Terrace board: laying yourself (methods and technology)

The registration of the house territory often includes works on arrangement of decorative and at the same time physically resistant floor. The most advantageous cover is the terrace, laid out with special boards. Other materials can be used, but wood texture and environmental safety make this type of flooring an optimal solution. Due to the specifics of using such platforms, the technologists developed the corresponding rules, according to which a terrace board is installed. Laying yourself requires serious preparation of the place of registration and compliance with the nuances of installation. Do not forget that the terrace is a street covering, because of which it affects both atmospheric precipitation and mechanical loads from shoes when walking.

Advantages of using wood

Stone, porcelain stoneware and clinker are rightly considered the best means of finishing in terms of protection against mechanical damage. Wood traditionally benefits due to its unique texture and texture, as well as ease of processing.

However, modern impregnations and protective compounds make it possible to bring the tree closer to solid coatings and in terms of physical resistance. In addition, the technology of laying the terrace board involves the use of special rocks that are resistant to abrasion and deformation. In addition, there are special models of boards, in which a rippled surface is provided. The presence of longitudinal grooves, in particular, provides a free flow of water. As a result, the terrace dries faster, eliminating harmful processes under the influence of moisture.

Decking

In the classic sense of the board for the terrace - this is a natural material made from a woody massif. But in recent years, more and more often for such tasks, special composite analogs are used called decking, through which no less qualitative laying of the terrace board is performed. Larch also does not lose its relevance, but in terms of practicality and ease of installation, artificial substitutes still benefit from it. As a rule, these are hollow boards made of sawdust and polymer composite mixtures. Decking is durable, unpretentious in maintenance, resistant to abrasion and allows easy dismantling of the laid coating.

In addition to strength merits can be identified and the functionality of the deck. In modern models, the same grooves for the weir and the rough surface are provided. The photo below of the installation of the terrace board also makes it possible to verify the ease of its installation.

What boards should I use?

The choice of wood or decking is fully justified, but when purchasing, there are other criteria for selecting the board itself, its design features and size. First of all, the presence of an anti-slip coating is taken into account . This, again, is a rippled board that has a special top layer and is labeled with the letter R. With respect to size, the choice depends on the area of the installation and the base on which the terrace board will be laid.

Ways of laying are different and can provide fixation on a concrete base, soil, slabs of concrete products, etc. Standard is a material 3 cm thick, about 5 m long and 15 cm wide. In this case, one should not expect that excessive thickness will necessarily go for good. The minimum limit is 2 cm and on the condition of correctly laid logs this will be enough. Increasing the thickness can lead to a large difference in levels relative to other coatings, which will necessitate additional termination of the transitions and thresholds.

Wall Preparation

The main preparatory work relates to the base, but adjacent walls should also be brought into the appropriate ready. Since in the rain the spray from the terrace can wet the base, it must be protected. For this purpose, at a height of 20 cm from the ground, the wall is decorated with a moisture resistant lining. It is recommended that the material also conform to the texture, which is endowed with a terraced board. Stacking with their own hands is made taking into account the compensation joints, which are filled with elastic materials, silicone grouts and sealants. It is necessary to tighten the upper edges of the cap. This is also done with acrylic or silicone sealants.

Preparation of the basis

Compliance with technology implies laying on a flat base. The board is very capricious in harsh operating conditions, so a reliable platform will be a good pledge of durability. Depending on the scale of the laying, one of two ways to create a foundation can be chosen - a carefully tamped coating of gravel, crushed stone and a supporting frame or a full concrete cushion.

If you choose a scheme for laying a terraced board, in which there is no reinforced concrete slab, you should perform the excavation of unstable ground. After that, a layer of mineral concrete or crushed stone is filled and compacted vibrationally. Next, a bed of gravel and sand up to 5 cm high is filled in. But to ensure the maximum reliability of the terrace, it is still worthwhile to provide point supports in the form of concrete slabs. The size of the elements can be as follows: 30 cm in length and width, and 4 cm in height.

Laying the log

Mounting lags in the terrace cover system serve as a substrate, linking point concrete supports and directly to the boards. Their fixation is provided by dowels and screws made of stainless steel. Since the rules for laying the terraced board require an even surface of the base, there must always be a countersunk head in the fasteners. Lags are drilled in the center, after which the screw head is heated in the formed niche. For fastening the logs to the concrete slab dowel-nails with a size of 0.8 x 8 cm are used. The joints between the lags can be realized by two methods:

• Due to the displacement of the elements among themselves at a distance of 15 cm;
• On the "joint-to-junction" technique, keeping a gap of at least 3 cm.

Also, there are gaps between the lags and fixed surfaces in the form of walls and curbs. This gap is also not less than 3 cm. If the logs are installed perpendicularly to the direction of the drain, then during the installation, small gaps should be left. They are located on the principle of steps to facilitate the flow of water.

Stacking of the terrace board

The boards must be nailed to the logs, observing the interval of 1 cm. Leave the gaps necessary for the free "work" of the tree. Thus, a more reliable and durable laying of the terrace board is carried out. The instruction stipulates that the slots will allow the board to dry out better and freely swell when contacting rainwater without deformations. For fastening it is possible to use stainless steel screws, brass screws, and in some cases an adhesive joint is allowed . There is also a method of lower attachment, in which traces of external fixation are not visible. But for this it is necessary to use plastic lags that do not absorb moisture. As a rule, these are special sets designed for the installation of a terrace.

Compensating seams

When working with wood, expansion joints are especially important, as their failure can lead to bends and cracks. This is especially important if you are laying a terrace board from larch. The instruction in this case involves filling the seams with edge band or expanded polystyrene. The sealing is carried out vertically, filling the joints of the wall and the board. In calculating the fill heights, it is important to take into account that the gap can compensate for the temperature deformation, not only for the wood itself, but also for the concrete slab.

The standard width of the joint is 1.5 cm. They also perform the function of dividing the coating into rectangles or squares. In this case, the frequency of the gaps should vary in the range of 2-5 m. The choice of the step size is also influenced by the side of the light where the terrace board is planned to be laid. The instruction says that the greatest heating of boards is usually observed from the south-west and south sides. Accordingly, in such places it is desirable to perform seams with an interval of 2 m.

Ventilation

The coating must have good air circulation. For this, one rule should be observed: free niches in the space where the lugs contact the base plates should remain unoccupied. Thus, unobstructed ventilation is provided in the voids of the support system under the wooden flooring. But this only applies to cases with concrete slabs or other supports, on which are installed lags and directly a terraced board. Laying their own hands on the ground also provides for the introduction of the design of delimiting stone curbs. Direct contact of a boarding board and a log with a lawn or ground is not allowed. For optimal circulation in any case, it is necessary to provide open slots 3 cm along the perimeter of the terrace.

End sealing

At the final stage of installation, the board formed by boards is given a one-piece decorative appearance. Surface profiles at the ends are covered with corners, as well as F-shaped elements. It is possible to use special planks made of polymers for these purposes. For example, for the terrace, polypropylene or polyethylene can be the optimal solution. The angle of the end of the PDK 3 x 3 x 0.5 cm is fixed by screws having a semicircular head and a size of 0.4 x 3 cm.

The implementation of these operations is important not only from the point of view of aesthetics, but also to improve the reliability of the coating - by means of a quality seal it is possible to eliminate the risk of cracks and other defects that a badly laid terrace board is sinning. Stacking with your own hands allows you to point to the fit and correction of the elements of the coating. However, it is desirable to perform these operations before sealing the end profiles and corners, otherwise the structure will be unstable.

Also do not forget about the correspondence of the texture of the used limiters and profiles to the color of the deck and the wall. Often, such items are sold unpainted, so you should prepare the paint in advance with the appropriate shade.

Seamless stowage technique

This way of installing the terrace can be carried out only if a special material is used. This is a decking, which has a special profile for a seamless connection. The main fasteners are also made using self-tapping screws. The installation is realized either across the log or diagonally - in both cases the reliability of the coating is high enough. In general, the laying of a seamless terraced board involves joining the elements using the spike-groove method.

After fixing the first board, the next one is installed, so that the profiles coincide. The seamless fastening system has a more aesthetic appearance, and also does not need additional processing and protection. Depending on the characteristics of the decking, it is possible to form a coating with a durability of 20 years. The disadvantages of this laying include increased sealing, which is why ventilation is affected. But this problem is solved by creating holes larger than the diameter of the screws. This, by the way, is important for ensuring the possibility of thermal expansion of the board.

Conclusion

Before those who decide to decorate the area with an elegant and reliable terrace, there are many questions. This is the choice of material, and the definition of the layout scheme, as well as the search for a decorative solution. By and large, the answers to these questions will determine the qualitative characteristics of the terrace. The very same laying does not cause special difficulties, and if you follow the instructions for its execution, then in the future the work done will not disappoint the domestic craftsman.