In Wuppertal-Ronsdorf, IDEE Projekt- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH completed a new construction project comprising three penthouses and eight condominiums with 16 underground parking spaces. "With this residential project in a green setting, we combine attractive and modern architecture with diverse façade elements," says IDEE Managing Director Hürsehit Kürekli. The solid, conventionally constructed building with load-bearing walls made of sand-lime brick was given a white rendered façade. The spaces between the windows were visually broken up by the Creative XL façade profile in graphite gray from NaturinForm. Furthermore, the exterior walls of the three penthouses were completely clad with the wood composite material from the Franconian manufacturer. A total of 400 square meters of the façade profile were used for this property on Lohsiepenstraße.

From this popular, village-like district, you can quickly reach the Scharpenacken nature reserve and the Ronsdorf Dam recreation area on the edge of the historic Gelpetal valley. Despite the quiet location, residents enjoy easy access to the A1 motorway, and express bus lines connect Ronsdorf to the lively centers of Barmen and Elberfeld. The apartments, which were handed over to tenants in summer 2018, offer a high level of comfort with an elevator and underfloor heating; the apartment entrances are designed with step-free access. High-quality flooring, as well as windows and patio windows with plastic shutters, complete the comfortable amenities.

Wood composite material was chosen over natural larch

The exterior wall surfaces of the penthouses, as well as the sections with grouped windows, were originally intended to be clad with an insulated wooden facade made of natural larch. "Ultimately, however, the buyers, in consultation with the architect, decided to implement the planned wooden surfaces with a wood composite material from NaturinForm," explains Hürsehit Kürekli. In addition to the aesthetic considerations, the material's ease of care and maintenance were crucial. "The climatic conditions in the Wuppertal area would hardly produce the desired silver-gray color of the wood," says the IDEE managing director. "Heavy rainfall and spores, little sun, and a dry wind often make wood on facades look unsightly. Thus, by choosing the Creative XL facade profile in graphite gray, we anticipated the desired appearance. Because the property is mostly rented out, the care and maintenance of the facade were crucial in the choice of material."

Wood grain with an aesthetic and natural look

A facade made of wood composite systems impresses with its weather resistance and durability. Due to their polymer content, the facade profiles are extremely weather-resistant, and the material's combination of materials makes it very easy to clean – and therefore low-maintenance. "The wood composite system has proven itself to be an ideal covering for terraces and balconies in a wide variety of projects," says Dipl.-Ing. Architect Ulrich Klapa from the Wuppertal architectural firm KLAPA. "We expect these advantageous properties to be used on the facade as well," says Klapa, who oversaw the project in Ronsdorf through all phases. Where a wooden facade was originally planned for the penthouse area, other materials were considered as construction progressed. "In the end, we chose Creative XL in graphite gray because the material fulfills all the desired properties in terms of durability and maintenance – and, what's more, it hardly deviates from the originally planned appearance," says Klapa. The high wood content of the slats ensures an aesthetic and natural appearance thanks to a patented, individual wood grain. Creative XL consists of a solid rhombus strip with a coverage dimension of 99 millimeters and can be installed both horizontally and vertically. The facade profile is available in standard lengths of four and six meters, and custom lengths are also available upon request. The exterior cladding, made of NaturinForm's high-quality wood material, is used as a ventilated facade. During installation, the rhombus strips are laid on a wooden substructure with a tongue and groove joint, creating a flat surface with a closed, windproof joint without any visible installation.

Contractor convinced by wood composite system

While the wall surfaces were constructed using a thermal insulation composite system with white plaster, the exterior walls of the penthouses were made of sand-lime brick. The team from the Christian Quast carpentry and timber construction company attached a first layer of 8 x 10 cm squared timbers, followed by a second layer. Both layers were insulated with offset insulation and covered with a UV-resistant underlay film before the facade profiles were finally applied. The 55-year-old master carpenter from Remscheid, who has been running his own carpentry business with three permanent employees since 1992, has carried out work for IDEE GmbH on numerous occasions. "Until now, I've only ever used profiles made from a wood composite system on terraces and balconies," says Christian Quast. Installing the innovative material at the property in Ronsdorf was therefore a first for him and his team. The work went smoothly, he says, because the material is as easy to work with as wood. In addition, it looks high-quality and is unbeatable in terms of ease of maintenance and longevity, says Christian Quast.

Weather-resistant, durable, color-stable – and quickly processed

In addition to quick installation, weather resistance, color stability, and durability are the decisive criteria for a facade made of wood composite systems. NaturinForm offers an optimally suited composite material for this purpose with its tested and certified wood-based material with a wood to polymer ratio of approximately 70 to 30 percent. As with all floorboards, the facade solutions also benefit from the material properties of the wood-plastic mixture: Due to the polymer content, the facade profiles are resistant to weathering. The material combination also benefits this contemporary material in terms of sustainability. The profiles are made from 100 percent PEFC-certified, domestic wood combined with an environmentally friendly polymer. Further advantages include moisture resistance, easy maintenance, dimensional stability, robustness, and resistance to fungal and insect infestation. Furthermore, this material is 100 percent recyclable and reusable. After the planks have been used, they are taken back by the company and returned to the production process.

NaturinForm flooring is produced exclusively in Redwitz an der Rodach, Upper Franconia. "Made in Germany" stands for certified quality and the use of the highest quality raw materials in Germany.