ᐅ Building a Deck with Wooden Decking Boards – Which Type of Wood?
Created on: 7 Aug 2018 15:50
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Home2016Hello,
we will be installing the decking on a roof terrace ourselves. Since we definitely want to use wood, our question to you is: which type of wood is best suited for this?
The terrace is open to the sky, meaning precipitation will fall directly on the wood.
We would also appreciate any tips you can give us, for example regarding the substructure and anything else we should definitely keep in mind.
Thank you very much for your contributions.
we will be installing the decking on a roof terrace ourselves. Since we definitely want to use wood, our question to you is: which type of wood is best suited for this?
The terrace is open to the sky, meaning precipitation will fall directly on the wood.
We would also appreciate any tips you can give us, for example regarding the substructure and anything else we should definitely keep in mind.
Thank you very much for your contributions.
Douglas fir or the more expensive bangkirai wood are quite weather-resistant, though there are other types of wood as well. Proper treatment is certainly important, and for the substructure, I would possibly recommend using plastic or WPC (wood-plastic composite). This is especially relevant since the substructure is in contact with moisture. WPC could also be considered as a surface covering, although personally, I would say you need to invest more to get WPC that looks good. The cheaper WPC products often appear low-quality.
Substructure made of plastic or steel, sealed all around with Owatrol Cip. Siberian larch wood is also an option. It is very durable, slow-grown, and not exactly cheap. Go to a specialized timber supplier, not a general hardware store like Bauhaus or similar. They will likely try to sell you fast-grown plantation larch, which will rot after five years.
This is how we did it:
We drilled holes 70cm (28 inches) deep using a 125mm (5 inch) earth auger, then drove short 125mm (5 inch) KG pipes to a common height, about 10cm (4 inches) above ground. These were then filled with concrete up to the top and smoothed out. These are our foundations.
On top of that, aluminum square tubing was screwed in vertically. A 10mm (0.4 inch) thick layer of recycled rubber was glued onto the upper edge as a spacer, for cushioning and to keep it dry.
Above that, we installed our own hand-planed and sanded oak boards, 30mm (1.2 inch) thick, because we didn’t want any cheap wood. They were fastened with stainless steel Spax terrace screws directly into the aluminum tubing.
I would do it exactly the same way again; it has held up for over 10 years without warping or any other issues.
The weed control fabric underneath wasn’t absolutely necessary but it prevents plants from growing through the gaps.
We drilled holes 70cm (28 inches) deep using a 125mm (5 inch) earth auger, then drove short 125mm (5 inch) KG pipes to a common height, about 10cm (4 inches) above ground. These were then filled with concrete up to the top and smoothed out. These are our foundations.
On top of that, aluminum square tubing was screwed in vertically. A 10mm (0.4 inch) thick layer of recycled rubber was glued onto the upper edge as a spacer, for cushioning and to keep it dry.
Above that, we installed our own hand-planed and sanded oak boards, 30mm (1.2 inch) thick, because we didn’t want any cheap wood. They were fastened with stainless steel Spax terrace screws directly into the aluminum tubing.
I would do it exactly the same way again; it has held up for over 10 years without warping or any other issues.
The weed control fabric underneath wasn’t absolutely necessary but it prevents plants from growing through the gaps.
Take a look at the Sofortholz website; they are not far from you and deliver without any issues. They offer a good system for the substructure. We chose Cumaru for its durability and color.
Our wood is currently on the truck and is expected to be delivered within the next two weeks. Then I’ll be able to say more about whether the system was really a good choice. The landscaping contractor is installing the substructure for us, and we will build the terrace ourselves.
Douglas fir is also quite acceptable but less durable (though more affordable).
In the end, you have to decide what suits your needs best.
Our wood is currently on the truck and is expected to be delivered within the next two weeks. Then I’ll be able to say more about whether the system was really a good choice. The landscaping contractor is installing the substructure for us, and we will build the terrace ourselves.
Douglas fir is also quite acceptable but less durable (though more affordable).
In the end, you have to decide what suits your needs best.
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