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Caring for the local area requires constant attention, time, and money. Often you want to have a terrace, but the wood on the street is a complete hassle. Too much time and money must be invested to maintain a normal appearance. There is an alternative – a deck board made of wood-polymer composite (WPC). It looks like a board, no need to paint. By the way, it can also be used in gazebos and on piers, on balconies, etc. Fences and stairs are made from the same polymer board. In general, good material.
What is a deck board
The terrace board is designed for outdoor use, in light buildings. Most often they make flooring on a covered or open terrace, they are also used as flooring around pools, in gazebos, etc. The operating conditions are difficult, therefore, increased requirements are imposed on the material for its manufacture. It should tolerate all weather conditions well, absorb moisture poorly, be resistant to ultraviolet radiation, biological damage. And also strong, durable, beautiful and inexpensive. The same set of properties. There are not many materials that correspond at least partially.
The same type of material is called decking from English decking, which translates as flooring, but more often – as deck flooring. Apparently, therefore, you can still meet the name “deck board”. Actually, it differs in that longitudinal grooves for water drainage are formed on the front surface. On decks, this is very necessary. The same grooves make the flooring less slippery when it rains. Often (but not always) decking is also made with longitudinal grooves.
Of what do
Initially, very dense wood species with a large amount of resins were used for decking boards. Such breeds do not grow in our latitudes, and buying exotic on the street is too expensive. Of the local wood, larch more or less feels itself on the street, but it turns gray, no matter how you take care of it.
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 (many times less). With proper processing, it is not affected by fungi. But such a board costs not much less than the “exotic”. And yet it is wood, so the maintenance of the appearance is annual.
Relatively recently, a wood-polymer composite or WPC has appeared. This is a mixture of wood fibers and polymer, to which coloring pigments are added. Boards are formed from the resulting mass 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 high-quality WPC decking cannot be called cheap.
Polymer board for a terrace: pros and cons
Wood is, of course, beautiful. But on the street, it requires regular care. Even with the condition of using modern chemistry. The same wood oil looks great throughout the year. But after a year, the coating must be renewed. Given the fact that the cost of good oil for difficult operating conditions is quite considerable, this is quite a significant expense. Well, you also need to take into account the time it takes to process. Let the oil just need to be applied to the tree, but this is also the time.
At the same time, wood swells from moisture and shrinks in the sun. And these are constant problems with the “humpback” of the flooring. In general, those who have had the good fortune to take care of a wooden terrace want to try something different. As an alternative, WPC decking is often considered. Firstly, it does not require special measures to maintain the appearance. Only cleaning is needed. Secondly, it is cut / drilled with a conventional tool. A saw can be for wood or metal, and a drill is better for metal. There are other advantages as well.
Pros
You may like the appearance of the polymer board or not. And for the street, the coating, at least, is not bad and, with the right choice, looks decent even after a year. Here are the advantages of a WPC decking board:
- Durability. The declared service life is 10-25 years. But these are only factories that provide supporting documents and do not hide their names. Nameless products are a risk, as they can crumble in a year.
- It tolerates difficult operating conditions well. Operating temperature range -50°C to +50°C.
- Does not require care. It is only necessary to sweep away the rubbish and sometimes wash it. The recommendations include an annual intensive cleaning. There are no other wishes. But you have to consider the color. If you have chosen light decking, it is clear that marks and dirt will be visible on it. You either have to fight it or accept it. Or take “non-staining” colors.
The joints will be visible and you will have to put up with it … Or somehow beat it by making a drawing - Doesn’t change appearance. Just fade 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 look, but it also fades more intensely.
- Almost does not absorb water and, as a result, does not swell. 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 (velveteen). A polymer board with “stripes” is processed at the exit either with a metal brush or emery. And the appearance is also restored – with a brush or sandpaper.
In general, the list of advantages is quite decent. WPC terrace looks good, even after several years of operation. There are different textures and surfaces, different colors.
Cons
There are no building and finishing materials without flaws. The first disadvantage of WPC decking is a large thermal expansion. And this “pulls” difficulties with installation. There are types of WPC, when using which you can ignore the increase and decrease in size. But not with everyone. Usually, special fastening is required – on mounting clamps or on special fasteners.
The second disadvantage is that wood-polymer concentrate does not like to be in water. It can be wetted, but kept in a puddle is not worth it. 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 in any case leaves quickly. But with continuous laying, it is better to choose the direction of the “grooves” so that the water drains as quickly as possible. You can organize a slight slope to the edge of the site.
What else is worth remembering. WPC consists of 50-70% wood. The resulting strength is not as high as tile or stone. Hitting it with a hammer, dropping large and heavy objects is not worth it. Or it will crack, or a dent will appear, the upper wall may break in the hollow boards. So this also needs to be kept in mind.
From operational problems, perhaps, everything. There are still issues of choice. The fact is that we do not have a standard for WPC and make it from whatever you have to. But there are certain signs by which you can cut off obviously low-quality products. However, there is such a problem.
Of the unpleasant moments of installation – when cutting, the teeth of the saw are quickly erased, so more than one blade is required and, preferably, of good quality.
WPC composite board: which polymer is better
As already mentioned, a polymer deck board 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, some in which 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 strongly, and it is softer, it is erased faster.
The type of polymer also affects the appearance. WPC based on propylene has the most “natural” look, while PVC has the most “plastic” look. But each of the types of composites has its own nuances, we will talk about them below.
Another point is oil tolerance. For propylene and polyethylene, oil is the solvent. If oil is spilled on a coating based on these materials, it must be removed as soon as possible. To do this, you can use water with a special detergent for polymer decking or dishwashing detergent. Then the surface must be thoroughly cleaned – flushing 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 are combustible materials, but have different degrees of combustibility. A 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.
There are still concerns that the polymer-wood board has an unpleasant odor. In general, at normal temperature, it smells like wood. Only if the PVC-based composite is heated to +50°C does a characteristic odor appear. Therefore, such material is recommended for laying under a canopy, and not in the open sun.
Temperature expansion and how to deal with it
Any WPC terrace board has a large thermal expansion – 3 mm per meter of surface. The figure is impressive, but this figure is measured when the temperature changes from -50°C to +50°C. Agree, in real conditions such a difference in one day does not happen.
However, the thermal expansion is really large. 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 topic is the problem of fasteners. How to fix WPC decking so that there are no problems with thermal expansion? Depends on the type of polymer:
- A 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 shifts due to viscosity. And there will be no destruction of either the board, or the log, or any other support. We will warn you right away, it is softer and erases faster. But wears off with heavy use. That is, in public places. Near the house there will not be such a load that will significantly affect the appearance.
As one of the options for solving the problem of joints and thermal expansion - Composite with PVC and polypropylene is hard and brittle. This is good, since it is erased less, but it must be fixed only and exclusively on the plates. And the plastic ones won’t work. We need stainless steel, and their cost is considerable. And this is an additional expense and a more complex and lengthy installation. This type of composite decking board is good for public places. Where it is more important not the complexity of installation, but abrasion.
There is also a peculiar way of dealing with thermal expansion. The flooring is assembled from small segments along the length. It is not necessary to adjust them closely, as it is even recommended 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 coating with the same name – garden parquet. It is made from polymer boards. That’s just the cost of it is much higher than that of self-assembled. Here you can play with colors, textures and get a very interesting coating for the terrace.
Types of WPC terrace board
It’s not about materials, but about profiles and other technical issues. Let’s say right away that there is a full-bodied and hollow polymer terrace board. Full-bodied – a solid composite without voids. This type of flooring is good in places with high traffic. These are public places such as summer cafes, embankments, piers, etc. Hollow – suitable for private ownership. Terrace near a private house, flooring around the pool, pond.
By way 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 almost seamlessly. 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 this flooring is that small objects do not fall into the cracks. The second positive thing is that it is easier for ladies to walk in heels.
The polymer board of a non-continuous flooring is laid with a certain gap – a few millimeters. With such laying, moisture does not stand in puddles, but seeps under the flooring. Well, the problem with longitudinal thermal expansion is solved. True, walking on thin heels on such a floor is not very convenient. It’s good that today they – thin heels – are not in fashion.
WPC terrace board: profile
Not a full-bodied wood-polymer board is also called cellular. It can be closed profile and open. Closed is when there are two horizontal surfaces with jumpers between them. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the thickness of the partitions and horizontal planes.
For increased loads on the terrace there is a reinforced type of decking. Thicker webs and horizontal surfaces increase flexural strength. And this means that when laying on logs, they can be placed less often.
An open or W-shaped profile of a composite board for terraces is when there is only one horizontal surface – from above, and from below only the ends of the ribs. This type, of course, is cheaper and has a lower height, but it is better to use it in places where the load is very small. Although, there are species with thick lintels, as in the photo on the right. Quite a worthy option for laying not on logs, but on a flat concrete platform. 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 type of surface
Polymer decking can have different surfaces. In general, there are two types of surfaces:
- With grooves. This type is called “velvet”. The size is bigger or smaller. The width of the strips is from 2-3 mm to 5-7 mm. Accordingly, they call microvelvet or simply velveteen, 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 the garbage out of the grooves. The best cleaner is Karcher.
In operation, a composite decking board with a velveteen surface (with grooves) is better - Imitation wood. No matter how beautiful it looks, no matter what protective layers it is covered with, it is more slippery and wears off faster. And it also costs more. But cleaning is easier. An ordinary broom is enough. In general, this is a great option for flooring where they walk barefoot or in slippers. For example, the veranda in the backyard. For covering in front of the main entrance, it is better not to use such flooring – it will quickly be erased.
The same “grooves” can be polished or brushed. Polished is smoother, in brushed with a metal brush, a certain degree of roughness is formed. Both types of surface can be restored. The first type with the help of a skin, the second – with a metal brush. The difference in color will not be noticeable, since the material is dyed in bulk. A board with wood imitation 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-sale preparation, giving the products a “marketable” look. So it is better not to consider material without processing. No matter how attractive the price is.
WPC decking dimensions
Polymer decking is not standardized, so there is no need to talk about any uniform sizes. Each manufacturer produces such products that it considers 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 front layer. This is what gives the product strength, is responsible for wear resistance and service life. So, here are the parameters of a hollow-core decking composite board:
- thickness from 19 mm to 32 mm;
- width from 13 cm to 26 cm.
Partitions see for yourself, information about them is almost nowhere indicated. It is desirable that they be no 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 wood-plastic decking, remember that the principle of laying it is the same as that of a regular board – on logs. These are bars of rectangular or square section. The thinner the board, the more often you need to put lags. Otherwise, the coating will sag under your feet. And yes, a thicker board costs more but requires less lag. There will definitely be a difference in cost. But it’s usually not that impressive when you factor in the cost of the lag too.
So what size is better to take a WPC decking board? For private use, take decking with a thickness of at least 24-26 mm. As for the width – a matter of taste. But, the wider the board, the less fasteners you need. With the specified thickness of the boards, the lag installation step is 40-50 mm.
Logs for laying decking boards can be laid on a prepared concrete platform. Concrete can be in the form of slabs or in the form of a screed. Laying on piles with strapping or posts is possible. If the base is uneven, the lags are leveled with spacers. It is better to use rubber, but you can cut into squares stekloizol or other material that has sufficient strength and waterproofing properties.
Usually, special logs from WPC are recommended. They have a special groove for the installation of fasteners – metal Z-shaped plates. Such a system must be offered by the seller. It is problematic to use fasteners from other companies – size mismatch is almost guaranteed.
Logs made of wood or a profile pipe can be fixed through, but the cap should not stick out. As an option – a perforated tape that is attached to the sides.
After laying and fixing the decking board, it is necessary to close the sidewalls of the platform where the logs are. For this, there are overlays in the form of planks of a certain width and a corner made of WPC. Composite corner cannot be thin. Its thickness is several millimeters. In places of active walking, it is quickly erased. Therefore, for these areas, an aluminum corner painted to match with a coating is often offered. This is not the only possibility of finishing the edge. There are also edge plugs from the same WPC, but they do not cover the lags. If you don’t care, just use stubs.
If the platform or terrace is adjacent to the house, you can finish the joint with a WPC plinth. But the option with a plastic plinth is no worse. They come in a 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 (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 much more low-grade products. It is easier to take from companies with a proven track record.
When choosing composite decking, here’s what to look for:
- The structure should be homogeneous, interspersed with wood fibers. There should be no areas with different surfaces.
- Jumpers of the same thickness, the edges are clear and even.
- The surface is free from cavities, casts and other defects.
- Look at the sides, front and bottom faces. There should be no pronounced waviness.
- Chamfers and grooves at the same distance, the same depth.
- There should be no delaminations, crumbs, etc. on the saw cut.
- If you try to break off a small piece at the saw cut, the WPC material should not even bend, let alone break and crumble.
If you have the opportunity, 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 scraps are used instead of normal wood. And this is not the same material at all and no one guarantees its properties.
WPC terrace board: manufacturers
Oddly enough, not many company names are heard. Only a few work on the image of the company. And since there is no standard, it is dangerous to take an unnamed product for which there are no documents and guarantees. Whom to file a complaint in case of problems?
In general, here are some manufacturers that are constantly heard:
- Waldeck.
- Woodgrand (Russia).
- 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 effectively 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.