It is certainly correct that all wood is susceptible to the effects of the weather and also to the UV radiation of sunlight. It is therefore important to follow a number of basic rules if the terrace is to be equipped with a wooden decking. The most important of these rules is to ensure that the wood is adequately ventilated. If moisture can accumulate in the joints between the woods, this rule has not been observed and irreparable rot will soon set in. That is why laying a wooden floor on the terrace begins with the substructure.
What are the options for a wooden terrace floor?
A permanently installed terrace floor made of wood consists of a stable base on which counter battens are applied. It is used to accommodate the boards of the decking and at the same time to ventilate their underside.
A second possibility is to screw these boards onto battens in individual segments. These segments are divided evenly according to the size of the terrace. The advantage of these segments is that they can be stored during the season when the terrace cannot be used anyway.
A third option is wood tiles. The building materials trade and some furniture stores have these in different versions. They are predominantly square and equipped with a substructure made of wooden strips or a plastic grid. The solution where this Substructures for the individual tiles are interlocked or clicked together during laying. Wood tiles are also preferably stored dry when they are not needed.
How is a fixed wooden floor made?
First of all, the subsurface is decisive. A paving laid in a gravel bed always carries the risk that this structure will change due to subsidence in the ground. It is therefore not advisable to equip such a subfloor with a permanently laid wooden floor.
If there is a tiled floor whose damaged surface is to be covered with a wooden covering, the counter battens can already be dowelled onto these tiles. In any case, a fresh or refurbished screed is better. A batten is placed on top, the distance between them must not be greater than 50cm. The decisive factor is the thickness of the top covering, which must not bend. When drilling the dowel holes for these counter battens, a possible moisture barrier or thermal insulation layer in the concrete must not be damaged.
Before the counter battens are screwed on, a bitumen sheet (roofing felt) is laid over the entire surface. Better, but only possible with specialist knowledge, is to use a bitumen sheeting. When the battens have been screwed on, the entire surface of this sub-floor is coated with a bitumen hot coat.
The hardwood board cover is fastened with stainless steel countersunk screws. An air gap of approx. 5mm. The
Hardwood boards in segments
With this construction method, the area of the terrace is divided into even segments of a maximum of 1.5x1.5 meters. The hardwood boards are cut evenly to the appropriate length and laid out upside down on a level surface and angled at right angles. Your connection takes place with approx. 2.5 cm thick wooden strips that are approx. 50cm can be screwed on. Two screws must always be used per faceplate so that the segment has sufficient stability. The finish is a glaze on all sides or the use of an appropriate oil. The segments can then be laid on the sub-floor and removed during the cold season.
Another advantage of this variant is that no screw heads are visible in the cover. When screwing on the strips on the back, it is only important that screws are used in the maximum possible length without piercing the top of the boards.
Wooden tiles in different variations
Laying them requires the least amount of effort. All that is required is a sufficiently stable and even surface. They are placed on this surface or interlocked or interlocked. snapped into the click connector. A final wood protection with glaze or oil is also required for wooden tiles.
Woods and prices
Boards for a terrace cover are made of hard or Precious woods. The following are particularly suitable:
- Douglas fir 1.80 €
- Acacia € 4.10
- Robinia € 4.20
- Oak € 4.40
- Bangkirai € 8.50
- Massaranduba € 4.30
The prices refer to a running meter with a width of 14.5 cm and a thickness of 2.5 cm.
The prices for wooden tiles vary greatly according to their wood, their thickness and the way they can be connected. The prices range from € 10.00 to € 50.00 per square meter.
The material wood
Due to its natural properties, wood is an ideal material for the construction of terraces or the design of the floor of balconies. in the summer Wood does not heat up as much as stone or ceramic tiles and in autumn
is wood pleasantly warm to the feet.Wood can be used very flexibly due to its easy processing and high stability with comparatively low weight. Another plus point is the natural look. Since most terraces and balconies are exposed to the weather without protection, you should only use particularly robust woods such as Oak, Black locust, Douglas fir and larch use. These Types of wood can be installed untreated, although only the heartwood may be used in each case.
Softwoods that have been pretreated are a good alternative for decking, although experts recommend pressure-impregnated wood. Tropical hardwoods, especially those from East Asia, are particularly suitable Bangkirai wood. However, it is important to note that tropical woods should have the FSC mark so that you can be sure that it does not come from overexploitation. Basically is Bangkirai not available with the FSC certificate, so that an origin from overexploitation cannot be ruled out.
With a wooden terrace, it is important that there is adequate ventilation and that that Rainwater can expire. Therefore, a gravel bed is usually created as the basis for the supporting structure. The substructure should also have a very slight slope and the joint width between the individual planks should not be less than three millimeters. This allows the wood to work and rainwater can drain away quickly.
Since wood has a high load-bearing capacity, uneven or sloping terrain can be ideally leveled out with an appropriate support structure. In addition to all these advantages mentioned, building owners make a very special contribution to climate protection by using wood for the terrace covering. Every cubic meter of wood binds 250 kilograms of carbon, which corresponds to the amount contained in around 900 kilograms of CO2.
