✅ Responsibly manufactured in Lempäälä
✅ Completely natural and safe product
✅ Colorful with subtle variations, weathers to an elegant gray
✅ Naturally strong and highly rot-resistant
✅ No surface treatment needed for outdoor use, nearly maintenance-free
✅ Raw material from PEFC-certified sources

Our product uses Douglas fir, a naturally highly rot-resistant softwood. Its subtly reddish tones gradually develop into a beautiful silver-gray with exposure to the elements. Strong and durable, Douglas fir requires no surface treatment outdoors and is almost maintenance-free. Our Douglas fir products are responsibly produced, environmentally friendly, and sourced from PEFC-certified forests.

Please note that we deliver our products in bundles. Bundle size is indicated together with stock information on top right corner.

Storage of Outdoor Products

• Products should be protected from direct sunlight and rain before installation.
• Products should be stored horizontally on a flat surface, in unopened packages, and elevated at least 75 mm from the ground so that air can circulate underneath the stack.
• Sunlight and moisture together can cause boards to start graying in spots even before installation; if this happens, the color will even out after installation.

Installation

• Plan the installation direction and potential joint locations.
• Use A2-class stainless steel screws that are thick and long enough.
• Maintain sufficiently wide gaps between boards.
• Sort the boards so knots are evenly distributed across the surface.
• Regularly measure to ensure the installation direction remains as planned.
• If needed, consult a professional installer.

Boards stored protected from weather will swell when exposed to moisture and rain after installation. Therefore, uncovered terraces and piers should have at least an 8 mm gap between boards.

For covered structures, a 5 mm gap is sufficient. Gap width depends on the board width; the recommended values are for a 145 mm wide terrace board. Wider boards require larger gaps. Pre-drill screw holes to prevent splitting, especially at board ends. Use countersunk A2-class stainless steel screws for fastening. Recommended screw sizes:

• 28 mm board → 5x70 mm screw
• 45 mm board → 6x100 mm screw

Fastening spacing should follow the frame spacing (400–800 mm), depending on board thickness.

Install terrace boards with the best side facing up; ideally, the heartwood side should be as far from the visible surface as possible to minimize cracking. Complete prevention of cracks is impossible if the board contains heartwood—this is a natural feature in all wood species.

Treatment

Due to its excellent rot resistance and dense structure, we do not recommend any surface treatment at all for products in the Arctic Outdoor product range. When left untreated, the wood will turn a silvery grey from rain and the sun’s UV rays in about 2–3 years, depending on conditions. This greying can be slowed by treating the products with a clear or tinted decking oil. Please note that oil absorbs into dense wood much more slowly, and the maintenance interval is significantly shorter than for Nordic spruce. The wood can also be artificially greyed using iron sulfate (ferrous sulfate). In that case, brush or spray a 1:10 iron sulfate–water solution onto the surface twice. Greying begins when the surface is exposed to natural light, and the final shade is reached in about 7–14 days.

Maintenance

Especially on uncovered terraces and piers, some boards may develop surface splinters after about a year. This is natural for wood, and can be removed by sanding along the grain with 180-grit sandpaper or scraping with a cabinet scraper. Over time, sunlight, moisture, and temperature changes may cause fine surface cracking.

Thorough Deck Cleaning

A deeper clean is needed once or twice a year. Follow these steps:

• If using cleaning agents, wash the deck when it is cool (not in direct sunlight) to prevent cleaners from drying too quickly on the surface.
• Sweep away dust and loose debris with a long-handled brush, including deck edges and other structures.
• Wet the wood with warm water to open the pores. Wash with general-purpose cleaner and a soft brush or scrubbing pad. Rinse with cold water to close the pores.
• Always scrub in the direction of the grain, e.g., with a soft deck brush.
• Avoid chlorine-based cleaners, as chlorine can absorb into the wood and later release into the air, e.g., when the deck heats in the sun.
• After cleaning, ensure the deck dries thoroughly.
• If the deck is surface-treated for appearance (e.g., oiled), apply the oil tightly with a brush or decking oil applicator so it fully absorbs into the wood. Work evenly and continuously, one board at a time, from end to end to avoid lap marks. Wipe off any unabsorbed oil.
• Allow to dry thoroughly.

A Durable and Natural Choice for Outdoor Construction

Wood products made from some of nature’s most durable species are ideal for decking and pier structures. Boards are suitable for decking surfaces and pier planking, while posts can be used, for example, as railing posts. For privacy screens and other decorative structures, the range includes various slats and slanted battens. Lauta.fi’s outdoor construction products are also used in public projects, such as stairs, fences, railings, pathway surfacing, landscaping solutions, and park benches.

Douglas fir, with its beautiful grain and rich color variation, is suitable for both interior cladding and versatile outdoor construction. Thanks to its excellent rot resistance, it may not require any surface treatment at all. However, for aesthetic reasons, surface treatment can be applied to slow the wood’s natural greying, especially on decks. The surface can also be oiled if desired, but without regular maintenance, the wood’s natural aging cannot be prevented.

Lauta.fi delivers product sample pieces to both consumer customers and professionals, such as architects, interior architects and designers, construction industry and procurement professionals.

If you are interested in ordering one or more sample pieces, please contact our sales department via email lauta@lauta.fi or phone +358 3 3123 6000 (On weekdays 8-16).