Robinia, also known as false acacia, is being used more and more in the construction of wooden decks. In this article we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this wood species. Finally, we will discuss the maintenance of Robinia decking.
ROBINIA DECKING : ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES...
ROBINIA : THE ONLY EUROPEAN CLASS 4 WOOD
Robinia is very durable outdoors. Compared to local wood species such as oak, chestnut and many others, Robinia is the local wood that ages best outdoors. It is the only local wood of class 4.
ROBINIA DECKING: AN ALTERNATIVE TO EXOTIC WOOD DECKING
It has a very good natural resistance. It is rot-proof (naturally resistant to moisture, insects and fungi). Class 4, it competes very well with exotic wood species such as ipe, teak or cumaru at a lower price.
The Robinia is also a wood that can be found in France. It is very fast growing, which makes it easy to renew.
It is therefore an interesting alternative to exotic woods for reducing the ecological impact of wooden decking.
THE AESTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROBINIA
Robinia is also called false acacia because of its acacia-like foliage.
On the practical side, this wood does not splinter very much, which makes it interesting to use near a swimming pool. Finally, its colour varies from light yellow to golden brown.
THE DISADVANTAGES OF A ROBINIA TERRACE
On the downside, Robinia can be difficult to install yourself. It can easily warp or split during installation if it is not installed by a professional. On the other hand, we do not find this type of wood to be unstable if it is installed correctly and the wood is of good quality.
SHOULD A ROBINIA TERRACE BE TREATED ?
As Robinia is a class 4 wood, no treatment is required to ensure that the terrace is resistant to damage (insects, fungi, moisture).
The only maintenance will be to protect your Robinia wood terrace against UV radiation. Under the effect of the sun's rays, Robinia, like all wood, will turn grey over time and lose its natural colour. To prevent the wood from turning grey, we advise you to regularly apply a saturator such as the Terrace Wood Saturator ST600. A tinted version is preferable for better protection against UV rays..
If your Robinia terrace has already turned grey, you will have to apply a degreaser such as Degreaser DG105. Saturator cannot be applied to greyed wood. The stripper removes the grey haze from the surface due to UV rays and will ensure a uniform finish when applying the saturator.
The ageing of a Robinia deck can also be characterised by a blackening of the wood (if the deck has not been protected for some time). In this case, the wood should be cleaned before applying a saturator. For example, you can use the Wood Cleaner N100 or Concentrated Wood Cleaner N140 to remove blackening of the wood (surface mould, black spots and marks).
