Gastronomy patio, Vaals, Netherlands

Material choice with processor expertise

Adriaan Bos counted on Ron Hermans expertise when he needed to choose building material, as Hermans is owner of Meubel- en Timmerbedrijf Hermans from Vaals. The company’s service scope covers carpentry and joiner tasks, such as creating dormers and eaves, as well as complete interior construction with wood, also furniture production, and patio construction. ‘We do almost anything our customers ask for that we can do,’ says Ron Hermans, trained building technician, and building contractor. His customers come from the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium.

600 square metres of patio on 42 concrete posts

The plan for the restaurant and patio’s new design was created by architect Roger Martens from the Maastricht architect’s office RMA. ‘My company coordinated the construction of the patio, from putting in the foundations for the concrete posts, up to laying the patio decks and mounting the balustrade,’ says Ron Hermans. To level out the slant in the ground, 42 concrete posts were installed, and then on those a steel construction as a stable sub-construction for the beam layer made of solid azobe hardwood. After mounting the beam layers the patio decks were attached using stainless steel brackets.
The fact that NATURinFORM produces COMPACT at a length of up to 13 metres not only makes work easier for the tradesmen, but is also an optical advantage. ‘There are only few connecting points, creating a beautiful and calm surface atmosphere,’ Ron Hermans shows his enthusiasm. And the surface is made in such a way that this deck can be recommended for utilisation in a forest environment, too. It proved challenging to measure the construction precisely in the steep terrain. After all, the construction had to be executed extremely stably, as many people would be spending time there in future.

High consultation quality from the expert trade

Ron Hermans is a big fan of the wood composite material. ‘An attractive and robust material with good technical characteristics for building paths and patios,’ is his opinion. ‘In comparison to solid wood, this material can easily be kept clean and does not splinter. Little children crawling on the ground cannot be hurt.’ He has had only positive experience with NATURinFORM, says the tradesman expert. He frequently purchases his material from wood trade expert Scherf from Simmerath. The company, founded in 1975, offers everything to do with wood on 25,000 square metres – and of that around 1,000 square metres exhibiting area. Hermans is absolutely convinced of the range, as well as the high consultation quality of his German trader. The patio at the ‘Wilhelminatoren’ was the largest of this kind of project so far that he has worked on with his team. ‘We are a little bit proud of that,’ says Hermans.

Wood composite materials with optical and technical advantages

Wooden surfaces close to densely wooded areas are extremely exposed to environmental impact. Untreated wood quickly becomes slipperly, not only from falling leaves; planks lose their shape, tear, and splinter. Wood composite material behaves quite differently, a successful combination of the optical benefits of natural wood with the technical and functional convincing characteristics of an intelligent material that blocks waterlogging and therefore weathering impacts. Areas equipped with wood composite material decks are non-slippery, even when damp.

To take care of the decks, no environmentally harming chemicals need be used, and varnish is also not necessary, as the decks are already tinted ex works. The weather-proof component is polyethylene, a non-poisonous and environmentally friendly polymer. NATURinFORM produces according to strict ecological requirements. Only PEFC-certified wood from ecologically forested woods is used, no tropical wood, and no newly cut trees, only sawdust.

COMPACT : Highest slip-resistance level

NATURinFORM’s COMPACT, a massive extruded and fully coloured multi-colour deck was used for the gastronomy patio at the restaurant ‘Wilhelminatoren’. The decks are extremely durable and don’t require annual painting. Laying is – as with all of the producer’s decks – possible without any visible screws.

COMPACT has a finely striated and a block strip side. It is available with a width of ca. 139 millimetres and lengths of ca. 3, 4, 5, 6, as well as special lengths from 2-13 metres in a thickness of ca. 26 millimetres. As the surface is usable on both sides it can be used in many applications and is available in the colours brown, anthracite, and grey. In a test by the TÜV Rheinland this patio deck was awarded the highest level of slip-resistance – R12/ R13 according to DIN 51130 and Class C according to DIN 51097.

Protective layer guarantees longterm beauty

As NATURinFORM products still consist of 70 percent wood fibres despite their techical enhancement, wood dominates the optical characteristics so clearly that it is still possible for natural patina to develop due to sun light. But much more controlled than with pure wood: There are no blackish stains from humidity, no faded spots in the colouring. Because the colour particles are included during the melting procedure these are also given a polymer protection layer. The chosen colour will be retained permanently, only to be enhanced by silvery patina reflexes during the first four months outdoors.