Immediately, we note that the most popular material for creating planken is larch. There are options from pine, but this wood species is too soft, does not have a pronounced structure, therefore it is used much less often in the manufacture of planken. As well as exotic woods such as kumaru or Burmese teak. Such planken will simply cost two to three times more, which scares off buyers. Therefore, larch is the best choice in the light of the price-quality ratio..
Pros of planken from Siberian larch:
- the material is durable, under the influence of water it only becomes stronger and harder;
- easily tolerates temperature changes;
- not afraid of pests and does not rot;
- looks attractive, beautifully decorating the facade.
There are two main types of planken:
- with straight sides, without slopes;
- oblique plank, in which one sidewall protrudes forward, the bevel is about 45-70 degrees.
The installation of a straight plank, which is also called classic, is butt-to-joint, while small ventilated gaps are always left. The beveled plank is overlapped so that ventilation gaps are masked.
Planken with a tongue-and-groove system along the entire length of the board is unpopular, since it does not allow creating the gap necessary for ventilation of the facade.
Scope of application of planken:
- arrangement of ventilated facades;
- construction of fences and fences;
- interior finishing works, including in wooden houses and “frame houses”;
- finishing of the veranda, terrace. This refers to walls, ceilings, railings; for the floor, you should use a special, more resistant terrace board;
- production of benches and other elements of landscape design, including in playgrounds;
- finishing gazebos.
The traditional planken thickness is 20 millimeters. The length can vary from two meters to 5.1 m. Experts believe that it is most convenient to work with boards with a length of 2.5 to 4 m.The width can be from 90 to 190 mm.
The price of a planken depends not only on the size, but also on the class. There are varieties “Extra”, “Prima”, A, AB, BC, CD. It is clear that “Extra” will cost significantly more, as it is distinguished by the absence of knots, wood defects, and higher quality. The cost per square meter of inexpensive pine planken can be about 240 rubles. For a “square” of planken “Extra” from larch, you often have to pay 1400 rubles. So the price range is quite wide.
For mounting the plank, fasteners “Snake” or “Wave” are used, the first option has shorter galvanized steel profiles, the second goes along the entire width of the board. Experts note that there is no fundamental difference in these technologies, you can choose any one. For installation, you will also need a screwdriver, secret (hidden) self-tapping screws 2-4 mm with anti-corrosion protection, a ruler, a pencil and a square for marking.
Planken can be mounted not only in the usual way – horizontally. There are options for vertical or even diagonal arrangement. The easiest way to attach is open. In this case, it will be very easy to replace one damaged board, but the mounts themselves will be visible. With hidden installation, the view is more aesthetic, but to replace one plank, you will also need to temporarily remove the top boards.
It is important to remember that some manufacturers offer planken already treated with antiseptics and flame retardants, while others do not. In this case, you will have to carry out additional processing. At the same time, it is not customary to paint larch planken, because the texture of the tree is beautiful in itself.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using planks as a facade decoration? Can it add value to the building’s aesthetic appeal, or does it require high maintenance and pose durability issues?