WPC (Wood Plastic Composites)  are one of the success products of the last decades. They consist of a thermo-plastically processed mixture of bio-materials (eg. wood fibers or wood flour) and plastic and combine the advantages of both materials.


Production of WPC
WPC belongs to the group of biomaterials. By definition, their natural product content must be at least 20%. Depending on the product and the manufacturer, the mixing conditions are different. However, the wood content is usually at least 50%. Special additives also make the material resistant to environmental and weather influences and is responsible for the color.
As a rule, highly compressed plastics such as HDPE  are used. Thanks to the world-wide excellent recycling technologies, the products contain a substantial proportion of recycled plastics, depending on the manufacturer. WPC is generally an extremely ecological product.

The boards are usually produced by an  extrusion  process in which the raw material is pressed through defined molds.

Variants of WPC terraces
1. Different profiles
The shaping is a manufacturer's issue and the WPC market offers terraces in many  different dimensions, profiles and qualities . The individual profiles differ not only in the optics but also in the load bearing capacity, load capacity, stability and partly also in the possible application areas. The following design variants are available:


Hollow chamber profile with angular chamber design:  WPC boards with hollow chamber profile with square chamber design are significantly lighter than solid boards. Due to the fact that less material is required in the extrusion, they are also significantly cheaper. The stability and load-bearing capacity are reduced by the shorter substructure distances, and more accessories are required.

 

Hollow chamber profile with round chamber design:  WPC boards with hollow chamber profile with round chamber design are slightly lighter than solid boards and combine the advantages of solid boards and hollow chamber boards with regard to stability and accessory requirements.

 

WPC solid boards:  Due to the high volume, WPC solid boards are much more stable than hollow chamber boards. When laying, they are easier to handle, especially in the case of marginal statements. For example, no cover caps are required. Margins can be cut in any shape.

2. Different colors
 

There are no limits in the color design of WPC. However, WPC terraces have proven themselves in  natural colors  . They blend harmoniously into the (garden) landscape. The most common are various shades of brown. But greyish colors are also becoming more and more popular. These colors can look very modern and are an important design element.

3. Different finishes
 

The surfaces may be  smooth, coarse grooved, fine grooved or corrugated  . The grooves differ in width and depth depending on the product. Ultimately it is a matter of taste for which surface one decides.

4. WPC of the 2nd generation
 

WPC Terrassendielen have developed very strongly in recent years. WPC of the 2nd generation offers a  patented 4-sided protective shield around the plank . This makes the boards more scratch-resistant, easier to clean and completely resistant to stains.  In addition, it also offers optical advantages: it is possible to  reproduce a realistic wooden structure in the surface and the color  . The boards are even more natural - almost like real wood.


What are the benefits of wood composite floorboards?
WPC Terrassendielen offer a number of advantages - they are not so popular for free:

 

· A. Long service life:  WPC terraces are very durable (durability class 1) and therefore often last longer than 25 years. So you have long pleasure at its terrace. Larch wood is only ten to 15 years durable, Bangkirai 15 to 20 years. This means that WPC surpasses many common terraces in terms of durability.

· B. Very resistant:  the boards are - if properly laid - very resistant and resilient.

· C. Easy to maintain and low maintenance:  Once laid, they are very easy to maintain and low maintenance. You only have to clean it once or twice a year. The ongoing maintenance cleaning like sweeping and splashing is generally applicable to all terraces. No oiling is required.

· D. Color and UV resistant:  The boards are relatively color resistant. The shades pale only very slowly during annual cleaning and after an initial adjustment over the years. The intensity of fading depends on product, color and installation location (eg free weathered or roofed surfaces).

· E. Foot-friendly surface:  WPC boards are mostly free of chips and cracks. So they offer a pleasant barefoot feel and are also suitable for children. Attention! In the summer, however, they heat up more intensively than real-wood terraces.

· F. Slip and water resistant:  The boards are resistant to slipping and water , especially in the outdoor area.

· G. Salt and chlorine water  resistant : They are relatively insensitive to salt and chlorine water. Therefore, they can also be used excellently as pointers.

· H. Resistant to insects, fungi and algae:  Special additives ensure that WPC is resistant to insects, fungi and algae. This property contributes to the longevity of the boards.

· I. Stain Resistant : WPC terraces of the 2nd generation are absolutely stain resistant due to a patented protective label. Even red wine or fat fats can not harm them. 

Special features of bio-material floorboards - you should pay attention!

A few things should be considered before the purchase of WPC terraces:

· In the summer, the floorboards heat up relatively strongly. In general: the darker the color, the warmer the covering. The surface temperatures can vary by up to 15 degrees with the same exposure to the sun. Temperatures of 50 to 70 degrees can be reached in the summer.

· Wood composites react not only to moisture changes, but also to heat. These influence factors result in a change in the dimensions of the boards, especially in the longitudinal direction. The  length expansion  of WPC boards can be up to 4 mm per foot of decking length within a few hours. This movement must be taken into account in the entire terrace construction, by fixing each plank once (= point) with a fixing clip on the side at which the distance to the next component is to remain as constant as possible.

· WPC terraces lose their stiffness over time, which is why compliance with the construction distances  required in the  laying instructions is  crucial in order to avoid water puddling.

· As is known from many other areas of life, plastics can electrostatically charge themselves under certain conditions . This natural phenomenon is not a defect and can also occur with WPC terraces - it results in a safe electrostatic charge, which is not perceptible to every human being. Longer drying periods, high temperatures, particularly low humidity, favor electrostatically charging.

Gapping Requirements;

Between Boards - Side by Side. - Supplied clip will determine gap. 3 - 5mm;

Board End to Solid Structure. - 10mm;

Against Wall - Parallel. - 10mm;

End to End Butt Join - Cold Day. - 7mm;

End to End Butt Join - Hot Day. - 5mm;

Butt Join to Breaker Board. - 5mm


Maximum Joist Distance Must Not Exceed;

Hollow Profile boards

- 350mm Centres for Domestic.

Solid Profile boards 

- 400mm - 450mm Centres for Domestic.

- 350mm - 400mm Centres for Commercial / High traffic areas