Choosing The Best Timber For DeckingPosted by Mouridsen Rosales on June 6th, 2021 This floorboard range is available in 135mmW or 180mmW, pre-finished to give you a ready to walk on floor that requires minimum care + maintenance. The finish you choose is also important when deciding what look to go for. Parquetry Flooring Company offer a wide variety of Australian and European timbers to suit all preferences. We have different species on display at our showroom in Beulah Park. No other flooring option can bring you the warmth like Australian hardwoods. The natural insulation keeps you warm in winter, cool in summer and you’ll feel constantly connected to Australian nature. Yellow Stringybark mainly grows in native forests and some plantations on the coastal and tableland areas of southern NSW and eastern VIC, making it readily available in south-eastern states. “Southern mahogany” is a fast growing; moderately durable eucalypt commonly found growing in coastal regions of south-east alexandria flooring stores Australia. It the rapid growth, resistance to frost and its beautiful red wood that makes southern mahogany a popular choice for visual applications. The heartwood of the tree has a light red to almost pinkish colour, with the timber mostly being feature free with a medium, even texture and interlocking grain. Treated pine decking is a soft wood, but it stains well and is very sustainable. Both are cheap decking timbers and require semi-regular maintenance. There are a bunch to choose from, all with their respective pros and cons. Brushbox is beautiful and sought after timber for both floorboards and parquetry. Brush box is a medium to large-sized Australian hardwood that grows in the central coast of New South Wales to Bowen in Queensland. Brushbox is available in solid timber floorboards, parquetry, and engineered/floating floors. For more information or advice about selecting the best timber for decking, please get in touch with our timber specialists at Mortlock Timber. With over 80 years combined industry experience we can help you find a solution with long-lasting and impressive results. The most fire resistant timbers for decking are the seven that are recommended for bushfire prone areas. These fire resistant timbers are Blackbutt, Merbau, Red Ironbark, River Red Gum, Silvertop Ash, Spotted Gum, and Turpentine. This table give you more detail regarding the various characteristics of the most common timbers listed here that are used for decking in Australia. All of the timbers are popular, but the one timber that has resulted in the most positive feedback over the years is Merbau. With an attractive beige to pale brown colour blackbutt decking is often recommended for decking in bushfire-prone areas because it is naturally fire-resistant. A large hardwood found on the north eastern corner of Victoria and into the south Coast of NSW. Heartwood pale brown with a lighter sapwood appearance and at times a slight pinkish tinge. A great choice when looking for a true blonde timber without the Golden honey coloured appearance. American White Oak has become a popular choice for Australians looking for that unique look not present in any of our native species. The heartwood of Grey Ironbark ranges from light grey or light brown with a red tinge at times occurring. Grey Ironbark may have various regional variations such as the ‘Black ironbark’s’ around Port Macquarie, which have similar light colours with black narrow to broad streaks running through the timber. Texture is moderately coarse and even with an interlocking grain. Brush Box is a large hardwood which grows from the central coast of New South Wales up to Bowen in Queensland. The tree tends to be found on the edge of rainforests, suited to the moist forest conditions and transition zones between hardwood and rainforest. Black Walnut is produced in the central states of the US, with fine texture, well polished features, oiled fibre and water resistant, it is very desirable. Compared to Spotted gum and Blackbutt, Tallowwood resource is low in Australia’s native forests. Common Australian Ironbark used is Red Ironbark and Grey Ironbark. There are many variations of colour of them, and even after installation, they’ll get richer and deeper in colour over time. Water based coatings are the healthier option not only for the home owner but also the contractor as there are no strong solvent smells. Also edge bonding is less a problem with water base decreasing the chance of face splits with excess movement in the floor. Water based products will also give you a more natural looking finish with some products now available like Loba Invisible that looks and feels like there is nothing on the floor. With all this comes a slightly higher price tag but not enough to blow the budget. Australian Chestnut Flooring is characterized by subtle colour variations from a Light straw colour to light to medium browns. The heartwood colour ranges from a yellowish brown to light brown, with a fairly straight grain and even texture with gum veins sometimes present. Blackbutt has a very good fire rating and is one of the 7 timber species found suitable for bushfire prone areas. The timber commonly known as “Tallowwood” owes its name to the greasy feel of the wood once it has been cut or machined, due to its naturally oily composition. The decking should be left to weather slightly (2-3 weeks) before giving it a sanding, slight wash with a deck cleaning product and oil. The heartwood colour ranges from a pale to dark yellowish brown, with a moderately coarse texture and interlocked grain. Availability of tallowwood is fairly common, with most of the resource being sourced from native forests on coastal regions between southern Newcastle, NSW and Maryborough, QLD.Like it? Share it! More by this author |