Planken - what is it? Types of material, characteristics, installation features

Planken - what is it? This type of facade decoration allows you to create a truly stylish and spectacular exterior, regardless of the nature of the structure. Such lining becomes an ideal protection against moody weather.

How effective is the plank, what is it, what are the performance characteristics and advantages of the material? All these issues are of interest to homeowners who need to implement high-quality exterior finishes.

Planken - what is it?

Facing is a special kind of facade board. The main feature of the material is the presence of rounded or tapered edges due to the chamfering on the edges of individual plates. According to the appearance it looks like a terraced and deck board. Differences are only in the thickness, which is an order of magnitude lower and ranges from 15 to 22 mm. With regard to the width of the board, depending on the type of material, it can vary between 70-140 mm.

Today the planken finds its application not only in the field of external, but also in the interior decoration of premises. As a facing material is used in rooms for various purposes. Suitable is a facade board for creating all kinds of shelves, decorative elements.

Planken from larch

Larch is an ideal basis for the production of natural finishing materials. Wood has a natural protection against decay, well tolerates moisture, serves for a long time, as it can not be destroyed by small parasites.

Larch has an attractive texture, shade and pattern of fibers, which becomes indispensable when it is necessary to create an effective facing of walls and ceilings. When exposed to moisture, larch acquires a more dense structure and strength.

Pine

Planken made of pine is made from tall and even trees, which are treated with special compounds, which gives the material durability and resistance to moisture.

As is known, the wood of this breed is saturated with resins. Therefore, in the process of manufacturing the planken, its thermal and chemical treatment takes place. Thus, the material becomes not only a reliable basis for the production of lining, but also saturates the room with a pleasant natural flavor. This in turn has a beneficial effect on the well-being of homeowners.

Cedar

Like pine, this tree species can be found practically in all latitudes. However, for the production of planken, Canadian cedar is most often used, which has a more attractive shade and pattern.

The material is longevous. Therefore, such a facing of the structure can serve for many decades without changing the appearance and deteriorating performance.

KDP

Another common basis for the production of planken is a wood-polymer composite. The material characteristics are favorably distinguished against the background of all the above types of finishes. Produce DPC method of high-tech processing of the best pine species with the use of polymers.

What are the qualities of polymer planken? What is it? Despite the chemical origin, the material has the following advantages:

• Copes well with moisture;
• Prevents rotting;
• Can withstand temperatures ranging from -50 to + 70 ° C;
• Facilitates the installation process;
• Is characterized by a variety of color and textural solutions.

Installation

Depending on the nature of the profile, the planking is lapped or butted. In this case, between the individual layers, a technological gap is left, which prevents the boards from touching. Its size is determined by the width of the finishing material and depends on the type of wood.

Installation of the planken is carried out in two ways:

1. Open - the cladding is fixed with the help of screws at the top of the board. This version is characterized by a special simplicity, high speed of work execution and economy.
2. Hidden - more complex procedure, the result of which is the absence of visible fastener elements on the facade of the building.

Regardless of the type of installation chosen, qualitative performance of the task will require self-tapping screws with an anti-corrosion coating or stainless steel.

Advantages of installing a lining in the form of a planken

Traditional external finishing with a lining or block-house is laid by creating joints of a spike-groove. This is the main drawback of such materials. The prolonged impact of adverse environmental factors in the form of a sharp change in temperature and high humidity causes deformation of these types of lining.

The installation of the planken with the distance between the individual layers of material makes the facade ventilated. Under the influence of changing weather conditions, the wood comes in a slight movement, which allows it to retain its structure and at the same time does not affect the overall stability of the structure.

Planken is more durable in comparison with the same block house or lining. If the correct installation technique and periodic maintenance are observed, the lifetime of the facade is measured not by years, but by decades.

As you can see, the planken acts as an effective facing material, easy to install and maintain. Thanks to a natural basis, the finish can be treated with special compounds that help improve its appearance, increase technical and operational characteristics.