Material WPC

Wood Polymer Composite (WPC) is a young material that is characterized by robustness, definable size and surface, uncomplicated cleaning and a wood-like, yet very uniform appearance. We answer your questions about the production, components, look, feel, advantages, material properties and possible uses of WPC in gardens and on patios, as well as in restaurants, leisure facilities, companies and public spaces.

What is WPC?

WPC stands for "Wood Polymer Composite": WPC is a composite material made from wood fibers and a thermoplastic polymer. WPC was originally developed and produced in North America. The wide range of applications for WPC has led to it being increasingly produced and used in other countries for more than 20 years. The natural fiber composite material is particularly suitable for outdoor use, as it combines the visual properties of wood with the durability of polymer and can be shaped into the desired form. WPC has established itself for decking boards, fences, privacy screens and façades, but also generally as flooring or for outdoor furniture. It combines the visual properties of traditional timber with the durability of a technical polymer and is used as WPC flooring, WPC decking, WPC fencing, WPC façades or WPC soundproofing.

Are there materials that are similar to WPC?

There are materials that are used just like WPC for floors, decking and fences. The best-known alternative to WPC is wood. But what is the difference between WPC and BPC, for example? Like WPC, BPC is a natural fiber composite. While domestic woods such as spruce or pine are used for WPC, bamboo or rice husks are used for BPC. The difference between WPC and BPC therefore lies in the choice of natural fiber used. Pure plastic planks are also used for decking or fences. In contrast to pure plastic planks, WPC planks do not heat up as much in summer.

But not all WPC is the same. The aim of high-quality production is to use as little plastic as possible and as much as necessary at the same time: Because while the polymer ensures the durability of the product, resources should be conserved at the same time - so the right ratio is crucial here. If you want a high-quality and durable WPC product, you should choose a manufacturer that only uses high-quality raw materials and has durability in mind.

Quality features - what characterizes high-quality WPC planks?

Are there differences in the quality of WPC? The quality of a WPC plank depends on several factors. Firstly, the quality of the WPC is always as high as the quality of the raw materials from which it is made. High-quality WPC boards consist of wood fibers from sustainable forestry and an environmentally friendly, thermoplastic and pure polymer - NaturinForm boards, for example, consist of 70 percent fibers from local, sustainable PEFC-certified pine and spruce forestry and 30 percent from an environmentally friendly and food-safe polymer.

If WPC is dyed in order to achieve colored WPC planks, these colors also sometimes exhibit differences in quality. If, for example, mineral pigments are processed with biogenic wood fiber and environmentally friendly polymer, the result is a quality product that can be enjoyed for many years because the raw materials are already of high quality.

Another quality feature is the durability of WPC decking boards or fences made from WPC. This is because the breaking strength and long-term durability play a key role in the quality of WPC privacy screens or decking. In contrast to wood, there are WPC boards in Germany that are even approved by the building authorities and thus provide planning security for building owners: NaturinForm's Popular massive model is the only regulated building product made of WPC in Germany.

The WPC boards should also have properties such as slip resistance, toy safety and weather resistance. These characteristics can be tested by the manufacturer and certified accordingly. While weather resistance provides information about the durability of a WPC plank exposed to the weather, visual weathering has no influence on the durability of the material. This is because the optical weathering or maturing of the plank due to various factors such as weather, location and roofing is a typical product characteristic that is caused by the wood fiber content. This maturing process produces the desired, naturally matt color tone.

When finding out about the differences in the quality of WPC, also look out for high-quality WPC planks from sustainable production: if residual fibers from the wood industry are used for production, no trees have to be felled for the planks. A closed cycle, in which old boards can be returned to the manufacturer for recycling, also speaks for a sustainable production chain. The use of reusable packaging with reusable straps and pallets ensures that a sustainable product also remains sustainable during shipping.

If floorboards are manufactured in Europe or Germany, raw materials and production as well as compliance with German and European standards are easier to track. Look out for the "Made in Germany" label to be able to trace production and materials. Ideally, the composition of the product, how it is manufactured, where the raw materials come from (e.g. whether materials from China or other countries are included) and the properties of the WPC should be stated transparently. Experienced companies can also adapt their production to trends and applications and define the color and shape of the boards accordingly.

Depending on the manufacturer, the WPC may have less or more wood fibers. The type of wood and origin can also differ. For example, the wood fibers in NaturinForm's WPC products, which are produced in Germany, come from local, sustainable PEFC-certified forestry.

How can I check the quality of WPC?

How do you find out which WPC is the best? Information about the quality of WPC products is provided by the manufacturer's certificates, which should also be available on the website. WPC certificates provide information on numerous properties, production features or the sustainability of the manufacturing company. You can therefore obtain information, for example, in certificates on the compensation of emissions that occur during production, on the climate neutrality of a company, on the calculation of the CO2 footprint, on compliance with international PEFC standards, on the wind load that can be absorbed, resistance to wood-destroying fungi, wood from sustainable forestry and the purity of the polymer, suitability for toys, fire behavior, building authority approval, slip resistance, recycling of packaging or the use of resources in the production process. The durability of a privacy screen or decking made of WPC can also be specified by the manufacturer. Make sure you check whether your WPC product comes with a guarantee.

Here you can read more about the certificates and seals that NaturinForm WPC has been awarded and how we are committed to sustainability.

How is WPC manufactured?

WPC is created from several components that define the properties of the end product. In the production of wood polymer composite, wood fibers are combined with a thermoplastic polymer in such a way that it wraps around each individual fiber like a protective coating. An additive stabilizes the plastic and makes the plank extremely durable. The addition of the thermoplastic polymer improves the material properties. For example, it ensures weather resistance and scratch resistance and makes the plank more malleable.

The high-density polymer and the wood fibers are gently formed into a homogeneous mass under temperature and pressure and pressed into a continuous strand. This removes the moisture contained in the wood fibers. At the same time, the material is colored during this production step by adding natural pigments. The result is a WPC continuous strand.

Next, the mass is pressed through a shaping tool, which gives the planks strength and width as well as profile and look. After the cooling phase, the surface is treated. Depending on the plank model, this is now brushed or embossed. The WPC boards are then cut to the right size. At the end of the manufacturing process, you have a WPC product that can be used immediately and no longer needs to be treated. It is ready for installation or assembly at the place of use.

The finished product is resistant and more durable than a comparable wooden product, while its appearance is similar to that of wood.

What properties does WPC have?

• WPC has different material properties due to the combination of wood fiber, pigment and polymer. The higher the proportion of wood in WPC, the more similar WPC looks and feels to wood.
• WPC is pressed into shape as a mass and is therefore malleable. WPC can be individually colored by adding pigments during the production process. It is therefore visually versatile and adaptable. As the color is evenly distributed throughout the product, it does not need to be applied or sealed afterwards.
• WPC is usually fastened in a concealed manner: Stapled to a substructure, it requires no screws. This is safe and child-friendly as well as elegant.
• Thanks to the material and its surface, WPC is non-slip. This pays off when it rains on the patio, for example. The slip resistance can be improved by the surface finish. Brushed boards, for example, are particularly slip-resistant. The slip resistance of a quality plank can be precisely measured and certified. Planks with a value of R13 offer the highest slip resistance. A minimum value of R9 is therefore advisable.
• High-quality WPC is also suitable for toys and therefore safe for children: it must not splinter or break and must be free from plasticizers.
• WPC is barefoot-friendly. It does not heat up as much as pure plastic flooring and feels pleasantly organic underfoot thanks to the wood fibers. At the same time, the material does not splinter like wood, as it has neither knotholes nor break-off edges from branches, so you don't have to worry about splinters in your feet when walking barefoot on a WPC surface. Thanks to this property, WPC is not only suitable for decking, but also for pool surrounds, for example - just where you walk barefoot.
• WPC is a weather-resistant material: This means that wind, rain, cold or heat cannot harm it in terms of break resistance and durability. While WPC matures visually like wood, it is also more weather-resistant than wood in terms of the durability of the material itself.
• WPC is easy to care for and does not require oiling or varnishing. It can be cleaned with lukewarm water and a soft brush. If necessary, special environmentally friendly cleaners can also be used. You can find out more about cleaning WPC in our cleaning guide.
• As WPC is a versatile material, it can be processed into various product shapes with different profiles depending on the application and can therefore be used as decking boards, sound insulation, privacy screens, fencing or façade cladding. You can read more about the many possible uses of WPC in the section "What WPC products are available?".

How are WPC planks colored?

In the production process, the color is combined with the polymer to form the plank. For the "Wood Polymer Composite" (WPC), wood fibers are coated with a thermoplastic, pure and environmentally friendly polymer. The polymer is dyed with the addition of pigments and bonds the wood fibers. A corresponding finish (e.g. by brushing or embossing) ensures the look of the respective plank model. As the color already fuses with the polymer in the first production step, no subsequent lacquering is necessary. The finished plank also does not require oiling; water is usually sufficient for cleaning. The color cannot flake off (as is the case with paint applied externally), but penetrates the plank evenly. As wood is a natural raw material, there may be visual differences between different batches of WPC. These natural nuances are reminiscent of wood and have no effect on durability.

What are the differences between WPC and wood?

If a patio is to be designed, a façade installed or a fence erected, the choice of material not only has an impact on the appearance, but also on the properties of the product. Decking, cladding and fences made of wood and WPC have different characteristics.

Appearance
Wood and WPC look similar, but also have visual differences. Wooden boards can show knotholes and other characteristic growth features. As wood chips are used for WPC, both the appearance and the material itself are more uniform than wood that has been processed in one piece. Individual preferences therefore determine which look is preferred. The appearance of WPC is homogeneous in itself (no knotholes etc.). There are classic single-colored planks or special models that have a natural multi-colored appearance. This creates a lively color pattern, similar to the naturally grown raw material wood. As both wood and WPC products offer a wide range of visual variety, personal taste is the deciding factor here.

Weathering
Wood greys and must be regularly treated to prevent this. WPC matures visually like wood, but does not require oiling or glazing. The lignin contained in the wood is broken down over time. This leads to surface graying of the material. Colored WPC planks retain their added color pigments, while the added natural wood content forms a slight patina on the surface, making brushed planks with a higher wood content slightly darker, for example, while unbrushed planks become slightly lighter. WPC therefore also matures visually, but develops a naturally matt color.

Sustainability
Thanks to the WPC production process, ideally no waste is generated, as the shape and size of the desired planks can be produced in a targeted manner. Excess material can be fed back into the production process. With production based on the "cradle to cradle" principle, the aim is to achieve an end-to-end circular economy. As is the case with the production of NaturinForm, for example, a waste rate of zero percent can be achieved. As there are no follow-up costs apart from cleaning (which is inexpensive and can be carried out with simple means) and due to its long durability, high-quality WPC is sustainable in terms of both production and handling. WPC requires little maintenance. Compared to wood, WPC does not need to be sanded or oiled. WPC can also be cleaned easily and in an environmentally friendly manner thanks to the polymer it contains. If WPC is produced from wood waste and a sustainable production cycle including recycling is aimed for, then WPC can be produced in a resource-saving manner, just like wood from sustainable forestry.

Safety
With WPC, the homogeneity of the bonded material results in uniform dimensional stability in particular. Wood works more strongly under the influence of the weather. The WPC material also works and can expand slightly - however, this is already taken into account in high-quality systems by laying with a staple system on a substructure and by the spacing of the boards and is not noticeable. WPC planks can be shaped into the desired profiles during the manufacturing process, for example as honeycomb profile planks or as solid planks that can support higher weights. Thanks to its formability, not only the possible load-bearing capacity but also the surface of WPC can be specifically influenced. For example, it is possible to influence the slip resistance of a WPC plank during the production process. In contrast to the properties of wood, the properties of WPC are easier to define. With WPC, further safety-relevant properties can be controlled: for example, no screw heads protrude from WPC boards, as WPC, unlike wood, can be fastened invisibly with staples without any problems. Even if you opt for visible fastening, the compact material means that no splinters or splinters can occur. WPC boards do not splinter like solid wood boards. The ageing process of wood can lead to larger cracks that encourage splinters. While wood can naturally show edges (e.g. from broken branches etc.), the shape and therefore also the surface of WPC can be specifically defined. WPC retains its shape even in wet conditions, snow and frost, but it can expand slightly. Wood swells and shrinks differently depending on the type of wood, whereas WPC works evenly in all directions. However, if installed correctly, which also allows water to run off, this is hardly noticeable and is compensated for by the installation clips and the distances to fixed components.

Prices
The prices for wooden planks vary greatly depending on the type of wood and there are also price differences between WPC planks. Depending on the plank model, manufacturers offer different price ranges to choose from. In general, it can be said that the expected durability of wood is difficult to predict, whereas a high-quality WPC plank that has been properly installed will have a long service life with consistent functionality. It should also be borne in mind that the purchase of WPC boards produces no follow-up costs in the long term because no oiling or painting is required. The homogeneous nature of WPC also means that it is evenly durable. A substructure is required for the installation of WPC decking, which must be taken into account in terms of price.

The decision for wood or WPC therefore depends on visual preferences as well as desired properties and locations.

What WPC products are available?

Thanks to its properties, WPC is suitable for various purposes and locations in the private, public and commercial sectors. WPC is used in plank form as flooring, privacy protection, sound insulation and for cladding facades. But it can also be used creatively and individually in the private sector: In principle, various areas that are usually designed with wood in the garden can also be created with WPC: Not only floors and decking, but also benches or raised beds, tree houses and sandboxes can be built from WPC. The issue of safety also plays a role here, as WPC is recommended for children's feet due to its slip resistance and lack of splinters, for example in buildings for kindergartens or playgrounds.

Where are WPC products used in public spaces?

In public bathrooms or for pool surrounds, WPC is a barefoot-friendly and slip-resistant material. WPC boards can also be used in a variety of ways in the pool area due to their non-splintering properties, whether as flooring or as a covering for tiered seating areas. As WPC does not heat up as much as pure plastic, it can be used in outdoor pools, which are particularly popular in summer. Chlorine and salt water cannot harm WPC, making the hard-wearing material ideal for areas that are frequently washed over or splashed by water.

WPC offers many advantages and possible uses in residential construction. For example, WPC boards can be laid on terraces or balconies in detached houses, apartment buildings or residential complexes. From the NaturinForm range, for example, Popular massive plank with general building authority approval is perfect for public and commercial spaces. Durability, safety, easy cleaning and the wood-like appearance make WPC an attractive solution for outdoor areas in apartment buildings. The specifically definable properties and made-to-measure production offer planning security for architects and building owners.

WPC is also used in public spaces (thanks in part to the building authority approval of the model mentioned above). Whether for seating for walkers, public paths, playground areas, zones in airports or other places, WPC is always an easy-care, easy-to-clean, stable, slip-resistant, barefoot-friendly and splinter-free covering. The building authority approval, as well as the volume that can be produced as required with specifically definable properties, also offer good planning options when using WPC in public spaces.

Last but not least, WPC is suitable for creating individual product solutions, be it custom-made products, special lengths or specific colors, for example for façade cladding in corporate colors or private areas in your favorite color. Thanks to the wide range of possible colors, WPC planks can also be used as a design element.

The hotel and catering industry relies on WPC floorboards when durability is required - for example, because floorboards are exposed to higher and permanent loads due to large numbers of customers or guests or because a durable solution is preferred for cost reasons. Last but not least, the ease of cleaning speaks for its use in the catering and hotel industry - but of course also in any other public or private place.