Construction on a suburban area is not limited solely to the construction of a residential building. Associated buildings for recreation, storage and auxiliary work are also being constructed, for which the appropriate building materials with the necessary characteristics are selected.
Materials that are used in the fresh air require solid strength, durability and resistance to environmental influences. Therefore, for the construction of buildings such as terraces, gazebos and outdoor areas, they choose the highest quality material. And first of all it concerns the floor covering, which experiences a greater load in comparison with other elements of the structure.
Decking
For 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, recently a new building material has appeared, which has the best characteristics.
This is a deck board made of WPC, which has all the advantages of a natural material in the absence of its shortcomings. High operational characteristics are successfully combined with ease of installation and the absence of costs during use. WPC production volumes are growing annually, for example, one of the leaders in the production of WPC in Russia In 2008, it produced only 10,000 m2 per year, and in 2016 it already amounted to about 60,000 m2.
WPC production involves the use of two types of raw materials - wood (mainly shavings) and polymer. This combination made it possible to achieve unique strength and durability of the material.
What to choose: natural wood decking or WPC?
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 from solid wood - about 15-20. But only if the wooden board is correctly impregnated with all protective equipment. Moreover, wood requires not only initial treatment with varnish or paint, but also periodic updating of the coating. In this regard, a WPC deck board is not only more convenient, but also beneficial in operation, since it does not require additional care during use.
The main advantages of wood-polymer composite
In addition to durability, KDP has a number of additional advantages that determine its use as a floor covering for buildings located in the open air:
- Unlike wood, the composite does not burn, is moisture resistant and is resistant to ultraviolet radiation.
- 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 the material that fits perfectly into the landscape design of the suburban area.
- In addition, WPC decking has another significant advantage. Thanks to the manufacturing features, the trims have a rough surface, which eliminates the risk of slipping during rain.
How much does a WPC board cost?
It makes sense to separately mention the cost of KDP. The facade board made of wood-polymer composite at first glance seems prohibitively expensive. However, taking into account the fact that a significant part of the cost of additional supplies is simply not required, it turns out that decking from the KDP is quite profitable.
In addition, the installation of the flooring is so simple that it can be done independently without a specialist. The board is stacked on almost any substrate except wetlands. However, after conducting a quality drainage system, this problem is solved.
Is it really expensive?
WPC board, the price of which is slightly higher compared to the array, perfectly compensates for this drawback with its resistance to environmental influences. This material does not swell from high humidity, does not fade under sunlight and does not dry out at high temperatures.
Estimated cost for wood-polymer composites varies in the range of 300-470 rubles. per linear meter, depending on the manufacturer and brand of the product. Another factor affecting the cost of the 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 operating conditions
Even so unpretentious to the conditions of use, the material has its limitations in operation:
- WPC decking is not used in places with constant high humidity without access of wind and sunlight. Decking must be aired periodically. Otherwise, even this building material may become moldy.
- It is absolutely unacceptable to operate decking from a composite while constantly in the water.
- And the last limitation. Do not use the material in rooms where frequent and large temperature differences are possible, for example, in a steam room. This may cause deformation of the board.
I must say that although decking from wood-polymer composites practically does not fade in the sun, a slight discoloration is still possible.
From the foregoing, it can be concluded that the rather high cost of a terrace board made of wood-polymer composites will pay off subsequently due to the durability of the material. While the coating of solid wood will become unusable much earlier. Therefore, we can say with confidence that the future lies with the KDP.