Making a porch from a terrace board

The porch at the entrance to the house is the first to meet the visitor. And for the meeting to be pleasant, the building must have a beautiful appearance, a comfortable and safe coating. There are many materials from which such extensions are created, we will talk about one of them - in the article we will talk about a terrace board.

Decking is called products from different materials:

• product from wood residues (compressed shavings);

• made of solid wood;

• wood-polymer composite (WPC).

In the first case, the residual lumber (sawdust and shavings) is pressed into plates, from which boards are made for construction work.

Solid wood products are used for solid wood products - larch, oak. Products are treated with protective compounds.

Decking (WPC) is made from polymers and woody flour. Externally, the material is similar to wood, but it acquires reinforced, durable, and reliable properties. When they talk about a decking board, most often they mean WPC. There are many manufacturers on the Russian market, both domestic and foreign. From domestic it is worth noting: Terradeck, MultiDeck. These manufacturers hold leading positions in our market.

The appearance of the product depends on the percentage of wood raw materials, the higher it is, the more the board looks like wood.

In addition to the terrace, the boards are used to cover the porch, they are used to make the floor on the veranda, in the gazebo, pergola, and to build berths and recreation areas by the pool.

Due to the different ways of treating the boards to prevent slipping, four types of surfaces are obtained:

• brushed with the help of metal brushes, the board becomes corrugated, artificially aged;

• polished - with a flat surface that is easy to restore with an abrasive;

• embossed traditional decking with corduroy ribs, often used during the construction of the porch;

• extrusion.

Decking can be solid or hollow... The first one can withstand a heavy load and is more expensive. It is installed in places of active stay of people - in cafes, on piers, embankments. To create a porch of a private house, a cheaper hollow version is also suitable.

According to the connection method, seam and seamless boards are produced. Suture products are laid with a gap of 3 mm between the plates. The outflow of water is due to terrace metal or plastic keys.

Choosing a terrace board for the construction of an extension and other surfaces, take into account a lot of advantages that it has:

• the product is strong and durable, can serve up to 30 years;
• abrasion resistant, especially for the polymer version;
• you can choose plates with a decorative surface to create a pattern;
• all types of decking are environmentally friendly;
• they can withstand large temperature fluctuations;
• do not slip;
• are not afraid of water;
• do not form fungus and mold;
• warm and tactilely pleasant for bare feet;
• installation can take place without the participation of a specialist.

The disadvantages include the high cost of the material. WPC is divided by wear resistance into three types, the higher the strength, the more expensive the product.

The reliability and durability of the porch depends on the correct construction of the structure and the quality of the material. For an extension, you can purchase a natural solid wood board or a wood-polymer composite. To determine the choice, you should familiarize yourself with each of these products.

The appearance of natural wood, unrivaled, who loves everything natural, will choose it. And although wood is inferior in a number of characteristics to WPC, many prefer it for its pleasant aroma. It's no secret that a polymer board, heating up in the sun, emits a pungent smell of burnt plastic.

When choosing a terraced wood product, you should pay attention to the following points:

• the height of the corduroy ribs affects the durability of the material;
• plastic species lend themselves to bending, it is easier to work with them;
• pay attention to the grade of the board, it affects the aesthetic appearance of the finished product;
• for natural wood, when determining the grade, cracks, knots and resin pockets are taken into account;
• the wider the board, the faster and easier it is to mount, the less fasteners go to it.

Decking is made from polymers, polyester resins, coloring pigment and woodworking waste (shavings, sawdust, wood flour). Before becoming a decking board the material undergoes mechanical, chemical and heat treatment.

The appearance of the product depends on the percentage of wood waste, the higher it is, the more the board looks like wood. There are types containing up to 50 or 80 percent wood chips. But such products are inferior in strength to material with a high polymer index and lose color under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.

The plastic component of decking is also heterogeneous, it is divided into several types: based on polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE). Each type has its own characteristics, they also affect the cost of production.

• The cheapest supplements include polyethylene... Products made from it are least protected from sliding, abrasion, ultraviolet radiation, they have insufficient strength and they burn on a par with wood.

• Terrace board created on the basis of polypropylene, is more expensive than the previous version. Its appearance is similar to real wood products. Such a surface is good at repelling water and dirt, but it is also susceptible to combustion, and it should not be installed in fire-hazardous places. In addition, both types dissolve under the influence of oils, if a spill occurs, it should be cleaned up immediately.

• Products based on Pvc more expensive than other options. It does not fade under the influence of sunlight, is resistant to combustion, abrasion, it withstands temperature changes well, is not susceptible to fungus and mold, is strong, durable. But it is this type of product that exudes a plastic smell, overheating in the sun.

The design of the extension should be chosen in combination with the general structure. For example, a porch can have a brick, stone or wood base, depending on the material from which the house was built. A metal frame, a decking board, a polymer visor are good neighbors with any building.

Depending on the appearance and design features, the porch is of three types.

• Open... Built in the form of a platform with steps, without borders, railings, walls.

• With railings. They can be of different heights and densities.

• Closed... The structure is endowed with glazed walls and resembles a small house attached to the main building.

To build a porch with your own hands, it is better to use a simple project consisting of four steps. Two terrace boards are mounted on each step, one on the riser. For a meter-wide structure, you will need 4 bowstrings.

Many can build a porch on their own. You should start with a sketch and clear calculations. The instructions offered by us will help to install the frame and lay the decking. Next, we will talk about the device of the railing, their facing with finishing material.

If the foundation for the porch was not provided during the construction of the house, it is built as a separate object. Two buildings are obtained with varying degrees of load. In this case, a sedimentary seam is laid between the foundations.

The metal frame is installed on a columnar foundation. The works are performed in the following sequence:

• dig 4 depressions with a shovel or use a drill;
• make drainage: sand is poured onto the bottom of the prepared pits, then gravel;
• install supports, check the vertical position of the pillars using a level, hold them with spacers and pour concrete.

All subsequent actions are performed after the cement has completely dried. When the foundation is ready, they start welding the metal frame, it is made from shaped pipes:

• all elements of the metal structure are prepared in advance, the parts are connected with clamps;
• the remainder of the profiles is cut at an angle of 90 degrees;
• welds are alternately performed on different sides of the pipes, then welded seams are made;
• after each action, the correctness of the shape of the structure is checked;
• the finished structure is painted with primer enamel.

The installation of the ladder begins with supporting inclined beams, they are called a bowstring. In a metal frame, beams are welded from shaped pipes with a pitch of 40 cm. The upper parts of the profile are attached to the porch platform, the lower ones are lowered onto a concrete pad.

Then they make markings for the steps and weld metal corners to them, which will be their supports.

Laying the steps begins from the top, making gaps between the boards of 20 mm. They will avoid deformation when the deck expands in the sun.

The first board is attached to the frame with special starting clips, all subsequent steps are mounted to the beams with ordinary connecting clips.

L-shaped corners are used to install the risers. When the work is finished, plugs are placed on the corner joints.

The main protective elements for the porch are made of a metal profile. Handrails and posts, fasteners and adapters are prepared in advance. Stands are mounted to the extreme bowstrings using welding or screw fasteners. Handrails can be made of wood, metal pipe, square profiles and other materials.

The base for the stairs can be made not only of metal. The cladding with a decking board also fits well on a concrete base. It is slightly inferior to him in strength, but the wooden frame wins in appearance.

A pit is dug under the concrete structure, sand and crushed stone are laid on the bottom, the foundation is poured. When it dries, formwork is made from the boards. The open surface is reinforced and poured with concrete. Cement is poured onto the steps in stages. After drying, a terrace board is mounted.

For a porch on a wooden base, you will need a columnar foundation. The bowstring (kosour) is made of wood beams. Cutouts are made on them for installing steps. The flooring is made of a rough board, on which the terrace board is laid.

A porch made of decking often becomes a real decoration of the house, as can be seen from the examples:

• outdoor open semicircular structure;

• the entrance space is located in the corner of a large porch;

• beautiful extension with columns;

• double flight staircase;

• structure with a pool and wrought iron railings;

• WPC staircase on one stringer.

It is not worth saving on the porch, the beauty of its design can save even a rustic house from a dull appearance.

For more information on the intricacies of making a porch from a terrace board, see the next video.