost is much higher than that of a self-assembled one. Here you can play with flowers, textures and get a very interesting covering for the terrace.
Types of WPC decking
We are not talking about materials, but about profiles and other technical issues. We must say right away that there is a solid and hollow polymer terrace board. Corpulent - solid composite without voids. This type of flooring is good for high traffic areas. These are public places such as summer cafes, embankments, piers, etc. Hollow - suitable for private properties. Terrace near a private house, flooring around pool, ponda.
Solid - solid composite, cellular can have different profiles. The far right is the most common
By the method of flooring
Further, there are two types of boards - solid flooring and with gaps. Solid flooring has a tongue and groove like a tongue-and-groove board. Fits with virtually no gaps. The coating still allows moisture to pass through, but it leaves slowly and there may be puddles on the surface in heavy rain. The advantage of such a flooring is that small objects do not fall into the cracks. The second positive point is that it is easier for ladies to walk in heels.
The edge of the plate clings to these grooves. Thus, the decking is attached to the logs.
A polymeric board of a non-continuous flooring is laid with a certain gap - a few millimeters. With this installation, moisture does not stand in puddles, but seeps under the flooring. Well, the problem with longitudinal thermal expansion is solved. True, walking in thin heels on such a flooring is not very comfortable. It's good that today they - thin heels - are not in fashion.
WPC decking board: profile
An incomplete wood-polymer board is also called cellular. It can be a closed profile or an open one. Closed is when there are two horizontal surfaces with bridges between them. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the thickness of the partitions and horizontal planes.
Compare normal (right) and reinforced (left). They are on the same scale.
For increased loads on the terrace, there is a reinforced type of decking. Thicker lintels and horizontal surfaces increase flexural strength. This means that when laying on logs, they can be installed less often.
WPC decking of an open W-shaped profile
An open or W-shaped profile of a composite board for terraces is when there is only one horizontal surface - at the top, and only the ends of the ribs at the bottom. This type, of course, is cheaper and has a lower height, but it is better to use it in those places where the load is very low. Although, there are views with thick bridges as in the photo on the right. Quite a worthy option for laying not on logs, but on a flat concrete area. But do not think that it will cost much less. The difference in price is small - about 10-15%, since the consumption of the composite is increased due to the thickness of the partitions.
By types of surfaces
The polymer deck can have different surfaces. In general, there are two types of surfaces:
With grooves. This type is called "corduroy". The size is more or less. The width of the strips is from 2-3 mm to 5-7 mm. Accordingly, they call it micro-corduroy or simply corduroy, there is also a large one ... Such a board does not slip, it is erased slightly. Minus - not very convenient in terms of cleaning, you have to sweep debris out of the grooves. The best cleaning agent is Karcher.
Better in use is a composite decking board with a corduroy surface (with grooves)
Imitation wood. No matter how beautiful it looks, no matter what protective layers it covers, it is more slippery and wears off faster. It also costs more. But cleaning is easier. An ordinary broom is enough.In general, this is a great option for flooring where people go barefoot or in slippers. For example, a backyard veranda. It is better not to use such a flooring for covering in front of the main entrance - it will quickly be erased.
The same "grooves" can be ground or brushed. Sanded smoother; brushed with a metal brush, some degree of roughness is formed. Both types of surfaces can be repaired. The first type is with a skin, the second is with a metal brush. The difference in color will not be noticeable as the material is colored throughout. A board with imitation wood cannot be restored. The relief in especially loaded places will be erased and nothing can be done about it.
If there is no processing and the surface is "cast" - this is not a very good sign. Good manufacturers carry out pre-sales training, giving the product a "marketable" appearance. So it is better not to consider the material without processing. No matter how attractive the price is.
Dimensions of WPC decking
Polymer decking is not standardized, so there is no need to talk about any uniform dimensions. Each manufacturer produces such products that they consider necessary. We can say about the spread of parameters and what sizes are optimal.
An important parameter is the thickness of the WPC board. But not by itself, but in combination with the thickness of the partitions and the thickness of the face layer. This is what gives the product strength, is responsible for durability and service life. So, here are the parameters of a hollow terrace composite board:
thickness from 19 mm to 32 mm;
width from 13 cm to 26 cm.
The dimensions of the KDP decking board are not standardized and can be any
See the partitions for yourself, information about them is almost not indicated anywhere. It is desirable that they are not thinner than 3-4 mm, ideally 4 mm. As for horizontal surfaces, it is better if they are 6-8 mm or more.
When choosing the dimensions of a wooden-plastic deck, remember that the principle of laying it is the same as that of a regular board - on logs. These are rectangular or square bars. The thinner the board, the more often you need to put logs. Otherwise, the coating will bend under your feet. And yes, a thicker board costs more, but requires less lag. There will certainly be a difference in cost. But it's usually not that impressive when you consider the lag cost too.
The WPC staircase also looks beautiful and is easy to use
So what size is better to take a WPC decking board? For private use, take a decking with a thickness of at least 24-26 mm. Width is a matter of taste. But the wider the board, the less hardware you need. With the specified thickness of the boards, the pitch of the lag is 40-50 mm.
Installation methods
WPC decking can be laid on logs or on a concrete base. But only certain types of coating are put on concrete and the site should be almost perfectly flat. Most of the polymer terrace boards are laid on the joists. Lags can be:
Wooden antiseptic, impregnated with a composition for direct contact with the ground.
Lags for laying decking can be laid on a prepared concrete area. Concrete can be in the form of slabs or in the form of a screed. Possibility of laying on piles with strapping or posts. If the base is uneven, the lags are level with gaskets. It is better to use rubber, but you can cut glass insulation or other material that has sufficient strength and waterproofing properties into squares.
This is how a composite board for terraces is attached. In general, the shape of the fastener, the distance between the boards, each company has its own
Usually special WPC logs are recommended. They have a special groove for the installation of fasteners - metal Z-shaped plates. Such a system should be offered by the seller.It is problematic to use fasteners from other companies - the size mismatch is almost guaranteed.
Assembled frame for laying WPC decking from a profile pipe
Logs made of wood or a profile pipe can be fastened through, but the cap should not stick out. As an option, a perforated tape is attached to the sides.
WPC decking: decoration of the edges of the flooring
After laying and fixing the decking board, it is necessary to close the sidewalls of the platform, where the types of logs are. For this, there are overlays in the form of slats of a certain width and a corner of WPC. The composite corner cannot be thin. Its thickness is several millimeters. In places of active walking, it is quickly erased. Therefore, for these areas, they often offer an aluminum corner painted to match the coated one. This is not the only edge finishing option. There are also edge caps from the same WPC, but they do not cover the lags. If you don't care, use only stubs.
If the playground or terrace is adjacent to the house, you can trim the joint with a WPC baseboard. But the option with a plastic skirting board is no worse. They come in a wide variety of shapes and colors and are much cheaper. If there is a need to save money, this is one of the ways.
How to choose a quality WPC decking
If you are offered an imported WPC decking board at a price below the market average, do not take it. Usually these are products made either in China, or (which is worse) in a garage on old equipment, it is not clear from what. There are very good Chinese boards made of polymer-wood composite, but there are many more low-grade products. It is easier to borrow from companies with a proven track record.
The desire to save money is understandable, but a cheap fish ...
When choosing a composite decking, here's what to look at:
The structure should be homogeneous interspersed with wood fibers. There should be no areas with different surfaces.
The lintels are of the same thickness, the edges are clear and even.
The surface is free of cavities, ingots and other defects.
Look at the sides, front and bottom edges. There should be no pronounced waviness.
Chamfers and grooves at the same distance, the same depth.
The saw cut should be free of delamination, crumbs, etc.
If you try to break off a small piece on the spot, the WPC material should not even bend, let alone break and crumble.
If you can, look at all the colors offered by the manufacturer. Normal firms should have light shades. This means that the wood used is normal. If the colors are only dark, bark and other waste is used instead of normal wood. And this is not the same material and no one guarantees its properties.
WPC decking board: manufacturers
Oddly enough, there are not so many names of firms on hearing. Only a few are working on the company's image. And since there is no standard, it is dangerous to take a nameless product for which there are no documents and guarantees. Who should you complain to in case of problems?
A little more horror
In general, these are the manufacturers that are constantly being heard:
Waldeck.
Werzalit is a German company, the quality is excellent, but the prices are high.
Savewood is a Russian company, quite decent quality.
TERRADEK (Terradek).
PolyWood.
MasterDeck.
Darvolex.
When choosing a manufacturer, look for those that have websites. Today, new materials are more efficiently promoted through such resources. And if a company invests in this, it is interested in its products being of decent quality. Otherwise, a hail of negativity is guaranteed.
