The terrace is the part of the house that is exposed to extreme conditionsconditions, which means that you should pay special attention to the choice of building and facing materials. In this article, we offer an overview of the most practical and beautiful floor coverings with reviews and opinions of real people When it comes to , and especially its floor covering, such qualities as wear resistance, safety, resistance to fading, aesthetics and, of course, high cost are usually put at the forefront. And if the last two characteristics are subjective, then the rest are quite amenable to analysis and comparison. We will try to objectively describe the advantages and disadvantages of specific materials. Floorboard One of the most common, but far from the simplest option is a regular solid floorboard. Here, the decisive role is played by the choice of wood species and the method of its processing. Thus, the best species for open wooden elements is considered to be larch, teak or ipe wood (Brazilian nut). Larch can boast the most attractive price - about 1,000-2,000 rubles per sq. m depending on the class ("Extra", "A", "B" and "C" - according to the number of defects). The wood itself is resinous, due to which it resists rotting and insect pests. However, the abundance of resin is also a disadvantage - sometimes it can protrude from the wood. Therefore, it is best to use a board dried in a drying chamber. In addition, the likelihood that a dried board will "lead" is significantly lower. With abundant resin secretion, you can use special resin removal products. When buying a board, you should pay attention not only to the degree of drying of the wood, but also to the nature of the relief. A good option would be a corrugated coating - the so-called "corduroy". Larch, if properly processed, will not twist. Much also depends on the fasteners. By the way, corduroy will be stronger than a smooth board. Alexander, the Siberian Tree company This relief makes the board less slippery and more resistant to deformation. The wood should be treated with special decking oil or wax, after removing a thin layer of the surface with a grinding machine. The oil impregnation procedure should be carried out at least once a year. Remember that wood is destroyed mainly by changes in humidity and temperature, so if you live in a mild climate, the wood has a better chance of lasting for many years.
Teak and ipe will also be excellent, althoughnot a cheap option. Thus, the price per square meter of these species can reach 10-15 thousand rubles. Wood-polymer composite (WPC) The word "decking" refers to any plank floor covering, as well as WPC boards, which are widely used in cladding. consists of a mixture of sawdust, polymers (for example, polyethylene or PVC), pigments, UV protectors and has many advantages:
- Visually very similar to a tree;
- Chemically inert, not combustible;
- Long-lived;
- Does not slip, has good thermal insulation properties;
- Does not absorb water, does not rot;
- Does not fade in the sun.
Look at the board.The structure of the board should be uniform and single-colored with wood inclusions. There should be absolutely no swellings, chips, cavities, bubbles, or colored inclusions. The board should not crumble or delaminate when cut. The cut should be even and smooth. Try to break off a piece of the board at the cut with your fingers. You should not be able to do this. Specialists of the Master Deck company Polyethylene-based boards have significantly greater flexibility and wood content than PVC-based boards. They can be fastened with screws through and through, while fragile PVC-based boards should be installed either on “floating” clips or with gaps in order to protect them from cracking due to temperature changes and to provide ventilation. In general, composite boards are laid on mounting joists fixed to a concrete base.
Thermowood Thermowood is a verya promising material obtained by heating wood in a special chamber. In this process, some of the organic compounds (mainly sugars) are destroyed, and the remaining material has a number of advantages:
- Does not absorb moisture and practically does not rot;
- Does not crack and does not crack;
- Has a beautiful, rich color.
Thermally modified wood also has its disadvantages.Speaking of thermally modified wood, in addition to its positive properties that everyone is talking about, we should also note its disadvantages. Namely: under the influence of high temperatures, the wood not only becomes resistant to decay, but also becomes brittle. Much more brittle than ordinary wood. Vasily Tkachev, Sales Manager at Deceuninck The fragility of thermally modified wood allows it to be used as a floor covering only with great caution and in the presence of a reliable support system. It is recommended to use thermally modified ash, since thermally modified pine and thermally modified birch are not strong enough. Among other disadvantages, we can note fading under ultraviolet light, for protection against which it is necessary to use protective varnishes, and a relatively high price - from 2,500 to 7,000 rubles per square meter. Thus, the price of thermally modified ash is comparable to valuable wood species, the flooring of which, with proper care, will serve you no less. Nevertheless, thermally modified wood practically does not require regular care.
Porcelain stoneware Porcelain stoneware is a material with record wear resistance. Its advantages include:
- High hardness and wear resistance;
- Good thermal insulation;
- Roughness of the coating, which is especially important in winter;
- A variety of colors and textures, including imitation of wood, paving stones and stone.
Among the disadvantages of porcelain stoneware are perhaps,only fragility. When choosing porcelain stoneware for the street, you should pay special attention to such a characteristic as slipperiness. It is designated by the letter R with a number from 0 to 13, where 0 corresponds to the most slippery surface, and 13 - the least slippery. Please note, if you use porcelain stoneware outdoors, that the surface is anti-slip. As a rule, such surfaces have a coefficient from R10 to R13. You can also buy porcelain stoneware specifically for stair steps, then special risks are already applied to it. But I would additionally make anti-slip pads on the steps. Inna Pankina, designer An equally important characteristic of porcelain stoneware is abrasion. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 is the most stable surface. Porcelain stoneware is laid on a leveled concrete base. Such a coating will cost about 400-1,200 rubles per square meter.
Clinker tiles Clinker - wholeceramic tiles. Despite the fact that , there are many supporters of this material. The main problems usually arise not even with the tiles themselves, but with the glue - for example, after several harsh winters, the glue may stop holding the tiles and they will fall off. Also, you cannot use tiles covered with glaze. The main difference between clinker and porcelain stoneware is high frost resistance. This is due to the fact that clinker tiles accumulate much less water than porcelain stoneware - due to high vapor permeability. The water accumulated by porcelain stoneware can lead to both cracking in frost and high slipperiness of the surface. There is clinker on the porch, and porcelain stoneware in the bathroom. Clinker is much more pleasant to the touch with your foot. Alexey, entrepreneur The price of imported clinker can reach 6,000 rubles per square meter, but is usually within 1,500 rubles.
Concrete If you associate concrete withexclusively with a rough gray surface, so unexpectedly exposed after the plaster fell off, it's time for you to reconsider your views. Now it is possible to use both figured concrete tiles and stamped concrete. Concrete tiles captivate with a variety of shapes, colors and textures, wear resistance and ease of installation. On the other hand, concrete tiles are demanding of the quality of the base (foundation) and require slope.
A much more interesting technology isstamped concrete. The basic idea is that concrete that has not yet hardened is imprinted with a special stamp, giving it the desired relief and texture. The concrete is then coated with an acrylic sealant varnish, so the surface may shine a little. The main advantages of this type of concrete are frost resistance and strength, but the disadvantages include a complex pouring technology, which is best left to professionals. Some types of stamps have a smooth surface and can be slippery, so we recommend using an anti-slip additive in the varnish. In America, they are very scrupulous about this, so we always recommend using this additive for outdoor work. Peter, Decorative Concrete Technologies
Stone The most natural and romantic option— natural stone. Unfortunately, it has quite a few disadvantages, although for you, perhaps, the aesthetics of real stone will outweigh all the difficulties. For example, the stone is very cold and slippery, so after the rain you will have to walk on the terrace with caution. On the other hand, the stone is not afraid of water, sun and other climatic phenomena, and if it ages, it does so beautifully. The price of stone varies widely: from 200 rubles per square meter to tens of thousands.
Other options There are other, lessCommon flooring options. An example is rubber tiles, which are not widely used due to their limited aesthetic properties, and plastic tiles, which are durable but slippery.
