Moritzburg Castle and its castle grounds are part of the "Garden Dreams Saxony-Anhalt" project. This unique ensemble of historic and modern parks and gardens in Zeitz provides the ideal backdrop for more than 1,000 square meters of blooming spring and summer flowerbeds. At the center of the park is the Johannisteich pond, revitalized for the 2004 State Garden Show, with its footbridge. However, after only eleven years of use, the footbridge, originally made of wooden planks, proved unsafe due to severe weathering. As part of a renovation project, the area received a new wood composite surface in early summer 2016. A total of 260 square meters of Robust from the product range of the Upper Franconian company NaturinForm were installed.

The town of Zeitz in the south of Saxony-Anhalt, located about 40 kilometers south of Leipzig, was the capital of the Duchy of Saxony-Zeitz from 1652 to 1718, with Moritzburg Castle as its residence. The approximately twelve-hectare castle park extends around the castle. As part of the first Saxony-Anhalt State Garden Show in 2004, the grounds were completely renovated and restored to their original form. Historic buildings such as the orangery and the neoclassical bathhouse give the park its charming splendor. The open-air stage at Johannisteich Lake hosts numerous events during the castle park season, including concerts, theater performances, and festivals. Between 1990 and 2004, the city of Zeitz, as the owner, undertook extensive renovation of the entire castle complex and park.

Wooden planks weathered after just eleven years

As part of the site design for the State Garden Show, the Johannisteich (Johannis Pond), which had been filled in for over 50 years, was rebuilt, along with the walkway – which serves as a design and recreational element. However, the wooden planks installed there in 2004 were already partially weathered by 2015. "For safety reasons, the surface urgently needed to be replaced," reports Dagmar Gebhard, who is responsible for public green spaces and tree protection in the city of Zeitz. The renovation of the walkway was due in early summer 2016. Officials at the city of Zeitz preferred wood composite material (WPC) over a new wooden surface. "WPC clearly scored highly in all properties relevant to the material selection," explains Dagmar Gebhard. "It is many times more durable than wood, more weather- and light-resistant, and largely maintenance-free," Zeitz residents were impressed by the material's qualities. Furthermore, the fact that the wood content consists of PEFC-certified local wood played a significant role in the decision-making process. "And last but not least, the flooring is recyclable and therefore sustainable," says Dagmar Gebhard. The material costs incurred were roughly equivalent to those of a wood flooring.

Sven Rödiger, founder and owner of the Rödiger carpentry business in Bad Dürrenberg, was awarded the contract by the city of Zeitz to build the new walkway. His three-person team installed the 260 square meters of NaturinForm planks in two and a half weeks. "The city of Zeitz originally specified larch as the wood species," recalls Sven Rödiger. But the supplier, Scandos Baustoffhandel from Bad Dürrenberg—which incidentally has the suffix "Innovative Building Materials" in its name—recommended playing it safe. Consequently, NaturinForm's wood composite planks were used.

Permanently beautiful with an elegant wood look

The choice fell on the solid plank Robust in brown. Its intense grain gives it a particularly wood-like appearance. Due to its robustness, it is also suitable for heavily frequented areas such as the jetty at Johannisteich. "The jetty is used by visitors to the castle park for relaxation and for events," explains Dagmar Gebhard. "This allows guests to enjoy the special atmosphere of the stage opposite, right by the water." In this context, it is therefore important that the flooring is barefoot-friendly, splinter-free, and, above all, slip-resistant, even in wet conditions. The fact that it also impresses with its permanently beautiful and elegant wood look was another argument in favor of the choice, says Gebhard. At concerts and other performances, the jetty is used for the technical tent, from which the lighting and sound on stage are controlled. At many events, sales booths are located on this area. Therefore, it is important that the solid plank is easy to maintain in the long term. Furthermore, it combines resilience with a sophisticated wood look.

After Sven Rödiger's team removed the dilapidated old decking, the specialist company from Bad Dürrenberg began installing the WPC decking. To safely span the two-meter gap between the steel girders protruding from the water, NaturinForm also supplied the two-meter-wide aluminum box profiles, which provide secure support for the decking and to which Rödiger screwed the decking.

Visually very well integrated into the overall system

Sven Rödiger, whose company, founded in 2007, operates "from landscaping to roofing," first came into contact with NaturinForm flooring on the new walkway in Moritzburg Castle Park – and is impressed by the material's ease of processing. In the following months, the master carpenter was able to complete two more attractive orders for private customers using this material. Those responsible at the Zeitz city administration are also very satisfied with their choice of materials and the workmanship. The clients are also impressed by the appearance: "Due to its appearance, the new flooring fits in very well with the overall complex," says a delighted Dagmar Gebhard. Now, for many years to come, visitors to the castle park will once again have new, durable, and safe flooring beneath their feet in their "favorite spot" in the shadow of the castle.