Most of us know the feeling at this time of the year. After spending big on Christmas presents and perhaps a summer holiday, money is tight. But you’re desperate to get a new timber deck designed and built for your home, to enjoy family relaxation and entertainment opportunities.

Well, Outside Concepts has some good news for you. You can afford that new timber deck and while it may take a minor compromise, the end result will be none-the-less impressive, durable and aesthetically pleasing.

The solution is a softwood timber deck.

A softwood timber deck doesn’t mean you’re using soft wood

First of all, let’s clear up a common misconception. Softwood is not an inferior product, nor is it soft. The difference between softwood and hardwood is actually to do with plant reproduction, not about toughness of the wood. In fact, balsa wood is a hardwood and it’s one of the lightest and softest timbers available.

In some cases, softwood can be a tough as hardwood. In fact, when it comes to tough timber, radiata pine that’s been treated with chemicals (i.e. treated pine, which is the most common softwood used in Australia for timber decks) is an extremely durable timber that’s highly resistant to rot and insects.

The key advantage of using treated pine for a timber deck is cost. Softwood will drive your budget further, so you can spend less on your new timber deck without compromising on size or other features. Or, if money isn’t so tight, you can have a larger softwood timber deck for the same cost as a smaller hardwood deck.

But what about the look? Yes, bare treated pine is not a look that’s for everyone, but you don’t need to leave your new timber deck bare. Treated pine can be painted, oiled or stained. The later can give you a look that is not dissimilar to some types of hardwood.

What you can be sure of if you choose a softwood timber deck designed and built by Outside Concepts is that you’ll have a deck that will give you years – if not decades – of hassle-free use,

Find out about Outside Concepts’ 10-year structural warranty. Call us on 1800 601 674.

A softwood timber deck can provide a great outdoor living area for less money than you may think.