Construction on a suburban area is not limited solely to the construction of a residential building. Also, related buildings for recreation, storage and auxiliary work are being built, for which appropriate building materials with the necessary characteristics are selected.
Outdoor materials require solid strength, durability and environmental resistance. Therefore, for the construction of such buildings as terraces, gazebos and open areas, the highest quality material is chosen. And first of all, this applies to the flooring, which is under greater load in comparison with other elements of the structure.
Decking
For the flooring of buildings located in the open air, the reliability of the material is extremely important. Therefore, for the manufacture of the floor, as a rule, boards from solid wood are used. However, more recently, a new building material has appeared that has better characteristics.
This is a WPC decking board with all the benefitsnatural material in the absence of its shortcomings. High performance characteristics are successfully combined with ease of installation and no costs in the process of use. WPC production volumes are growing every year, for example, one of the leaders in the production of WPC in Russia, Smart Decking, produced only 10,000 m2 per year in 2008, and already about 60,000 m2 in 2016.
WPC production involves the use of two types of raw materials - wood (mainly chips) and polymer. This combination resulted in a unique strength and durability of the material.
Which to choose: natural wood or WPC decking?
To understand which is better - wood-polymer composites or solid wood, it is necessary to consider and compare the characteristics of both materials.
The durability of WPC boards is about 40-50 years, while solid wood - about 15-20. But only if the wooden board is properly impregnated with all protective agents. At the same time, the tree requires not only the initial treatment with varnish or paint, but also the periodic renewal of the coating. In this regard, a WPC terrace board is not only more convenient, but also profitable in operation, as it does not require additional care during use.
Main advantages of wood-polymer composite
Besides durability, WPC has a number of additional advantages that make it suitable for outdoor flooring applications:
- Unlikefrom wood, the composite does not burn, moisture and UV resistant.
- WPC board is the same environmentally friendly material as natural wood. However, composite decking is a more practical material due to its high wear resistance, which expands its scope.
- A wide color palette will allow you to choose a material that fits perfectly into the landscape design of a suburban area.
- In addition, WPC decking has another significant advantage. Due to the peculiarities of manufacturing, the planks have a rough surface, which eliminates the risk of slipping in the rain.
How much does a WPC board cost?
It makes sense to separately mention the cost of the WPC. At first glance, a facade board made of wood-polymer composite seems prohibitively expensive. However, if you consider the fact that a significant part of the cost of additional consumables simply will not be required, in the end it turns out that WPC decking is quite profitable.
In addition, the installation of flooring is so simple that it can be done independently without the involvement of a specialist. The board is laid on almost any substrate, with the exception of waterlogged soil. However, after a high-quality drainage system is carried out, this problem is also solved.
Is it really expensive?
WPC board, the price of which is slightly higher compared to the array, perfectly compensates for this disadvantage with its resistance toenvironmental impact. This material does not swell from high humidity, does not fade in the sun and does not dry out from high temperatures.
Estimated cost for wood-polymer composites varies within 300-470 rubles. per linear meter, depending on the manufacturer and brand of the product. Another factor affecting the cost of a board is the type of wood used in its manufacture. The more valuable the wood, the greater the amount that will have to be paid for the material for construction.
WPC board usage conditions
Even a material that is so unpretentious to the conditions of use has its limitations in operation:
- WPC terrace board is not used in places with constant high humidity without access to wind and sunlight. Decking must be periodically ventilated. Otherwise, even this building material may become moldy.
- It is absolutely unacceptable to use composite decking while constantly in the water.
- And the last limitation. Do not use the material in rooms where frequent and large temperature changes are possible, for example, in a steam room. Doing so may warp the board.
I must say that although wood-polymer composite decking practically does not fade in the sun, slight discoloration is still possible.
From the foregoing, we can conclude that the rather high cost of a terrace board made of wood-polymer composites will fully pay off later forthrough the durability of the material. While the solid wood coating will become unusable much earlier. Therefore, we can say with confidence that the future is for the WPC.
