You’ve decided to design and build a new timber deck for your Melbourne home. Congratulations, you’ve made a great choice. While there are many options to choose for outdoor living surfaces, timber is considered by many people to be the best option because of its beauty and durability.
Now the question is, which timber will you use for your deck? There are so many different timbers to choose for a deck that it can be confusing. So we’d thought we would offer some assistance by bringing you a comprehensive list of the choices.
Timber deck choices in Melbourne and Australia
- It’s difficult to create a list of timber decking choices without including merbau at the top because it is the most popular. It oozes aesthetic appeal with its distinctive reddish-brown colour and backs this up with durability, resistance to weathering and insects, strength, versatility and ease of maintenance.
- Spotted gum is one of several Australian hardwoods that are commonly used for timber decks (along with Blackbutt, Jarrah and Ironbark to follow). Its colours range from pale greys to deep red-browns and is one of the timbers that can fade to a beautiful silver-grey over time, a look that’s particularly popular near the coast. Incredibly durable and resistant to termites.
- Blackbutt is known for its pale brown to yellow appearance and a straight grain. It too can weather to a grey colour. Like all Australian hardwoods, blackbutt is very durable and resistant rot and termites.
- Jarrah is renowned for its deep red colour and unique grain patterns. It has a timeless beauty and strength that can make any timber deck look stunning.
- Ironbark, as you’d expect by the name, is an extremely dense and durable timber. Its colour can range from pale to deep reds and browns.
- Treated pine is a great budget option. As it has been treated, you can leave treated pine decking as it is, without maintenance. However, it can also be painted to match any colour scheme or stained to highlight the timber.
Sustainable timber deck choices
If, like more Melbourne people and Australians, you’re conscious of making smart environmental choices, timber is also a good option and certainly better than many other outdoor living area flooring. That’s because when timber is used in construction, the carbon that is captured by the tree while growing remains locked within the timber. This reduces carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and mitigates the impacts of climate change.
If you are environmentally conscious, the key when choosing timber for a deck is to make sure it’s responsibly sourced, using sustainable practices.
How do you do that? A simple way is to ask about certification. Two of the main certification processes in Australia are PEFC (Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification) and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). The logos of these organisations on timber will give you peace of mind that the timber you’re buying is sustainably sourced.
Next choice – Outside Concepts
Now that you’ve hopefully chosen the timber for your new Melbourne deck, it’s time to make another choice – who to design and build your deck for you. Thankfully, that’s an easier decision.
Outside Concepts has been building timber decks around Melbourne and other parts of Australia for more than 30 years. This experience means we can provide all the knowledge and advice you need to build the best timber deck for your home.
Phone Outside Concepts on 1800 601 674 and we’ll get the process going. If you live in the north eastern suburbs of Melbourne, this means getting Ron Matz and his team from our North Eastern Branch to contact you to organise a time to visit, for a no-obligation discussion, design and quote.
You’ll could be hosting a gathering on your new deck sooner than you think!
Find out about Outside Concepts’ 10-year structural warranty. Call us on 1800 601 674.
Which wood will you choose for your Melbourne timber deck?