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Making a balcony decking

A decking on the balcony or roof terrace offers numerous advantages. Not only does it provide an even and comfortable walking surface. With a decking system your balcony looks a lot more atmospheric. For the best result you should choose durable hardwood with a natural look. Would you like to know exactly what to consider when covering a balcony floor with decking? Then read on.

BALCONY DECKING MADE FROM DURABLE HARDWOOD

To begin with, the type of wood you use for your balcony decking is very important. In general, you can choose between two types of wood: hardwood and softwood. Softwood is usually of lower quality, needs more maintenance and does not last as long. At Hardwood Discount we therefore mainly use the first mentioned type of wood. Our tropical hardwood has a long life span and stands out due to its strong and durable character.

The balcony and roof terrace decks also have to deal with different weather influences every season. Both sun and rain cause low-quality wood to discolour or even deform. Furthermore, a wooden floor is usually used intensively. Regularly walking on the wooden balcony floor and sliding (garden) chairs cause more wear to softwood. High quality hardwoods such as Bankirai, IPE or Mukulungu are therefore perfect for balcony decking.

THICKNESS OF WOODEN BALCONY BOARDS

The thickness of the balcony decking also partly determines its lifespan. In most cases thicker decking boards last longer than thinner wooden boards. Our board thicknesses vary from 1.9 cm to 2.8 cm. It is especially wise to choose thicker boards when the wooden balcony floor is used regularly and a lot of weight is placed on it.

STEP-BY-STEP PLAN: COVERING BALCONY OR ROOF TERRACE WITH DECKING

Have you decided which wood to use for the floor on your balcony? In the step-by-step plan below we describe exactly how you can install the balcony decking. For this we assume that the balcony is completely flat.

1. CLEANING THE SURFACE

First of all it is important to empty and clean your balcony. Move all objects to another room and start by sweeping your balcony clean. Things like pebbles, sand or leaves can cause the wooden floors not to be perfectly straight. In addition, make sure that the surface on your balcony is still in good condition and will last for several years. Cracks and holes are difficult to repair after the installation of a decking.

2. INSTALLING THE FLOOR BEAMS

Next determine the laying direction of the balcony decking. Lay the first floor beam on the balcony in the direction of the water drainage. Then you can place the remaining lower beams next to each other with a parallel spacing of 40 centimetres.

Note: It is recommended to place the wooden lower beams on rubber tile supports for extra protection of the original balcony surface and the balcony decking.

3. ASSEMBLING THE DECKING BOARDS

Now you can lay the hardwood decking boards crosswise on the underlay. Hardwood Discount supplies both decking with a click system and a screw system. Depending on the type you have chosen, you can fasten the boards to the underlay.

In all cases, leave about 1.5 centimetres space between the decking and all walls. This way the wood still has room to work.

4. FINISHING THE WOODEN BALCONY FLOOR

Now that all the floor boards have been fitted you can start finishing the wooden floor on the balcony. A (circular) saw can be used to perfectly cut corners or planks to size. Then use a broom or hoover to remove any remaining wood splinters. When this is done, the installation of a balcony decking is complete. You can then place all the garden furniture and other objects back onto the wooden floor.

BUILD YOUR OWN TOP QUALITY BALCONY DECKING?

Would you like to cover your balcony with a wooden decking made of tropical hardwood? Then quickly discover all the possibilities with our user-friendly Calculator. Within a few steps you can easily design the balcony decking of your dreams. Things like wood types, thickness, mounting systems you can select yourself within minutes. Get to work quickly and create the wooden balcony floor that suits all your living wishes.

Do you need more information about balcony decking? Feel free to contact us on 074 - 303 3602 or at info@hardwooddiscount.co.uk