CONSULTING ” DECKING BOARDS ” errors

Typical mistakes when building terraces

Building wooden decking is not rocket science. Nevertheless, there are a few mistakes that can always occur when building a wooden deck. Here you can find out what these are and how to avoid them.

Fault: Insufficient ventilation

Consequence: If the patio is not well ventilated from below, waterlogging will occur. This can lead to a variety of problems: Planks can warp, screws can break and the durability of the wood is significantly reduced if it cannot always dry out properly.

Solution: Plan a ventilation profile at the edges of the terrace. Increase the installation height with pedestal supports or counter battens. Also allow for joints in veneers, if necessary use a perforated plate instead of floorboards. Do not fall below a distance of 1.5 cm from solid structures (house walls, curbs). Water should be able to drain away in the subfloor. This can be achieved with crushed stone, gravel and grit or a sufficient slope. Avoid a water barrier: Create air space under the substructure with decking pads so that water is not blocked in its flow direction.

Error: Too few screws

As a result, hardwood can develop enormous strength due to its high density. If the floorboard has too much play, it can buckle and warp. The screws can also break.

Solution: Screw the boards together at the beginning and end and observe a maximum screw spacing of 50 cm. Allow the plank ends to protrude a maximum of 8 cm.

Error: Substructure short-lived

As a result, the substructure is not as durable as the decking. In case of doubt, the terrace has to be renewed, even though the decking would have lasted for years.

Solution: Decking and substructure should have a similar service life. The resistance class provides information about the durability of a type of wood. The top layer and substructure should not be more than one resistance class apart.