The castle Moritzburg and its gardens are part of the project „Garden dreams Saxony-Anhalt.“ The unique ensemble of historic and modern park and garden sites in Zeitz offers the ideal background for more than one thousand square metres of blossoming spring and summer flower beds. In the middle of the park there is the revitalised Johannis-Pond that was reinstalled for the county garden show in 2004 with its jetty. But after only eleven years this jetty made of wooden planks was no longer safe due to massive weathering. Within the scope of a renovation the site was given a new surface made of wood composite material in the early summer of 2016. In total 260 square metres of “Robust” from the Upper Franconian company Naturinform’s range were laid.
Castle park Moritzburg Zeitz
Patio decks
Robust in brown as a massive deck
Construction year
Spring 2016
Type of construction
Renovation
Location
Schlosspark Moritzburg, Johannisteich 5, 06712
Zeitz (Sachsen-Anhalt)
The town of Zeitz in the South of Saxony-Anhalt, around 40 kilometres south of Leipzig was capital of the dukedom Saxony-Zeitz from 1652 to 1718 with the residence Castle Moritzburg. Around the castle is the approximately twelve hectare large park. For the 1st county garden show Saxony-Anhalt in 2004 the area was completely revamped and brought back to its original form. Historic buildings, such as the orangery and the classisistic bathing house, give the park a special aura. The open air stage at the Johannis pond is venue for multiple events throughout the garden season. There are concerts, theatre productions, and celebrations. From 1990 to 2004 the town of Zeitz as owner undertook extensive renovation work throughout the whole castle ensemble, as well as the park area.
Wooden planks weathered afer eleven years
As the grounds were being redone for the county garden show, the Johannis pond that had been filled in for more than 50 years, was reconstructed, including the jetty – which is used as a creative and recreational element. But the wooden planks that were used in 2004 were already very weathered in 2015. “For safety reasons the surface urgently had to be renewed”, reports Dagmar Gebhard, responsible for public parks and tree protection in the town of Zeitz. In the early summer of 2016 the jetty was renovated.
The people responsible in the town of Zeitz decided on wood composite material (WPC) rather than a renewed surface made of wood. “WPC definitely won in all of the relevant areas when we were choosing a material,” explains Dagmar Gebhard. “It is much more durable than wood, weatherproof, and light resistant, as well as really low on maintenance,” and that convinced everyone in Zeitz. Furthermore, what was important was that the contained wooden ratio consists of PEFC certified domestic wood, and that swung the decision. “And last, but not least, the decks can be recycled and are thereby sustainable,” says Dagmar Gebhard. The costs of material were approximately the same as that for a wooden solution.
Sven Rödiger, founder and owner of the carpentry company Rödiger from Bad Dürrenberg, won the tender from the town of Zeitz to build the new jetty. In total his team of three laid 260 square metres of Naturinform decks in two and a half weeks. “The town of Zeitz had originally asked for larch wood,” Sven Rödiger remembers. But the supplier, the company Scandos construction material company from Bad Dürrenberg – who by the way has the addition “innovative construction materials” in its name – recommended “to play safe”. This meant that Naturinform’s decks made of wood composite material were used.
Permanently beautiful with an elegant wooden look
The massive deck „Robust“ in brown was chosen. Because of its intensive grain it looks very like wood. Its sturdiness means that it is also very suitable for heavily used areas, such as the jetty at the Johannis pond. “The jetty is used by visitors to the castle park for recreation and during events,” explains Dagmar Gebhard. “The guests can thereby enjoy the special flair of the stage across from them directly at the waterside”. Because of this it is important that the surface be barefoot friendly, splinter-free, and especially slip-resistant, even when it is wet. That it also looks really good with its permanently beautiful and elegant wooden appearance was a further reason to choose this material, says Gebhard. During concerts and other shows the jetty is used for the technical tent, from which light and sound for the stage are controlled. Booths are often put up on the jetty during many events. It is important that the massive decks be permanently low on maintenance. Additionally, it combines loadability with an elegant wooden look.
After Sven Rödiger’s team had removed the rotten old planks, the expert company from Bad Dürrenberg started laying the WPC decks. To span the distance of two metres between the steel carriers jutting out of the water, Naturinform also supplied two-metre wide aluminium block profiles that give the decks safe support and onto which Rödiger could mount the decks.
Optically well blended into the area
Sven Rödiger, whose company was founded in 2007, is active from garden to roof, and it was his first time to use decks by Naturinform – and he was really happy with the unproblematic handling of the material. In the following months, the carpenter was able to implement two further attractive tenders from private customers using this material. And, also at the council of the town of Zeitz the people responsible are very happy with the choice of material and the craftsmen’s work. But not least the look is what makes the contractee happy: “Thanks to its look the new surface really fits into the complete area,” Dagmar Gebhard says happily. Now the visitors to the castle park will have a “favourite spot” within the shade of the castle for many years that is new, and permanent, and safe underfoot.
Download: Press release
Product information: Robust