What's the best decking material?
Every material has it's positive and negative characteristics.
Just choose the one that suit you best.
Pine or radiata.
+ Treated for durability.
+ Cost effective.
+ Widely available.
+ Easy to handle.
+ Good lifespan. 15-20 years.
+ Easy to maintain.
+ Smooth to walk or sit on.
- Treated with nasty chemicals, but now arsenic Free.
- Shorter lifespan than hardwood.
- Needs yearly maintenance.
Kwila or Meranti / other hardwoods.
+ Untreated.
+ Very long lifespan. 25-30 years
+ Easy to maintain.
+ Smooth to walk or sit on.
+ Will age to grey if left to weather.
+ Sizes 90x19mm and 140x19mm
- Less available.
- Comes from tropical rain forests.
- Double the price of pine.
- Bleeds tannins when new that will stain walls.
- Needs more expensive stainless screw fixings.
- Joist spacing 450mm recommended. So more joists.
Composite Decking
+ Mixture of wood, fibers & plastics.
+ Very little maintenance. No staining, oiling, painting, or other maintenance.
+ Just keep it clean twice a year.
+ Good quality composite won't crack, splinter or split.
+ Longest lifespan. will outlive timber decks.
+ High end luxury appearance.
+ Made from recycled plastic milk bottles and wood waste.
- Lacks the natural look and feel of real timber.
- Very expensive.
- Get's hot in direct sunlight. Dark colours can get too hot to walk on
- Cheaper quality can crack or get stains.
Can we just replace the decking planks and reuse the substructure?
When the decking planks are in such a shape they need to be replaced you probably have to replace the substructure also. Any repairs will be just temporary.
