What is WPC?

The Wood Guide · Calculating with wood

Material

WPC — wood-plastic composite

The warm look of wood with the easy care of plastic. Developed around 1990, and today seen on almost every new patio.

Wood fibre plus thermoplastic
Also called wood composite
Developed around 1990

wood plastic composite

Wood composite decking boards in different colours

Hollow and solid composite boards side by side, end visible

In pictures · WPC — wood-plastic composite1 / 6

Chapter 1 · The species

WPC — wood-plastic composite

The warm look of wood with the easy care of plastic. Developed around 1990, and today seen on almost every new patio.

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Summary

WPC in brief

WPC stands for wood-plastic composite: a pressed material made of wood fibres and a thermoplastic. You will also see the name wood composite, and in Dutch it is known as HKC (hout-kunststof-composiet).

The material was developed around 1990 with one aim: to combine the aesthetic character of wood with the low maintenance of plastic. You mainly come across it on patios, boardwalks and fences, as an alternative to traditional timber.

As a composite product, WPC occupies its own place between solid wood and all-plastic. The wood content provides stiffness, stability and a more matt surface; the plastic content makes it resistant to rot and insects.

Why there is wood fibre in it

Pure plastic boards expand a lot in the sun and feel cheap. Wood fibre makes them stiffer, more stable and more wood-like in appearance. The proportion is usually between fifty and seventy percent — and the higher it is, the more the material behaves like wood, including slight greying.

In full: wood-plastic composite
Also called: wood composite, HKC
Composition: wood fibres plus thermoplastic polymer
Developed: around 1990
Use: patios, boardwalks, fences
Maintenance: no oil, stain or sanding

To be honest: WPC gets hot in the sun, expands more lengthwise than wood, and scratches can't be sanded out. "Maintenance-free" also doesn't mean "stays new": WPC fades and greys too, only more slowly — and irreversibly, because sanding it back is not possible.

Measurable

What characterises WPC

No maintenance

No oiling, staining or sanding. Rinsing and an occasional brush against green algae is enough.

Splinter-free

Pleasant for bare feet and children — one of the strongest arguments against wood.

Even colour

No knots, no colour differences between boards, no uneven greying under furniture.

Dimensionally stable across the width

It doesn't cup like solid wood, although it actually expands more lengthwise.

Uses

What WPC is used for

Use	Suitable?	What to look for
Decking boards	Excellent	Choose a light colour in full sun; generous end gaps
Pool decks	Excellent	Splinter-free and unaffected by water
Fences	Good	Heavier than wood; sturdy posts needed
Cladding	Good	Watch the expansion on long sections
Load-bearing structure	Unsuitable	Not a construction material
Where it gets hot	Careful	Dark boards in full sun get scorching hot

Solid or hollow profile

Hollow WPC boards are lighter and cheaper, but less strong and more vulnerable to moisture penetrating through the ends. Solid profiles cost more and last longer. Ask about it — you can't see the difference in the photo.