The Aquarius leisure pool, with its numerous attractions, has been a magnet for visitors to the North Rhine-Westphalian district town of Borken for many years. The attractive sauna area with its spacious outdoor area – the sauna garden – particularly delights visitors. However, the entire area was somewhat dated and was gradually renovated and brought up to date. Last winter, it was the turn of the walking and relaxation areas in the sauna garden: the old wooden floorboards not only looked unsightly, they were brittle and splintering in places. These were replaced on a total of 405 square meters with a modern, robust, and durable wood composite decking. When choosing the perfect material, the operators of the leisure pool opted for the brown Strong and Smart decking from the range of wood composite specialist NaturinForm.

Magnificent moated castles and imposing fortresses, traditional villages, and densely wooded countryside: this is Münsterland. Located in northwest Westphalia, on the border with the Netherlands and Lower Saxony, the region offers a wide range of active leisure activities. Nestled in a park landscape, Borken, with its 42,000 inhabitants, is the center of the district of the same name.

Finnish sauna ambience in Münsterland

The "Aquarius" there offers guests of all ages a touch of adventure, as they shoot through the spray of the whitewater canal or conquer the climbing frame with waterfall. And the 65-meter-long Black Hole slide turns every visit into an experience. But things are also more peaceful: the whirlpool and the saltwater pool offer space to chill out. "People are happiest after a sauna session," they say in Finland, and the Finns know this, as they are the happiest people in the world according to the "World Happiness Report." The spacious sauna garden is a first-class wellness oasis. Sauna lovers can enjoy a Finnish ambiance on over 8,000 square meters. The outdoor saunas, all log cabins made of solid round logs, are made exclusively of kelo wood. An earth sauna, a panoramic sauna, an event sauna, and a banjara sauna complete the experience. Afterwards, you can cool off in the natural pond or with Kneipp hoses, waterfall showers, or rain showers. To relax, guests can head to the beach or to one of the loungers. There, sauna enthusiasts can enjoy the soothing warmth of the open fireplace or relax in comfortable waterbeds.

Wood composite materials: “First choice” for wet outdoor areas

"Years of intensive use had left clear marks," recalls Daniel Lechtenberg. The 35-year-old Borken native, who now runs the family business for carpentry, drywall construction, and roofing in the fourth generation, was awarded the contract for the woodwork in the sauna garden in a public tender. The spruce and fir flooring and substructure had not only become unsightly, but had also partially rotted and splintered due to weathering. "Wooden decking is unsuitable for outdoor areas with intensive contact with water," says Lechtenberg, who has been working with wood composite materials for many years. Therefore, in his concept, he clearly recommended NaturinForm decking. The concept, the cost framework, and the proposed choice of material convinced the operators. "We use this material repeatedly in our company and have had very positive experiences with it for many years," says the expert. "The wood composite materials are extremely weather-resistant and extremely robust, as well as durable and particularly suitable for water-exposed outdoor areas because they are slip-resistant and do not splinter." The sauna guests at the "Aquarius" are now benefiting from this. Daniel Lechtenberg and his team spent almost two months on site at the end of 2018 installing NaturinForm decking in the walkways and relaxation areas of the sauna garden. After the one-year "field test," not only the visitors but also the Borken municipal utility company, as the operator, are impressed by both the materials and the Lechtenberg team's craftsmanship. The experts are currently working on a follow-up project at the "Aquarius."

Sought-after partner for solutions in the wood processing industry

Founded by his great-grandfather Gerhard Lechtenberg in 1912, Daniel Lechtenberg recently took over management of the company from his father. For 108 years, the carpentry and woodworking business, which currently employs eleven people, has been a sought-after partner when it comes to solutions in the woodworking industry. "Our long-standing tradition of craftsmanship, coupled with modern technology and know-how, are a key foundation for our continued success," says Daniel Lechtenberg, who cites versatility as a particular strength of his company. The company has extensive experience in the renovation of old buildings and half-timbered structures, as well as in the preservation of historical monuments. But also in modern constructions such as roofing, pergolas, carports, and patio coverings; in addition, they specialize in facade design, interior wood cladding, and attic conversions.

Specialist retailers also provided arguments “in favor of wood composite materials”

The local building materials dealer played a key role in selecting the most suitable materials for the new sauna garden, providing clear arguments in favor of wood composite materials with his expertise. "As a specialist retailer, we also provided advice on this construction project," says Klaus Krasenbrink, a specialist consultant at Lueb + Wolters in Borken. The "Baufachzentrum im Münsterland" (Munsterland Construction Center) is a medium-sized, family-run company and has been based in Borken for 120 years. The Eurobaustoff shareholder employs around 120 people. "Wood composite materials are playing an increasingly large role in our product range," reports Klaus Krasenbrink about his experience, pointing out the material's impressive properties, such as slip resistance and barefoot-friendliness. "At Lueb + Wolters, we have been recording increasing sales figures in this product group for years," says the wood expert. Lueb + Wolters has been successfully collaborating with NaturinForm as a supplier for two years. "Our customers recognize the advantages of this material. The processing and use of wood composite materials saves time, labor, and money, as annual painting and oiling are unnecessary. And the decking boards are very easy to install and maintain. This is important for both professional installers and our end customers."

The best of wood and waterproof materials

The immediate proximity to water presents a real challenge for wood. If wood is exposed to constant moisture outdoors for years, it absorbs splash water and swells. Cracks develop, microorganisms settle, and create even more surfaces for water to attack. Algae growth makes such surfaces increasingly slippery. Strong replaced the original wooden flooring in the "Aquarius" sauna garden on 340 square meters. Strong is a plank with solid, 38-millimeter-thick support planks that has proven extremely resilient, even under heavy use.
NaturinForm specializes in the production of wood composites: these combine the visual properties of wood with the weather resistance of waterproof materials. During the production process, natural wood fibers are combined with a polymer. This component forms a protective coating around each individual fiber, preventing water from penetrating the finished plank. Due to its special technical properties, the wood composite is resistant to moisture. The material does not splinter, even after years of direct exposure to water. And because water simply beads off the surface, it offers particularly high, TÜV-tested slip resistance: In a 2011 TÜV Rheinland test, NaturinForm planks achieved the high slip resistance level R12 according to DIN 51130.

“Smart solution”: Water is drained automatically

Smart was installed on an additional 65 square meters of the bistro terrace. This plank is the first to combine the water-repellent properties of the wood composite material with a cambered surface. It is curved towards the center so that water caused by weathering or cleaning is automatically drained away. Rain runs off naturally here, as the slope is essentially inherent in each individual plank. The floor can therefore be installed without a slope. Smart also scores highly in terms of feel, as it creates a pleasant feeling when walking barefoot, without the risk of splinters like real wood. Subsequent sanding or painting is no longer necessary with these planks – thus eliminating maintenance and care costs, which is an unbeatable argument, especially for operators of public spaces.
The wavy embossing of the Smart refracts the light, enhancing the elegant embossed look. By eliminating grooves, Smart also saves on height, measuring just 19 millimeters. Nevertheless, it can support heavy loads; its own weight of 2.7 kilograms per linear meter is offset by a load-bearing capacity of 400 kilograms per square decimetre.