Decking — 110 photos of decking and an overview of the most popular materials and design options

At any dacha there are two or three places where it would be appropriate to equip flat decorative areas on which dirt and weeds would be absent. Laying out such terraces with stone or cobblestone is too expensive and difficult. It is easier and less expensive to make a coating of wood.

But such a flooring will not be durable – due to moisture and the sun, it will quickly lose its pristine properties and rot. As a result, experienced landscape stylists prefer to use decking.

Summary of the article:

Decking is a modern building material used to create a patio and to arrange the territory near the pond. It is also quite often used as a floor covering for verandas and terraces.

Nowadays, decking is understood as a decking board. Another name for decking is deck flooring. Indeed, outwardly such a coating resembles a ship's deck.

Types of decking

Decking allows you to fashionably decorate the house territory, to beat the site at an artificial reservoir, to decorate a picnic area. According to the photo of the decking, it can be seen that it is divided into the following types:

From the array

This kind of decking is considered the progenitor of building materials of this type, since it was she who caused the growth of popularity of the deck board. Decking made of solid wood is an ordinary board, which is made of solid pine, cedar, oak, ash.

For those who like something exotic, a variation of tropical trees is suitable. The flooring made of wood species growing in African, Asian and South American forests will look really exclusive. The amazing structure of the fibers and the long, up to 80 years, operation time give such decking uniqueness.

An excellent solution would be a massaranduba mahogany board. It is distinguished by its resistance to humidity and the possibility of application in a situation with intense loads. The high level of rubber resins prevents the reproduction of mold fungi.

The coating of kekatong (Australian walnut) is strong and stable. These properties are of great importance in the design of plots located outdoors. This kind of wood is used in shipbuilding, because it can withstand the effects of even sea water.

This type of material has the following advantages:

moisture resistance;
durability;
endurance;
naturalness.
aesthetics.

The solid wood board is resistant to environmental influences and has a beautiful natural texture. Its only disadvantage is the need for systematic care using special formulations – wax, impregnations, oils. The cost of such decking is not small.

From thermal wood

This type of decking is obtained using a special wood processing technology – high temperature steam treatment. As a result, the moisture contained in the wood evaporates, and it acquires high aesthetic and strength properties. Wood becomes moisture–resistant - even direct interaction with water will not lead to its swelling and rotting.

It also increases its resistance to sunlight – thermal wood does not crack and retains its shape. In addition, steam treatment gives it a bright, evenly distributed color and a clear texture that lasts for quite a long time.

Made of wood-polymer composite (WPC).

From the name, you can judge the composition of the material used to create the coating details. Such a board can withstand any climate. This is the most modern type of decking. Wood-polymer composite is a mixture of small sawdust and special plastic additives. As a result of such a combination, a material is obtained that has all the advantages of natural wood in the complete absence of its disadvantages.

The plastic decking coating does not require special care. It feels wonderful in any weather, is not afraid of humidity and the sun, does not deform from the load.

WPC-decking does not burn and fungi are not afraid of it. Because of its advantages, polymer board is widely used by landscape designers.

Unfortunately, it also has disadvantages. First of all, it is the unnaturalness of the surface imitating a tree. Also, in some cases, there may be swelling, waves and chips. This is typical for products manufactured by unscrupulous manufacturers.

To distinguish low–quality products, it is enough to look at the side section - if air bubbles or foreign inclusions are visible on it, then you have a low-quality decking.

The most significant disadvantage is the tendency of WPC boards to deflection. Because of this, in the manufacture of the construction site, the distance between the logs should be minimal. And it is also necessary to provide a ventilation system to ensure the air exchange of the space under the coating. Stagnation of air masses can lead to the appearance of mold.

WPC boards can be polished and not polished. These two types have no external differences and they have the same operational qualities.

Dimensions of the decking

Depending on the thickness of the decking board there are:

Thin (1.8-2.2 cm).
Medium (2.5-3 cm).
Thick (4.2-4.8 cm).

The width of the deck board ranges from 9 to 25 cm. The length can be 3, 4 or 6 m. For the design of small areas, tile WPC decking is made with the size of sections ranging from 0.25 * 0.25 m to 0.5 * 0.5 m.

Additional expenses during decking installation

If the installation of a natural board requires additional costs in the form of self-tapping screws, then end parts are needed for laying a terrace decking. They perform both practical and aesthetic tasks.

As a border, F and L-shaped profiles are usually used, a border bar and a lintel bar between the coating and the wall of the building.

It is necessary to treat the flooring with special protective compounds during its installation, and then once every two years. As a result, you will get a significant amount.

Speaking of support posts for flooring, they can be manufactured:

Made of wood. The laying step is 60-100 cm (depends on the section of the log). The tree must be dry, the humidity should not exceed 25% — otherwise deformations may appear. Treatment with protective special preparations is mandatory.
Made of composite. The pitch of the layout is 0.3–0.4 m. Such lags are advised to be used when installing flooring in difficult weather conditions, but at low loads. During installation, dense rubber pads must be installed between the surface of the ground or concrete and the racks.
Made of aluminum. Such lags are distinguished by a minimum temperature expansion. Let's assume installation in increments of up to 1 m. Metal racks cost a lot, so they are used mainly in important areas that require a responsible approach.

We make a decking from a decking ourselves

Installation of the decking with your own hands should be done on a flat, hard surface. A good option for concrete bases is adjustable racks that allow you to adjust the height and slope during the construction of a terrace area.

The coating boards, as well as the decking of the steps, must be laid, taking into account all the manufacturer's recommendations. There are two ways of laying – seamless and with a compensation gap of 4-6 mm between individual parts. It is also important to observe the slope of the flooring 1.5-2% in the direction of the boards being mounted.

Decking can be used not only for the construction of decorative areas, but also for wall cladding. Facade decking is no less popular today than decking decking. WPC is also used for its manufacture.