An old carp pond in German Lisberg-Trabelsdorf has been transformed into a bathing pool. Guests cycle 15 kilometres from Bamberg to the idyllic setting in the midst of reeds. This is a jewel in itself, thanks to the construction in the pond: A pontoon measuring around 80 square metres with sturdy, yet low on maintenance, ‚Strong‘ decks by Naturinform.
Pontoon Lisberg
Patio decks
Strong in grey
Construction year
2017
Type of construction
Pontoon in Lisberg
Location
Seeleite 1, 96170 Lisberg, Germany
Everything is peaceful in Lisberg-Trabelsdorf. 2,000 people live in the small community at the border of the Steiger Forest. Everyone knows each other – and the beer is tasty. There are 14 house breweries in the area that uphold this Franconian tradition.
Whoever is looking for a good place to drink a Trabelsdorfer Beck-brewon a mild summer evening, could easily do so on the pontoon at the former spa house carp pond. It is lovely to sit on the wooden planks warmed by the sun, let your feet dangle in the water, and the reeds rustle around you. Since the old pond was thoroughly cleaned in 2009 and transformed into a clear bathing pond, up to 150 visitors come on lovely days. Then the island can be full to the last spot. As popular as the deck originally covered in 5 centimetre thick douglas fir decks was to begin with, the more problematic using it became after very few years. ‚The wood really suffered from the humidity,‘ says responsible mayor Michael Bergrab. ‚There were more and more tears, the wood started to splinter, that was very inconvenient.‘
Problematic water location
Being next to water is a challenge for wood. It soaks up water andswells. Tears develop, microorganisms attach themselves and create even more entrance points for water. Because more and more algae forms, those surfaces become increasingly slippery. Something just had to happen in Trabelsdorf. After only six years the complete wooden deck needed to be thoroughly reworked. ‚The deckswere partially completely rotten,‘ says Bergrab. ‚ We didn’t want to experience such a disaster again, that is why we looked for a more robust material.‘ In the end, the community decided on the far more water resistant decks ‚Strong‘ by Naturinform.
On the outside as good as wood, inside much better
The company specialises in wood composite materials that combine the optical features of wood with the weather resistance of watertight materials. For this, natural wood fibres are united with a polymere. This component acts as a protection coat around each individual fibre, so that no water can permeate any finished deck. The jetty that the Trabelsorfians were able to experience last summer, was an entirely new bathing adventure: ‚We were most impressed by the material’s slip resistance,‘ says Bergrab. ‚ At the same time, the new decks are especially soft under foot, even where they have been cut.‘
Utmost safety for bare feet
Thanks to its special technical features, Naturiform’s wood composite is unusually resistant to damp weather. The material doesn’t splinter, not even after years right next to water. And because water just runs off the surface, it has an especially high, TÜV tested slip resistance: In a test by the TÜV Rheinland in 2011, Naturinform’s decks were awarded the high slip resistance R12 according to DIN 51130.
Strong – a deck for large loads
A grey surface was chosen to pick up the removed douglas fir’s patina. The deck most suited for the project was ‚strong‘ with its solid, 38 millimetre thick decks. They are also suitable to carry large loads, even when lots of people want to be on the decks. And it is even possible to do without an underlying construction. This meant that only a few extra stainless steel screws were required to attach the new decks onto the already pre-existing beams. After the first summer, mayor Bergrab is honestly enthusiastic. ‚The material has a further advantage,‘ Bergrab noticed. ‚In the sun it heats up more than standard wood, a bit like a dark stone. A warm jetty to sit on, with the reeds rustling around you, that is just like paradise.‘
Completely environmentally friendly
Naturinform produces all decks strictly ecologically. No trees are felled for them. Only wood flour from saw mills is used here. This is PEFC certified wood from ecologically farmed forestry, no tropical wood is contained. The glue’s organic component is environmentally friendly polyethylene. In contrast to standard wood, Naturinform’s decks need no environmentally harming chemicals for maintenance, and no fungicides or pesticides are used during production. Additionally, the patio decks can be recycled 100 % and can be returned to the plant in Bavarian Redwitz for that purpose.
Download: Press release
Product information: Strong