Porcelain Planks

Narrow width porcelain deck planks with the authentic look of real wood - but harder, more durable, fire resistant, stain resistant, fade resistant and lower maintenance.

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Why Choose Porcelain Wood Planks for Exterior Decking?

Archatrak wood-look porcelain planks incorporate all the aesthetic features that make natural wood decking so enchanting, but without the issues that are inherent with wood. Knots, dark and light streaks, random grain structure, pinholes, variable color and even a weathered appearance can all be faithfully reproduced in porcelain wood planks. And you’re not limited to just a few options. Porcelain wood planks are available in an exceptionally wide range of colors and styles, from pale bleached grey through dark chocolate browns, replicating a broad spectrum of wood species, both common and exotic.

Primary Benefits of Porcelain Decking

Our wood-look porcelain planks avoid all the issues that can occur with natural wood decking. They won’t rot or decay or suffer attack from termites or other wood destroying insects. The color won’t change, no matter how fully exposed to sunlight, nor fade all too rapidly to a silvery grey color. Porcelain wood planks will not twist, warp or cup and cause a tripping hazard, nor will they develop splinters as the wood weathers, a perennial problem for natural wood decks around swimming pools. Outdoor porcelain planks won’t suffer from scratches or scuffing and they are exceptionally resistant to staining from oil and grease.

With wood-look porcelain planks you eliminate all the tedious work having to seal or coat the wood each year with a preservative to keep your deck looking good. On the other hand, maintenance of porcelain wood planks is limited to washing with water from time to time. Even moss and mold is much easier to remove.

But perhaps one of the most important benefits of porcelain vs wood decking is that porcelain is totally non-combustible, an exceptionally important consideration with rooftop deck installations in densely populated urban areas.

Porcelain Plank Installation on Roof Decks

Constructing elevated rooftop decks or balcony flooring with porcelain wood planks is generally a lot simpler than using natural wood planks. There’s no need for custom designed steel or wood support structures, no nails, screws or clips. 16” wide planks can be efficiently laid over adjustable height pedestals, supported only at each corner and in the middle of the long sides with 48” porcelain planks.

With 12” or 8” wide x 48” porcelain planks, it is generally preferable to lay the planks over an aluminum rail system, with the rails supported by adjustable height pedestals. This system minimizes the number of pedestals required compared with supporting the porcelain wood planks with pedestals alone.

On-Grade Landscaping

While natural wood cannot normally be laid directly on the ground as it will eventually decay, there’s no such issue with porcelain wood plank installations in on-grade applications. Wood-look porcelain planks, planks of any width can be used to create striking landscape designs, particularly when laid in grassed areas. They can also be laid on well compacted sand or gravel beds or mortar set over concrete.

Key Benefits of Porcelain Decking Planks c.f. Wood

Cannot catch fire or burn

No ongoing maintenance

Won’t twist, warp, split or crack

No fading or color change

No decay or insect attack damage

No scratching or scuffing

No splinters to hurt bare feet

Resists mold, moss and mildew growth

No ugly stains from grease or oil

Better slip resistance when wet

FAQ

Are Archatrak’s porcelain deck planks suitable for all climates and weather conditions?

Yes, Archatrak’s outdoor porcelain planks are designed to withstand a wide range of climatic conditions. Their low water absorption rate makes them resistant to frost and thaw cycles, while their UV resistance prevents color fading in sunny environments. This versatility ensures that they maintain their structural integrity and appearance, whether in hot, cold, humid, or dry climates.

Are outdoor porcelain planks slippery when wet?

Porcelain deck planks are typically produced with a textured surface to improve slip resistance but nevertheless care should be taken when walking on planks in wet conditions.

Can you drive over porcelain deck planks?

2cm thick x 48” porcelain planks are not designed for vehicular traffic. We recommend 3cm or 5cm porcelain pavers for areas subject to vehicular traffic.

What are the downsides of porcelain planks?

Due to the hard, dense nature of porcelain, porcelain deck planks can be quite brittle, so for pedestal supported decks in particular, care needs to be taken to avoid impact from heavy objects. Steel plates, FRP grating or fiberglass mesh should always be placed under pedestal supported porcelain deck planks where deck heights exceed approx. 4”.

Sizes

For roof deck or balcony installations, our ¾” thick, 16” wide x 48” long porcelain deck planks can be installed either over adjustable height pedestals or a pedestal supported rail system. They can also be laid on-grade over compacted sand or gravel.

In elevated deck applications, especially high traffic commercial applications such as bars and restaurants, steel protection plates or self-adhesive fiberglass mesh sheets should be installed on the underside of the 48” porcelain planks for break-through protection.

See our Safety & Security page for more information.

Our current range of 16″ x 48″ wood look porcelain planks plus 3 colors of cement look plank pavers can be seen on our Colors page. Additional colors from our Italian suppliers can be supplied on request.

For elevated decks, 12″ x 48″ porcelain planks cannot be laid directly over adjustable height pedestals but are instead installed over our pedestal supported aluminum rail system.

They can also be laid on-grade over a well compacted sand base.

Our current range of 12″ x 48″ stone look and wood look porcelain plank pavers can be seen on our Colors page.
Additional colors from our Italian suppliers can be supplied on request.

For elevated decks, 8″ x 48″ porcelain planks cannot be laid directly over adjustable height pedestals but are instead installed over our pedestal supported aluminum rail system.

They can also be laid on-grade over a well compacted sand base.

Our current range of 8″ x 48″ porcelain planks can be seen on our Colors page.
Additional colors from our Italian suppliers can be supplied on request.

Elevated Roof Decks & Balconies
While 16” wide porcelain deck planks are typically laid with adjustable height pedestals for elevated decks, the narrower 12” and 8” wide planks are normally laid over a rail system to avoid an excessive number of support pedestals being used and to simplify the levelling of the planks. See our Rail Support System page for more information about laying pavers over a rail system.

On-Grade
Outdoor porcelain planks can be laid on sand or gravel beds or mortar set over concrete and grouted. With sand or gravel set applications, it is very important that the base is well compacted and that the planks do not show any sign of rocking after they are laid.