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Decking Timber Options & Hardware

September 1, 2020

Looking for Decking Timber in Perth?

Choosing the right materials for your deck can be difficult. What type of timber should you use? Do the extremes of the West Australian climate affect the durability of your deck? No matter your experience level, quality decking timber is always necessary when building a deck. In other words, without the right timber, your project is likely to flop.

When selecting your decking timber, air flow, soil type, climate, moisture, and a number of other factors should all be seriously taken into account.

Failure to take these factors into account, and selecting the incorrect timber, could lead to the structure becoming problematic, weak, or unstable over time.

Here is some free and professional advice in regards to the best decking timbers for your specific projects.

Decking Timbers

Timber Options

Western Australia offers a plethora of various decking timbers. Individually, each timber has different features, and different environments in which they will be most successful.

Australian Timbers

Blackbutt Timber

Blackbutt Timber is an Australian Hardwood sourced from the coastal regions of Australia’s Southeast. The timber is well regarded for its place in Australia’s sustainable forestry industry due to its quick growth and speedy regeneration.

Incidentally, Blackbutt Timber is one of seven hardwoods recommended by the Australian Building Commission for bushfire prone areas, making it a staple for people living in bushland, or bushfire-affected areas.

However, high tannin content in the wood may lead to leeching when wet. Ordinarily, this can easily be negated with regular deck maintenance, including sealing, oiling, and the correct method of construction.

Jarrah Timber

Jarrah timber is an incredibly popular timber used by West Australians for a diverse range of purposes. Its deep, rich colouring and beautiful grain characteristics have led to the timber being seen as iconically Australian, especially in areas under cover.

On top of this, Jarrah is a highly durable and dense timber. The decking timber is also largely rot, termite and weather resistant, making it perfect for many people’s decking needs. Furthermore, The timber’s close grain means it retains its natural colour for longer, and it has very little tannin leech.

Downsides to this timber include its sourcing from old growth forests, meaning it is not as sustainable as Blackbutt Timber. Subsequently, Jarrah Timber’s long growth time means it often comes at a premium price, and has limited availability.

Jarrah timber is considered a premium timber product.

Spotted Gum Timber

Spotted Gum is an Australian Hardwood, growing across regions of Victoria and Queensland. The timber’s wavy grain, exciting colours and diverse markings have helped establish Spotted Gum timber as a popular choice for decking in Perth.

Spotted Gum timber has a low likelihood of experiencing tannin bleeding. In addition, The timber is easy to machine and carve when compared to other popular Australian decking timbers. As a matter of fact, spotted gum is readily available throughout Australia due to its plantation growth. Said growth method also ensures sustainable sourcing from Australian forestry companies when it comes to Spotted Gum.

The timber is (like Blackbutt timber) one of seven hardwoods recommended by the building commission for bushfire prone areas, meaning that it is a recommended purchase for decking timber in areas susceptible to wildfire.

Ironbark Timber

Grown along the East Coast of Australia, Ironbark Timber, also known as Eucalyptus Paniculata, is highly sought after by Australian builders due to its impressive length and durability.

Historically, Ironbark timber has been utilised for over 200 years in Australia for heavy construction, making it a tried and true product that can withstand the extremes of the Aussie climate. Ironbark is, as its name suggests, an incredibly hard and h3 timber, meaning boards will likely need to be pre-drilled.

Notably, The timber has very high rot and termite resistance, and is one of seven hardwoods recommended by the building commission for bushfire prone areas. These combined factors make Ironbark an incredibly sturdy and reliable choice for decking timber.

Decking Timber Options

Imported Timbers

Fijian Mahogany Timber

Fijian Mahogany timber is soft, malleable and easy to work with using hand and machine equipment. The timber shows its tropical origins with reddish-brown hues, perfect for creating a beautiful oasis at home. On top of this, Tightly woven grain makes the timber highly resistant to splintering. Fijian Mahogany is also highly resistant to moisture, decay and termite infestations.

Despite the fact Fijian Mahogany is one of the softest hardwoods available, it is nonetheless highly regarded for its durability. This toughness will be retained as the timber transitions from a reddish-brown to a soft silver over time.

Merbau Timber

Merbau timber is sourced from Indonesian plantations and is a class one hardwood. Because of this, the decking is ideal for the West Australian climate, and is termite resistant.

Merbau timber has not yet been granted Australian FSC accreditation, but has been approved by the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry.

Pacific Jarrah Timber

Pacific Jarrah originated in South America, but is now sustainably sourced in regions surrounding Australia such as Indonesia. This nearby sourcing has made the hardwood widely available to West Australian consumers. Markedly, the hardwood’s reddish-brown hues and characteristic Jarrah grain make it a popular choice for designers and architects.

Pacific Jarrah is susceptible to marine borers, so may not be the best hardwood to use in an environment that is regularly exposed to water. However, the timber is also incredibly tough, so may be more difficult to work with than others.

New Guinea Teak Timber (Vitex Timber)

New Guinea Teak timber’s pale brown colour is a beautiful alternative to the tropical reds and browns of its fellow imported timbers. The timbers unique and stunning beauty and durability has made it a popular choice for Australian deck builders for a number of years. However, the sapwood may be susceptible to Lyctid Borers, but the Heartwood is termite resistant.

Hardware

Decking timber isn’t the only thing you’ll need to build your new deck. Of course, you’re going to need some hardware. Stirrups, screws, concrete, a countersink tool, a spacing template and bolts are just some of the tools you’ll need to bring your dream deck to life. Steel balustrading may also be needed to establish a safe boundary around your project.

Maintenance

Decks must be treated with care, even after construction is complete. To maximise strength and appearance, decks must be regularly maintained. Indeed, some decking timbers require less attention than others, but generally, the frequency at which you maintain your deck should be dependent on how exposed the structure is to the elements.

Harsh weather, sun, or foot traffic are all factors that can wear-down and cause issues with decking timber that has not been properly maintained. You can have your deck sealed professionally, or purchase DIY timber decking sealers, to ensure your deck stays healthy long after you finish construction.

Decking Timber

Timber Decking Supply Shed

We have a warehouse located in High Wycombe that offers a broad range of affordable decking timber supplies. Furthermore, we stock decking hardware including concrete, stirrups, bolts and screws.

Find Out More

Contact Paul today to learn more about our range of decking timbers.

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