Outdoor flooring: which material can be laid and how?

Outdoor flooring

Floor coverings on terraces, balconies or in open wind traps must have special properties. Frost resistance and weather resistance are just as important as a substructure that prevents waterlogging. Preferred materials for outdoor use are ceramic or natural stone tiles and slabs, cast stone or wood. WPC, a mixture of wood fibers and plastic, is increasingly being discussed as a durable and easy-care covering.

Covering materials for balcony and terrace

The different materials that are suitable as outdoor flooring differ in terms of both appearance and properties. The substructure varies depending on the surface, always with a focus on being frost-free and reliable procedure of rainwater.

Real wood

The product range of woods that are suitable as flooring for patios or balconies is growing steadily. Mainly woods with a high natural durability are used. This includes many tropical woods, but also native woods such as oak, robinia or boiler pressure-impregnated coniferous woods (KDI). The classification is based on the new DIN EN 350-2. A newer way to impregnate wood is by heat treatment. The so-called thermowood brings a higher durability with, the shrinkage and swelling behavior is reduced, the wood color darker. The CMT process chemically improves natural wood properties. The woods are pretreated with various substances and can be used in the non-load-bearing area. If the type of wood is selected, the following points are relevant for planning the flooring:

  • In order to improve slip resistance, the corrugated wooden planks are laid at right angles to the main walking direction.
  • A slope of 1 to 2% is required to ensure adequate water drainage.
  • Good ventilation is important throughout the construction. This is particularly important in wind traps or with all-round parapets. As a solution in poorly ventilated areas, the choice of a permanent type of wood can be considered.
  • The later loads must already be taken into account when dimensioning the substructure. In places where heavy flower pots can stand, additional reinforcements are recommended.

Flooring for the terrace: Good planning is helpful

Tiles, natural stone and artificial stone

A timelessly beautiful look, a large selection and a long shelf life make natural stones outdoors a popular floor covering. The downside of the natural building material is its high weight, the comparatively complex installation and the high costs. Installation errors are easily avenged with efflorescence or frost damage. Therefore, a professional substructure is just as important as the choice of stone adapted to the installation location. If natural stone tiles are laid as flooring on roof terraces or balconies, the high weight must be taken into account in the static dimensioning.

The big problem with natural stone – as with other slab coverings – is water. This diffuses through the smallest cracks and leads in the event of temperature fluctuations and frost breaks to tension in the material. This in turn leads to flaking and damage to the covering itself. Often the water cannot dry completely. Loose laying with strong slabs offers a solution for natural stone and cast stone. In some cases, ceramic coverings can be laid loosely on support elements. The substructure then forms a gravel or mortar bed, pedestals or mortar slabs are also suitable.

Install terrace tiles correctly

Drainage systems, for example, offer a safe solution for draining water under natural stone or tile coverings. A capillary-breaking drainage layer is laid on the waterproofing on the slope. The plates or tiles are glued to this layer, and water-permeable drainage mortar can be used as an adhesive.

WPC – Wood Polymer Composite

Wood fibers in different proportions, mixed with thermoplastic, form the basic materials of WPC. For example, the planks are manufactured using the extrusion process and look and feel similar to real wood planks. Compared to real wood, the material is characterized by greater moisture resistance and is less susceptible to swelling and shrinking. However, the breaking strength is reduced, but this disadvantage can easily be compensated for by reinforcements. The Qualitätsgemeinschaft Holzwerkstoffe e.V. has awarded a seal for WPC, which takes into account the origin of the product in addition to different quality-relevant material properties. The planning principles for laying correspond to those for laying wooden planks outdoors.

Wood polymer composite as a floor covering for the terrace

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Christina Cherry
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