CONSULTING ” DECKING BOARDS ” best decking wood

The best decking wood

Wood is a natural product. Unlike industrially manufactured goods, each decking board is therefore unique. Thanks to international quality standards and DIN norms, products from different suppliers and origins can still be compared.

How do I find the best decking timber?

There are subjective criteria, such as color and grain, and objective criteria, such as warp resistance and durability, which determine the choice of the right decking wood. For color and feel, it is best to use our free sample dispatch. In addition, our Wood decision aid will help you find the wood that suits your project.

Here we want to explain the four most important objective criteria for the best decking wood. Woods that do not meet these requirements should be removed from your search.

Wood quality: Premium or FAS

FAS is the international standard for the best sorting. Premium has established itself as the term for the best grading in the German timber trade. The wood quality indicates how low the proportion of quality-reducing features in the product is. Cracks and knotholes may only occur to a very small extent on the A-side of the decking boards with the best grading. Make sure you get binding information from your timber dealer. Re-sorting or manual sorting also increases the quality of the plank selection. Ask your retailer for verifiable sorting criteria.

Durability: Resistance class 1-2

Tropical wood species generally last longer outdoors as they are more resistant to wood-destroying fungi. For a particularly long-lasting decking, the wood should achieve at least resistance class 2. All decking boards at Betterwood achieve at least this class. Classification is based on long-term tests in accordance with the DIN standard. Of course, the position of the decking is also decisive for its later durability (keyword: constructive wood protection). In a damp and shady environment, the wood is more susceptible to fungi than in a well-ventilated and dry environment.

Drying: KD or technically dried

Drying has a decisive influence on the dimensional stability and accuracy of the wood. Technical drying (KD – kiln dried) is a better way of preventing later warping than with exclusively air-dried wood. All Betterwood decking boards are kiln dried.

Origin: FSC® 100%

With tropical wood in particular, care should be taken to ensure that the origin is as sustainable and socially acceptable as possible. The strictest international standard for wood from sustainable and fair production is the FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) certificate. Here, independent checks are carried out regularly to verify environmental and social compatibility. All Betterwood wood products are FSC®-certified.

You should base your purchasing decision on these objective criteria (wood quality, durability, drying, origin). All Betterwood decking boards meet these four standards. In the end, however, it is of course crucial that you like the look of the wood and that you are satisfied with the advice you receive from your timber dealer.

Tools for your terrace project

At Betterwood you will find tools to help you in your search for the best decking timber, why not try a few out? And if you don’t know what to do next: Get in touch with us.