A property owner sought a contemporary interpretation of Alpine flair for his holiday home in Brixlegg, Austria. Modern, easy-care, and durable materials were used in the implementation. A total of 140 square meters of the Natureline flooring in chestnut brown were installed on two terraces, a balcony, and a staircase.
 

The market town of Brixlegg, with its nearly 3,050 inhabitants, is located in the Kufstein district in the state of Tyrol. This popular holiday resort is easily accessible via the A12 Inntal Autobahn and offers everything a vacation should have: hiking trails into the mountains and leisurely cycling routes through the valley, a wide range of shopping opportunities, and a sophisticated culinary offering.

Charming holiday home with a view

In 2016, the owner acquired an older single-family home on the outskirts of town with a view of Maria Hilf Mountain. The Austrian native, who now spends most of the year abroad, had it completely gutted down to its foundations. A modern, spacious, two-story vacation home with a total of 180 square meters was built on the existing floor plan. The family spends most of its time there during the summer and the ski season.

Modern interpretation of Alpine flair

In implementing its construction project, the client relied on the professional expertise of Manfred Walder. Founded in 2002, his planning office "konturgut" in Wörgl, Tyrol, is characterized by its integrated planning approach and comprehensive service competence – from the initial idea to the design, from expert consulting and execution to project-oriented, concise and functionally precise solutions. Walder draws on his network of partners and professionals throughout the process from the initial idea to the finished result.
"The client wanted a modernly furnished home with several bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms to comfortably accommodate the large family," says Manfred Walder, describing the brief. "And the exterior appearance should reflect a modern interpretation of Alpine flair," says the interior designer and construction coordinator.
Wood has a long tradition as a building material in Tyrol, and at first glance, the holiday home looks as if it were clad in wood. But that's deceptive. The facade consists of high-pressure laminate elements with weather protection made of double-cured acrylic polyurethane resins. And neither the two expansive terraces, the balcony, nor an external staircase feature the "traditional material wood." A local specialist company installed NaturinForm's Natureline wood composite floorboards on a total of 140 square meters.

“Buildings must function for the long term”

"Building families want their homes to function as optimally as possible and for a long time," Walder knows from many years of experience. And if one material doesn't meet these requirements, another must be used. Wood no longer meets the quality criteria it once did, when it was only felled at specific times, dried naturally for a long time, and stored. Furthermore, good-quality wood can no longer be produced in the required quantities; instead, wood is delivered by the container load that doesn't meet the required quality, the construction expert complains.

Contemporary product generation for functional outdoor surfaces

While searching for fresh wood alternatives for terraces and balconies, he came into contact with NaturinForm at the "BAU" trade fair in Munich in 2010. Since then, Walder has been working with the Bavarian specialist for wood composite materials. "The planks meet exactly the requirements that should be met by a functioning outdoor floor," says Walder. The manufacturer is innovative and keeps up with the times. The quality of the products is also evident during installation, as they are aesthetically sophisticated and suitable for commercial projects. "Outdoor floors should look attractive and as perfect as possible, be durable, weather-resistant, and robust. They must not splinter, should be non-slip and resistant to impact, and should retain their shape and dimensions," demands Walder. Last but not least, they should be as easy to care for as possible and ensure maintenance-free installation.

Plea for the use of wood composite materials

Manfred Walder: "All of this works with modern wood composite materials – also known as WPC, which are also slip-resistant even in wet conditions and, unlike wood, largely maintenance-free." The planks do not require oiling or painting. "All of these are factors that we as planners have to consider when designing a patio, pool surround, or boat dock." In addition, NaturinForm planks are resource-efficient, readily available, and sustainable. This opens up an enormous range of designs and applications. Walder sees wood composite materials as an innovative interpretation of wood, a progressive product generation that fully meets the requirements of a contemporary outdoor flooring.

The work on the outdoor areas in Brixlegg was completed in 2020. A regional specialist company installed the decking on 140 square meters of terraces, after removing the old gravel layer and installing a concrete slab as a new subfloor. A total of over 1,200 decking feet from the NaturinForm accessories range were installed, onto which the substructure and decking were laid. On the balcony, the jointing hose was also used, which not only visually enhances the decking but also "seales" the surface, preventing water from dripping down, for example. "I'm very satisfied with the result, and my client is also thrilled," concludes Manfred Walder.

Natural wood grain and barefoot-friendly surface

NaturinForm's innovative manufacturing process guarantees a completely dyed, high-quality solid plank made of wood composite material, striking for its unique, multi-colored wood grain and barefoot-friendly surface texture. The double-sided Natureline flooring draws inspiration from nature with its colors, including warm wood tones such as oak, amber, and chestnut brown, as well as cool tones such as graphite and basalt gray. The interplay of two colors gives the high-quality plank a wood grain with a natural color gradient. The high-quality wood composite material consists of 70 percent residual wood fibers from sustainable, PEFC-certified, domestic forestry. By adding a single-variety polymer, the planks are resistant to moisture, humidity, and other weather and environmental influences. The result is a high-performance material with a long service life (durability class 1), exceptionally high slip resistance (R12/R11), and low maintenance requirements. To achieve the non-slip properties, the surface is roughened and refined by brushing at the factory.

NaturinForm offers products for DGNB-certified construction. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) prepared according to international standards are available for all floorboards and façade profiles. All products are subject to continuous quality controls and stress tests to ensure consistently flawless and first-class wood-based material quality. The company offers a five-year warranty on its products.