Wooden terrace construction project in Malaga

A look behind the scenes of a real terrace project

Building a wooden deck sounds straightforward at first – until you’re in the middle of the project. Uneven substrates, millimetre-precise spacing, clean cuts and durable solutions are real challenges. In this article, we take our readers behind the scenes with a team of craftsmen on a real-life construction project for a Cumaru terrace in Malaga and show in a practical way how planning, craftsmanship and high-quality materials produced a convincing result. The goal: a durable, high-quality wooden terrace that not only looks good, but also provides long-term enjoyment.

Building the substructure – the foundation for longevity

Building the substructure is one of the most important steps in decking construction. It determines the stability, evenness and durability of the entire wooden decking. This project quickly showed that care pays off.

A load-bearing, well-aligned substructure ensures that water can run off cleanly and no waterlogging occurs – a decisive factor for the durability of wooden decking boards. The correct spacing of the substructure timbers, proper alignment and the choice of a suitable material are important here.

Our tip:

The Betterwood Deck Planner helps you calculate your material requirements precisely and avoid common planning mistakes right from the start.

You can also find detailed step-by-step instructions in the decking construction instruction videos:
Building the substructure
Connecting the substructure

Sawing and screwing decking boards – precision is crucial

Once the substrate and substructure have been prepared, the decking boards are sawn to size and screwed together. Even spacing, clean saw cuts and drill holes and the correct screwing technique are important here.

In practice, it has been shown that distributing all the planks evenly before screwing them together ensures a visually harmonious overall appearance. Pre-drilling reduces tension in the wood, especially as shown here with the visible screw connection. This step is essential, especially with high-quality hardwoods such as Cumaru. Spacers and tensioning straps help to maintain precise distances for a uniform joint pattern and proper screwing. The end edge wax on the saw edges minimizes the risk of end cracks and warping.

Helpful:

The Betterwood video installation guides clearly demonstrate how to properly screw down floorboards and what to keep in mind:
Cutting floorboards to size correctly
Applying edge wax to prevent cracks

Indispensable:

• tension belts or plank clamps
• Spacer

Subtleties that make the difference: Saw cut & edge milling

A wooden deck only looks really high-quality when the details are right. In our project, a uniform saw cut and cleanly milled edges were crucial for the final appearance.

Evenly cut plank ends ensure a calm, high-quality look, while milled edges reduce splintering and make the terrace more pleasant to walk on – especially barefoot. These work steps take a little time, but pay off in the long term. A rail, one-hand clamps and a hand-held circular saw simplify this work step.

Oiling decking boards – protection for wood & appearance

Oiling the decking boards reliably protects the wood from moisture, UV radiation and dirt. At the same time, the color and natural grain are preserved for longer. It is important to apply the oil evenly to a clean, dry surface and to renew it regularly. This ensures that the wooden decking remains durable and of high quality.

Users can find helpful tips on proper use in the Betterwood instructions as well as in the video building guides:

Correct oiling

Our conclusion from practical experience:

Finishing and care is not an optional luxury, but a clear quality factor for a durable and safe wooden decking.

Finished! A long-lasting, high-quality end result

Once all the work steps have been completed, the result is a stable, high-quality, beautiful wooden deck that visibly enhances the roof terrace. The combination of careful planning, precise implementation and high-quality materials creates a terrace that defies wind and weather and can be used for many years to come.

Anyone planning a deck project on their own will benefit greatly from thorough preparation and practical guidance. Betterwood supports aspiring builders with digital tools, instructions, and videos—from the initial idea to the finished deck.

Further help for your project:

• Terrace planner – Planning & material requirements
• Instructions – knowledge from practice
• Video assembly instructions – explained step by step

Short and sweet: Compact schedule – building the platforms

Brief overview for implementation:

• Preparing and aligning the substrate
• Planning and building the substructure
• Cutting decking boards to size, laying and pre-drilling
• Screwing the boards together evenly
• Milling edges and aligning saw cuts
• Final inspection, cleaning & oiling