Guide to Choose the Right Decking Timber

There are several reasons why people prefer to build a deck outdoors. Decks are usually loved by people who love to spend time outdoors and decks can increase the living area of your home. They even add to the grandeur and beauty of the home directly influencing its resale and rental value especially in Australia where people spend most time outside their home. Making the decision of whether or not to build a deck can be made easily by the home owner. But the further decision regarding the kind of decking timber is very critical and has to be done very carefully after proper research about the various kinds available in the market.

While analysing the various timbers, they must be evaluated taking the weather condition and environment of the area and the effect that it might have on the wood. The presence of termites and other attacking pests must also be considered before making the final choice so that you can ensure that you have the right choice of decking material for your home. Hardwood is mostly preferred over softwood as it has longer life span and durability.

Pine trees have a long lifespan, but this does not apply to pine wood used for construction. They decay fast and are even prone to attack by pests. Treated pine is a better option as they can withstand many weather conditions. Natural pine is treated with wood preservation techniques and they get a green tint due to it. Huon Pine is a pinewood variant which can withstand decay but it is expensive.

Silvertop Ash is another option if you want elegant looking decking timber for your deck. They have a pink or pale brown color, but are not much preferred due to their low pest resistance and low durability. They are not very hard and can be easily bent making it favourable in manufacturing handles and sometimes even in construction.

The spotted gum wood is loved by people for its grain spots. Different species have different grain style and the wavy grains are in high demand in Australia. They have a chocolate color. They exhibit high resistance to termite attack and increased durability too. They are not very hard though making them easy to work with.

Iron bark wood has a pale red to dark red color and is designed with interlocked grains. This wood is extremely hard, high termite resistance and increased durability making it the most popular decking timber.