Interlocking wood deck tiles have become a popular outdoor deck floor covering for homeowners looking to revamp their outdoor spaces. Archatrak ‘SwiftDeck’ Ipe wood interlocking deck tiles offer a convenient and stylish Do-it-Yourself way to upgrade patios, balconies, decks, and other outdoor areas without the cost of major renovations, specialized labor or disruption to your home. You just snap them together over any hard surface to create an instant outdoor floor you can enjoy year after year.

What Are Interlocking Wood Deck Tiles?

Interlocking wood deck tiles are modular tiles made from durable wood species with a plastic grid base. The base has interlocking tabs on all four sides that enable the tiles to be clicked together to form a solid surface with every tile accurately and precisely spaced and aligned. There’s no need for nails, screws, adhesives, mortar or grout. This makes them an exceptionally user-friendly and cost-effective solution for homeowners in particular who want to improve the appearance of their outdoor spaces without the cost, mess and disruption of demolishing an existing concrete patio and replacing it with conventionally laid tiles.

Where Can Interlocking Wood Deck Tiles be Used?

Some of the most common places where these tiles can be installed are:

Patios: Probably the most common application is laying interlocking patio tiles over concrete since these diy patio pavers can very quickly and easily transform a drab, cracked concrete surface into a beautiful, inviting area with the warmth of natural wood.

Balconies: Interlocking wooden deck tiles are a great option for balcony tile flooring since you can totally change the look of your balcony without any major disruption.  Installation is so much easier and cleaner than with ceramic or porcelain tiles since the tiles can be simply cut to fit around corners, downpipes etc. with just a handsaw.

Roof Decks: Interlocking wooden deck tiles are a great way to make use of a rooftop since they just sit on the rooftop membrane and still allow water to drain away freely under the tiles to the existing drains. You just need to make sure there are no excessively raised seams on the membrane which would prevent the tiles from laying flat.

Outdoor Walkways and Paths: Interlocking wooden tiles can be used to give garden paths a more natural and appealing look than plain grey concrete.  However, they are really only suited for straight paths as they cannot be angled to bend around curves.

Poolside Areas: The gaps between the wood slats allow water to drain away quickly with no pooling, reducing slip hazards. Ipe wood as used on Archatrak interlocking wood deck tiles is also noted for not splintering as it weathers.

See our Gallery page for examples of SwiftDeck interlocking tile installations.

What are the Disadvantages of Interlocking Wood Deck Tiles?

Despite their many benefits, there are a few issues with using interlocking tiles as outdoor wooden deck flooring to consider:

Must be Laid on Smooth Substrates: The surface (such as an old deck, concrete, or grass) that the tiles are to be laid on must not be uneven, as the tiles might not lock or align properly, potentially causing the edge of the tiles to pose a tripping hazard.

Limited Load-Bearing Capacity: While interlocking wood deck tiles are very sturdy and are built for regular pedestrian traffic, including commercial applications, they are not designed to bear very heavy loads like a hot tub. In such applications the tiles should be cut to fit around the object.

No Ability to Adjust for Sloping Substrates: Interlocking wood tiles cannot be used if you want to make a perfectly level deck over a sloped surface. In that case, you need to use our thicker and stronger structural Ipe wood tiles which are supported by stackable rubber support pads or adjustable height pedestals.

Wood Color Fades Over Time: Although interlocking wood deck tiles are made to withstand outdoor conditions, even the highly durable Ipe wood we exclusively use with our tiles will weather and fade over time.

Maintenance Needs: Any wood deck, whether a conventional wood plank deck or interlocking wood tile deck, will require some maintenance and we always recommend applying a good quality deck oil from time to time to maintain the deck’s appearance.

Can Interlocking Deck Tiles be Laid over Grass?

Laying interlocking deck tiles over grass can be a great way to create a temporary or semi-permanent outdoor flooring option for events or gatherings. However, grass tends to grow through the gaps between the tiles, so it’s important to lay a weed barrier fabric underneath the tiles to prevent unwanted plant growth and to prevent the plastic base from sinking into the soil. Also you must make sure the surface is well compacted, not bumpy and stable.

Can Interlocking Deck Tiles be Laid over Dirt?

You can certainly lay exterior interlocking wood tiles over dirt, but first it’s essential that you create a firm, stable base. You may need to remove any large rocks or debris and possibly lay down a gravel or sand base to ensure the tiles remain level and stable.  You must also lay a weed barrier fabric underneath the tiles to prevent unwanted plant growth and ensure the feet on the plastic base don’t dig into the soil. Also the area should have a slight slope so water cannot pool under the tiles or remain in contact with the underside of the wood slats for any extended periods.

How Long Do Interlocking Wood Deck Tiles Last?

Interlocking wood deck tiles, provided they are made from highly durable wood species such as Ipe, can last 10 or more years with proper care, depending on the level of exposure to outdoor elements. Cheaper wood deck tiles using softwood or less durable species will not last as long. We exclusively use Ipe wood rather than softer, low cost, less durable wood species for our hardwood tiles due to its excellent durability, hardness and smooth surface, even after years of full exposure to sun, rain and snow.
It’s also essential that the plastic bases are designed for outdoor conditions with appropriate additives used in the plastic to resist degradation due to UV exposure.

How Easy Are Interlocking Tiles to Install?

Since interlocking tiles are specifically designed to snap or lock into place, you don’t need any tools for the deck tile installation other than maybe a rubber mallet to tap the tiles into place if needed. You will probably also need a handsaw and screwdriver to cut some tiles, at least on the final row and to reinstall some fixing screws. Transition pieces can be snapped on the outer row of any deck to give a neat finish.
A patio can typically be laid in just a few hours, depending on the size of the area, and there’s no real need to hire a contractor unless you have an irregular shaped area and don’t want to do lot of tile cutting yourself.

Please email us or call 866 206 8316 for pricing and ordering of ‘SwiftDeck’ wood deck tiles.