PROS

• Great look.
• Attractive, classic warm appearance, natural finish and feel.
• A wide variety of timbers to choose from.
• There’s a whole range of stains and sealants to help you achieve the look you’re after.
• A well constructed hardwood timber deck will last 25 – 40 years depending on the timber and provided the deck is maintained properly.
• Doesn’t get too hot in the sun unlike other options.
• Timber decking is good around pools as it is not slippery like some pavers and tiles.
• Timber decking is sustainable with the exception of Merbau.
• Many decking timbers are naturally rot, termite and fire resistant.

CONS

• Need consistent maintenance – ideally oiled every 6 months and resealed every 4 years.
• Can shrink, twist, rot or warp over time if not maintained properly.

If you choose timber for your deck, there are many different decking timbers to choose from. Here are some pointers to help you make the decision.

Pine is sustainable, fast growing, plentiful and cheap. It is easy to stain and get the colour you want.

However, it needs to be stained more regularly than other timbers to protect wood from rot and infestation. It’s a softwood so will dent and scratch fairly easily, it is not very durable. A pine deck lifespan is 15-20 years, much shorter than hardwood timber decks.

Colour: Orange Brown

Merbau is an affordable hardwood timber with good fire resistance and high durability.

However, it comes from countries with few environmental controls so is not sustainable. It also requires regular staining.

Colour: Golden Brown.

Blackbutt is sustainable, has good fire resistance and durability, and doesn’t require as much maintenance as some other wood options.

However it is prone to splitting if not sealed.

Colour: Beautiful Red-brown.

Jarrah is naturally termite resistant sustainable and has good durability.

However it is a little more expensive than other timbers and requires a little more maintenance.

Colour: Grey – Red.

It is sustainable, widely available and highly durable. Spotted Gum is fire, termite and rot resistant.

However, is on the more expensive side and harder to work with than other timbers.

Colour: Grey – Red.

Highly durable – 1 of the longest lasting decking timbers. It is fire resistant and resistant to tannin leach.

However it is one of the most expensive woods and is very dense so hard to work with. It requires a little more maintenance than other timbers.

Colour: Light brown – Olive green.

Tallowwood is widely available, highly durable and easy to work with. Excellent in damp areas or near pools as it is highly resistant to rot. It is termite and fire resistant.

However, it is somewhat susceptible to tannin leaching.

Bamboo is an eco-friendly option which has an aesthetic very similar to other woods. The boards are made from solid long lengths of bamboo which are glued together under pressure.

PROS

• Long lasting and sturdy material
• Eco Friendly – Bamboo is fast growing and renewable
• Don’t split or break apart
• Less maintenance required than timber decking
• Bamboo is lighter than other timber options to lay
• Boards can be installed end to end. The ends do not need to be matched on a joist as the bamboo boards are so strong. Therefore there is less wastage in installation.

CONS

• Need to be sealed and stained
• Not the best option in very wet or cold climates.

Composite decking materials are made of a combination of wood, bamboo, virgin or recycled plastic and binding agents.

PROS

• Low maintenance – never need staining or sealing
• Less prone to warping than PVC
• Boards clip into place so there are no protruding nails
• Sleek look
• Insect Resistant
• Scratch resistant
• Durable

CONS

• More expensive option than timber decking
• May fade
• May sag or buckle if not installed correctly
• May get hot underfoot
• It is not recyclable – it will end up in landfill at the end of its lifespan (25+ years)

PROS

• Ideal around pools
• Perfect for fire prone areas.
• Resistant to weathering from the sun, rot, moisture, and termites when installed and maintained properly.
• Will not warp or twist
• Highly durable
• Low maintenance – requires re-painting or re-staining less often than timber decking
• Wide range of stain and colour options

CONS

• Price is generally higher than timber or composite decking options

Aluminium decking is not the most popular choice of decking but with the new options available that give a timber look and feel, it should definitely be considered as an option.

PROS

• Very low maintenance
• Extremely durable – doesn’t splinter, crack, rot, twist or warp. It is extremely long lasting.
• It is impervious to water, fire and termites.
• It is extremely fire resistant so is a good option in bushfire prone areas.
• Sustainable as you don’t need to cut down trees to produce it and it lasts a very long time
• Looks like timber and has a texture like timber but doesn’t require the maintenance a timber deck does.
• Anti Slip so is great to use around pools
• Good range of timber colour options available
• Lightweight and easier to install
• Easily Recyclable
• Finished so it is not hot underfoot

CONS

• Not the classic, natural appeal of timber.
• Doesn’t feel so good underfoot and is a noisy surface for walking, moving chairs or even when it rains.
• More expensive than some timber options

PVC stands for Polyvinyl Chloride, it is an all plastic product.

PROS

• Easy maintenance
• Uses recycled plastics
• Wide range of colours available
• Can be shaped
• Doesn’t crack and is resistant to insects & mould
• Scratch resistant
• 100% recyclable
• More mould resistant than Composite products
• Very light weight

CONS

• More prone to warping than composite products
• Finish is not as appealing as other decking materials