General building inspectorate approval for deck of wood composite material extended to additional structure option. In the past, one could only lay the POPULAR massive patio deck on a wooden underlying construction, but now it can also be laid on an aluminium underlying construction with building inspectorate approval. In 2017, the Deutsche Institut für Bautechnik in Berlin (DIBt), the German building inspectorate, awarded a patio deck made of a wood composite material (also called WPC) approval, without connection to a surface laid in a compound. Now the general building inspectorate approval has been extended (Z-10.9-484).
In Germany, if surfaces are laid on (roof) patios, balconies, jetties, or stairs that are load-bearing, the construction product must have building inspectorate approval. In most state building regulations, this means any surfaces over 60 centimetres, and higher than „elevated“, must thereby be planned and executed as load-bearing constructions. For this, one may only use construction products with building inspectorate approval, otherwise it is necessary to acquire time and cost intensive individual approval certificates. As an approved product, „Popular massive“ can be used without having to wait at all. For all architects and building owners, or processors, a clear advantage when rapidly implementing projects with load-bearing surfaces in outdoor areas.
NEW: Use with aluminium underlying construction, too
According to general building inspectorate approval certificate number Z-10.9-484, the POPULAR massive patio deck can be used as a loadbearing flooring for roof patios, arbours, loggias, balconies, escape platforms, and similar, as well as stairs and landings in residential and office buildings,according to the norm DIN EN 1991-1-1/NA 1, table 6.1 DE, CategoryZ, T1 and T2. They are installed as multi-panel carriers (at least 2 panel carriers) and mounted in such a way that they are always visible and can be exchanged at any time. Until now the decks could only be laid using a wooden underlying construction, but now with the additional approval they can also be mounted on an alumiminum construction using a Naturinform system profile made of aluminium (39 x 39 mm) with screws. Advantages of an aluminium system are that it is far more durable and can carry a far higher load. The patio decks are mounted in exactly the same way with both systems, according to the requirements in the approval. In preparation, the decks must be pre-drilled and sunk, using the special drill within the scope, the required drill and depression can be performed in one step to save time. The minimum laying width and the minimum amount of screws, as well as the kind of screws for both underlying construction options, must be adhered to, according to the DIBt requirements and are listed precisely in the laying manual delivered with the product. The patio decks, which are ca. 25 millimetres high and 138 millimetres wide (system width ca. 146 mm), are available with a finely or widely striated, brushed surface. These, according to TÜV Rheinland, achieved the high slip-resistance levels R12 and R13. The colour palette brown, grey and anthracite has been extended to cover stone grey and black brown, too; the profiles are available in 4 and 6 metres length, special lengths are available on request.
High quality and climate-neutral production
The Franconian company NATURinFORM, renowned for 20 years for its high-quality and weather-proof products made of wood composite material, produces exclusively in Germany. Since the end of 2019 even climate-neutrally, as certified by the TÜV NORD. POPULAR massive, as all of NATURinFORM’s products, is made of an innovative, robust wood composite material, that is produced at a ratio of 70 to 30 of wooden fibres from domestic forestry and an environmentally-friendly, pure polymer. The company has set high standards for both material quality, as well as the sustainablity of their products. Thus only PEFC-certified wood from environmentally-cultivated forests is processed. The polymers used are, of course, also environmentally-friendly. Sustainability also determines the profiles‘ maintenance: The innovative material requires no further care, such as varnish or oil, during its long lifetime. This means that no solvents or chemical substances need to be applied.
Popular massive
The German general building inspectorate (Deutsche Institut für Bautechnik in Berlin, DIBt) awarded approval number Z-10.9-484 to NATURinFORM’s POPULAR massive patio surface. Thus, in 2017, for the very first time, the inspectorate awarded approval to a deck made of wood-polymere composite material. Now with the extension (Z-10.9-484), a wood composite deck in combination with an aluminium underlying construction has received building inspectorate approval for the first time.
Laying according to the approval certificate
The POPULAR massive patio deck can be mounted on a wooden or aluminium underlying construction using screws. The minimum laying width of the end and middle supports, as well as the minimum amount of screws per support must be adhered to. It is mandatory that NATURinFORM’s laying manual in the delivery scope is kept to. The load-bearing underlying aluminium construction itself is – as also the wooden underlying construction – not part of the general building inspectorate approval certificate. To mount the POPULAR massive patio decks, only the pre-determined screws that are described in the approval certificate may be used, both with the load-bearing wooden, as well as with the aluminium underlying construction. A depression must be created using a special drill. Screws and the necessary drill are available for both underlying construction options and can be delivered as accessories.
New colours
As well as the colours available until now, brown, grey and anthracite, POPULAR massive is now also available in black brown and stone grey. Colours from left to right: Brown, black brown, grey, stone grey and anthracite.
There are environmental product declarations according to international standards available (EPDs) for all of NATURinFORM’s decks and façade profiles. All products are continuously monitored by quality controls and stress tests, to guarantee a constant perfect and first class wood composite quality. The company provides a five-year guarantee on its products. The patio decks can be recycled 100 percent and can be returned to the plant in Bavarian Redwitz for recycling.
Download: Press release
More Information: General Building Inspectorate Approval
