WPC decking board: do-it-yourself decking installation

Recommendation points

• Materials and features of their choice
• Decking board mounting tools
• Step-by-step installation of WPC decking
• Stage 1. Surface preparation
• Stage 2. Installation of lathing under the decking
• Stage 3. Installation of decking
• Stage 4. Finishing works

WPC board is one of the most budgetary and practical materials for arranging flooring for terraces. Since decking in private construction is used relatively recently, many hire workers to lay it. However, it is easy to do it yourself, even in the absence of skills and with a minimum set of necessary tools..

WPC decking are corrugated planks (boards) consisting of a base – wood flour, a binder polymer element – polypropylene, modified additives and dyes. Decking is less aesthetically pleasing than solid wood decking and does not have a natural wood texture. But this material is preferable in the budgetary plan – its cost is 1000-1500 rubles per m², despite the fact that he does not need annual care and updating.

The pluses also include:

• low hydrophobicity;
• resistance to the occurrence of fungus, mold, decay;
• wide range of colors.

Among other things, the installation of such boards can be performed by a non-professional in the absence of skills and a large number of specialized tools..

Materials and features of their choice

In the work you will need the following materials:

1. Terrace board.If WPC decking is chosen, then you should pay attention to the ratio of the components in the composition, the operational characteristics of the future coating depend on this. This information should be on the packaging.

If there is much more wood filler than polymer, decking “inherits” all the disadvantages of natural wood dust. It becomes more fragile, less moisture resistant and, accordingly, short-lived.

With the predominance of polypropylene, on the contrary, all woody properties are lost, and the board itself is more like a plastic strip, slippery and not attractive enough.

Therefore, for the Russian climate and from the aesthetic side, it is best to choose the middle option – 50/50.

ATTENTION! Please note that it is better to take boards with a small margin. If some planks are defective, damaged during installation or subsequent replacement / repair, it will be difficult to acquire a decking exactly in tone – for this, the material must be from the same batch.

2. Composite logs great for home installation with low load factor. They are resistant to aggressive external environment and strong enough for private use.

ATTENTION! Although many resources say that logs can be made of any material, it is better to use WPC when installing a similar decking, since the temperature expansions of wood and composite are different!

3. Fasteners.It is necessary to prepare the clamps. If you want to make the minimum gap between the decking strips from 1 mm, buy metal clips (made of stainless steel), but it is most advisable to take plastic clips – the gap will be noticeable (4–7 mm), but this improves the underground ventilation of open terraces. Self-tapping screws are used special, with anti-corrosion coating.

4. Finishing corner or end stripsrequired as a decorative frame for the outer ends of the boards.

Decking board mounting tools

Every owner can find the necessary tools for laying. This is a standard household set.

During the installation of the WPC, you will need:

1. Electric saw – end for cross cutting or circular for ripping when adjusting materials, or jigsaw.
2. Electric drill.
3. Screwdriver (if it is convenient for you to drill and twist with a drill, you can do without it) or screwdriver.
4. Normal bubble level.
5. Roulette.
6. Construction pencil.
7. Rubber mallet.
8. Carrying (extension cord) for working with corded power tools.

Step-by-step installation of WPC decking

Before starting work, it is necessary to unpack the material and lay it on a clean, flat, dry surface for a couple of days. This is necessary for its adaptation to the environment..

Prepare all the required tools, again calculate and mark the length of the materials. If everything is in order, you can start installing the deck on the terrace..

Stage 1. Surface preparation

The deck base can be different:

1. Cement screed or OSB (in covered terraces), pre-treated with waterproofing mixtures.
2. Crushed stone-sand type compacted pillow.
3. Pile-screw construction.

If there is no foundation, the arrangement of a crushed stone base is allowed, but only as a last resort. To do this, it is necessary to remove a layer of soil to a depth of 30 cm and cover the resulting hole with geotextile. Then crushed stone is poured and carefully rammed.

Arrangement of decking can be done on any suitable, solid base.

Before installing the lag, please note that it is imperative to provide a slope of at least 1-1.5 degrees for the drainage of water in the direction of laying the boards and the corresponding elements for drainage.

Stage 2. Installation of lathing under the decking

This is the most responsible and difficult stage. There are several basic rules for laying logs that must be taken into account before and during installation:

1. Lags are not the main supporting element of the terrace floor. They should be laid on the base, if not along the entire length, then at least on supporting elements (piles or logs), the center-to-center distance between which does not exceed 40 cm.
2. It is impossible to lay the space between the logs with heat-insulating materials – this will reduce the ventilation characteristics of the structure.
3. Lags are mounted on the base in the perpendicular direction, relative to the laying of the deck.
4. Place the joists with the groove up, this will ensure the correct centering of the cleats.
5. When laying them, use a bubble level or level, adjusting the uniformity of the plane with the spacers under the log.
6. Installation is carried out with a gap of 1 cm from any capital structure.
7. Fastening is best done with metal staples approximately 1 meter apart, but screws can also be used. The basic requirement is to screw them flush into the countersink hole.
8. The distance between the lags is 30-40 cm.

Stage 3. Installation of decking

Installation starts from the wall. The linear expansion of the WPC is approximately 1%, so the gap between it and the wall should be about 2–3 cm. Decking can be fastened with an open type. This is when the screws are screwed, after preliminary drilling, directly into the “body” of the strip, and then their caps are masked with caps or tinted. However, this method is the least preferred because of its unattractiveness. Therefore, we will consider in more detail the installation of a closed type..

The starting row of cleats is screwed to each lag, strictly coaxial. Before screwing in, drill a hole in the lag 3/4 of the diameter of the self-tapping screw.

The cleats are inserted into the grooves of the first starting board. To ensure that the KDP enters the clips evenly and tightly, adjust gently with a mallet.

On the other hand, insert the second row of cleats into the grooves, which are attached in the same way to the guides.

Then lay down the next board and fasten it with a clasp. Thus, the entire installation is carried out.

Stage 4. Finishing works

Before closing the ends of the decking, it is important to inspect the resulting structure again..

The end ends of the WPC decking are decorated with corners. To do this, cut the corner to the desired length and screw it to the logs using long stainless screws.

For terrace elements with increased load (steps, sills) use aluminum corners.

This completes the laying of the decking..