Timber is a Great Choice for Building a Great Australian Deck and there are many different types of decking timbers for you to choose from.

Planning Your Deck

There can be a lot of choices to make as you go through the planning and design phase of building your beautiful Brisbane deck. After choosing a reliable and qualified deck builder with plenty of experience, you’ll need to start thinking about materials, design, budget and planning.

Choice of Decking Materials

The choice of materials will be very important for the longevity and aesthetics of your build. Should we choose timber decking, many will ask themselves? Is it a good choice for
the environment? Should I maybe use composite decking products instead? The answer is that if you want a truly natural look and feel and don’t mind the maintenance required to
keep a timber deck looking great, then go ahead and use timber decking!

Composite Decking

While composite decking products have a well-earned spot in the decking product line up, they are not the only choice for a durable and environmentally friendly deck. The trick is to
source your timber decking responsibly. Locally grown timber is a terrific choice and TimberQueensland has a lot of valuable information regarding the environmental issues surrounding timber, including the topics of Climate Change and Forestry Plantations.

Types of Decking Timbers

Hardwood Decking Timbers

The choice of Australian hardwoods is wide and varied. Here are some of our favourites.

Spotted Gum

Spotted Gum is a beautiful timber which often has a pretty wavy grain with plenty of texture. Its colour ranges from light brown right through to dark reddish brown hues. It is grown throughout eastern Australia and in some areas in WA. It is very durable, hard and dense timber. It’s widely available and sustainably sourced.

When it comes to choosing the type of decking timbers for your deck, spotted um is also recommended as a solid choice for construction in bushfire prone areas and displays little tannin leach. 

Blackbutt

Blackbutt mostly grows on the east coast of Australia from southern NSW up to south-east QLD. Its quick growth rate makes it easily regenerated and is a popular choice for
plantation growers. The colour ranges from a yellowy brown to light brown. It has fairly straight grain and even texture with gum veins sometimes visible. Blackbutt is another
strong, durable timber with a terrific fire rating and one of the best types of decking timbers to choose for your deck.

Grey Ironbark

Grey Ironbark is a premium Australian hardwood. It is very heavy, hard and durable with its terrific resistance to rot and termites. It is a solid choice for bushfire prone areas.
It’s colour ranges from reddish to dark brown and dressed surfaces take on a steely sheen. The grain is tight and straight. It is often found in northern NSW to central QLD.

Tallowwood

Tallowwood is very hard, durable and versatile. It is highly resistant to decay. It is found in NSW and QLD and is great for bushfire prone areas. Its lustrous colour ranges from pale
to dark yellowy brown with the occasional olive green tinge and has a moderately coarse and generally interlocking grain.

Jarrah

Jarrah is known for its unique colour range, it’s durability and its strength. It grows in WA. It is moderately coarse and even in texture and its grain can be interlocked or wavy
which creates extra interest aesthetically. Its colour will range from a light red or brown to darker, richer reds and browns. It has a natural resistance to fire, rot and termites and
weathers extremely well.

All We Do Is Decks

Timber, timber, timber! These are but a few of the different types of decking timbers that you can choose for your new deck. Talk to a qualified, experienced Brisbane builder like All We Do Is Decks to discuss your preferred materials and budget constraints.