WPC beds

The issue of arranging land space and beds is, perhaps, before every owner of a suburban summer cottage, since it is necessary not only to beautifully arrange it, but also to make it as convenient and functional as possible. This is especially true for small areas where every square meter should be useful. An excellent solution to the problem is the construction of beds made of WPC - a wood-polymer composite, which is not inferior to other materials in terms of characteristics (and in some cases even surpasses them) and has a very attractive cost.

Unfortunately, not every land owner knows what kind of material it is, therefore, in most cases, wood or old slate is used to delimit the beds, the service life of which leaves much to be desired.

Wood-polymer composite can be safely called the newest progressive and even unique material, since it combines the best qualities of other types of raw materials - high resistance to moisture, very long service life and appearance, as close as possible to ordinary wood. In addition, WPC is an environmentally friendly material that will not decompose, releasing harmful substances into the soil.

This material is made from crushed wood particles held together by a polymer component. Technological processing allows you to give the material any shape, including ordinary boards, which are subsequently used to fence the beds.

Besides, WPC is actively used in construction, arrangement of decks and improvement of country terraces.

Like any other material, WPC has its own advantages and disadvantages, which affect the peculiarities of its use. That's why before deciding on a wood-polymer composite, you need to familiarize yourself in more detail with its positive and negative characteristics.

To begin with, consider the advantages of WPC beds.

• Due to the fact that the material is impervious to moisture and frost, and also resistant to decay and mold, its service life can be from 20 years or more. But this is in the absence of mechanical damage - chips, fractures and deep scratches.
• Boards made of this material are also resistant to direct sunlight. They do not fade or dry out, unlike plastic products.
• This material can withstand even the heaviest loads, so it does not deform under soil pressure. In addition, you can safely use the tools without fear of damaging the surface of the boards, since they have a high degree of strength.
• Wood-polymer composite is distinguished by its environmental friendliness and safety. It does not emit toxic substances into the soil, and also does not deform under the influence of high temperatures and does not lend itself to combustion.
• WPC boards have a high degree of thermal conductivity, so the roots of plants will warm up, which will have a beneficial effect on their growth and yield.
• It should be noted the neat appearance of the material and the refined smell of wood inherent in it.
• Thanks to a special production technology, the material can be given any texture and color.
• Structures made of WPC boards are very easy to assemble and dismantle, so you will not have any problems when building beds.
• The advantage is that this material is unpretentious in care and processing. Products do not need regular impregnation with special compounds and subsequent painting. You just need to wipe it with a damp cloth or rinse off the dirt with running water.

Despite such a list of positive characteristics, the beds made of this material also have certain disadvantages, which must also be taken into account.

In some cases, low quality wood may be used in the production process - with accumulated moisture, which during operation will cause mold. For prevention, it is best to periodically treat the surface with a special protective solution. And also, in order to extend the service life, it is recommended to cover the material with a special composition that softens the effects of ultraviolet rays.

Beds made of wood-polymer composite can differ not only in their dimensions, but also in some other parameters. These differences are dictated by the purpose for which the design is intended. Let us consider in more detail the variety of types and forms, as well as the features of their application.

Standard beds can have a length of no more than 9 m, and a height - most often less than 25 cm.This option is the easiest to manufacture and is quite suitable for novice gardeners. The main feature of such beds is their ease of maintenance (digging, weeding, hilling and watering), ease of planting and harvesting. And also for such a bed, less material is required in aggregate, which will significantly reduce the cost of the entire structure.

But, of course, there are also disadvantages to such a solution. For example, in places with a high level of groundwater standing in a low bed, the layer of earth into which sowing is carried out will be more humid - sometimes the situation can be aggravated even before the water stagnates in the depressions.

And also it is worth considering your physical capabilities, since the design is quite low. While it's technically easier to maintain, constantly bending over to the ground and squatting can be unhealthy in certain situations.

And, of course, the natural factor cannot be ruled out. For structures with low sides, it is also important to take into account the fact that the wind can easily carry seeds of various weeds, which will double, if not triple, the efforts to maintain the garden in a beautiful form (especially if ornamental plants grow on it).

Garden beds with a high fence (up to 40 cm or more) are the choice of more experienced gardeners who also have building skills, since their construction requires a lot of effort. They look unusual, represent a more expensive pleasure. (after all, a large side height requires a lot of wood-polymer composite with the same perimeter). And sometimes between them, if you have several high beds, it is sometimes difficult to maneuver.

On higher elevations (for example, on the tops of hills), in the absence of any obstacles to the wind, weathering of the topsoil, which is the most fertile, can occur.

But such beds are more convenient for maintenance - in order to to remove the weed, you do not have to bend low all the time, which is especially true for people with health problems in the back and spine.

A warm bed (that is, a bed made of wood-polymer composite with a built-in greenhouse) is used for growing thermophilic plant varieties. Considering that modern greenhouses are predominantly semicircular in diameter, it is likely that a high side may not fit into such a structure, so in such a bed you will have to use only the option with a low fence. Therefore, a warm bed inherits at least part of the pros and cons of the usual, classic design.

A low-lying warm bed will store water and can be physically tedious to maintain, especially when you consider the thermal conditions under the dome.

There is the option of using warm beds and without top cover. In this case, the accelerated process of crop maturation is ensured by warming up the soil through the high sides of the structure, which contributes to a positive effect on the roots of plants and their rapid growth.

In addition to the KDP boards, for the construction of the beds, it is also necessary to acquire some more additional parts and tools. To understand what kind of components may be needed, you must first decide on the type of garden bed, only then proceed with the subsequent selection of elements and determining their number. It is worth noting that you can purchase a ready-made kit that includes all materials and fasteners, but assuming the manufacture of a frame only of certain sizes and shapes.

After you have decided and have at least a rough idea of ​​the upcoming work, you need to select the appropriate materials.

• First of all, these are the WPC boards themselves, with which you have to work. In some cases, wood-polymer composite panels are used, which have a smaller width - up to about 300 mm. They are connected to each other using a special mechanism, which allows you to more regulate the height of the beds.
• You will need connectors to help hold the corners together. Very often, this element is equipped with legs that secure the structure in the ground, but there are often cases when simple corner loops are used.
• For fastening boards and connectors, self-tapping screws are most often used, the dimensions of which are slightly less than the thickness of the board. Swivel joints and common bolts are less commonly used, but their use is also appropriate.
• Anchoring in the ground may require small pieces of wood or metal pipes. It is worth noting that both types of fasteners must be pre-treated with protective agents that will prevent the processes of decay and rust.

In addition to all the components, it is also necessary to acquire tools for work, which should consist of several elements.

• You may need a hacksaw, hand saw, or electric saw, as beds come in many different shapes and you need to adjust the length and width of the boards. Since the decking, as the WPC material is also called, is quite dense, it must be borne in mind that certain difficulties are possible when sawing.
• A manual screwdriver or a mechanical screwdriver will be an indispensable tool when fastening the corner joints and the walls of the future bed together.
• A shovel and a small hammer may be needed to secure the frame to the ground.

Assembling the structure for the device of the beds yourself may not be as easy as it seems, especially for those who did not have to work even with the simplest building materials. But do not despair, because if you follow the sequence of actions, the process will become simpler and more understandable.

The first step in the construction of beds from WPC will be to determine the shape and parameters of the future structure. It is best to make a detailed drawing, where the dimensions of the fittings and fasteners, as well as their quantity, will be noted.

After determining the parameters and acquiring everything you need, you can proceed to the next stage - applying the dimensions of the future bed to the boards and cutting out the corresponding parts. If the beds will have decorative carvings or an unusual shape, this must also be taken into account at this stage.

Next, you need to take into account all the nuances of the further use of the beds. If you want to create structures of a certain height without intending to change anything, it is recommended to use corner elements, the height of which is equal to the width of the WPC board. If you intend to subsequently make the beds taller, you should use larger corner joints, leaving the opportunity for building up the walls of the structure.

After the selection of the corner connecting element, it is necessary to fix it on the walls of the structure using a tool and a fixing part. It should be noted that bolts, screws and other used fasteners should not leave through holes on the surface of the board, since the essence of fastening is to securely fix the element inside, without damaging one of the sides. And also at this stage, columns are installed, if there are none on the corner part.

After the complete assembly of the frame, it is necessary to move it to the place of the future garden bed and, having leveled its position, fix it in the ground with the help of posts. If the soil is too hard and it is necessary to facilitate the installation of the structure, you can use a shovel, or submerge the post in the ground, lightly hitting the top of the board with a hammer. Besides, it is necessary to install intermediate posts, which should also be driven into the soil for better fixation.

In order for the structure to be more securely fixed in the soil, it is recommended to bury the posts and crush the ground around them. Then it is necessary to fill the inner space with earth and loosen it. And also at this stage, you can provide the structure with additional strength by equipping it with external metal corners.

To understand how practical and durable garden structures of this kind are, it is recommended to read the reviews of experienced gardeners who have actually experienced all the nuances of using WPC beds.

Studying the reviews, you can see that most of the users are happy with the wood-polymer composite planting structures. The material is, indeed, of high quality and has a certain resistance to various weather conditions, which makes it versatile for summer cottages. And also, many gardeners note the ease of installation of the structure, tested in practice, and the increase in yield in such beds.

Unfortunately, there are also negative reviews, but they are connected exclusively with the financial side of the issue, since the construction of a large number of beds from this material may not be available to every gardener. Although, in general, due to its positive characteristics and beneficial effect on the soil, the construction of such structures pays off for the entire period of operation thanks to a rich harvest.

For information on how to make warm beds from WPC, see the next video.