And that's exactly what has been adapted and installed for the little ones at a Munich nursery school. The flat-roof projection on the ground floor of the building was designed as a play terrace with railings and a new floor made from UPM ProFi Deck.
UPM ProFi material offers numerous benefits – and not just for the children. The decking boards are hardwearing, splinter-free and comfortable to walk on, even with bare feet – the floor feels warm and natural underfoot. The finely grooved flooring has a high-friction surface, thus, there is no danger of slipping, even in rainy conditions.
The material is hardwearing and barely shows any signs of denting or scratches after years of use. The specially constructed surface absorbs very little moisture, reducing mould and algae and thus protecting the smallest of toddlers against allergies and other medical conditions.
Tradesmen are full of praise for UPM ProFi Deck too: "It's easy to process the decking boards with conventional woodworking tools such as saws, drills and power screwdrivers," says the carpenter in charge of the Munich kindergarten deck.
There is no need for grinding, staining or varnishing, or the regular repeat surface treatments required over time. Therefore, the result is very low maintenance needs coupled with substantial cost savings for the owners of the Munich kindergarten.
UPM ProFi Deck does not need other maintenance than periodical cleaning with a pressure hose or normal hose and brush. The flooring retains its fabulous appearance for years without "greying". The boards are virtually free of lignin, the natural wood molecule that turns grey when exposed to sunlight.
Speaking on behalf of all the children in her care and their parents, Susanne Knott, the head of the kindergarten on Karl-Erb-Weg, is thrilled with the results: "This new floor keeps the little fingers and feet of the children safe from knotholes and splinters. The infants can crawl and the older children can run around barefoot to their hearts' content without any risk of injury."
Munich Nursery School
Nursery school on Karl-Erb-Weg in Bogenhausen suburb of Munich, Germany.
Play terrace made from Snow Blue UPM ProFi Deck.
The boards were distributed by Klöpfer.