Composite or Timber Decking: Which Suits a Melbourne Backyard?

Once you've decided on a deck, the next question is what to build it from. In Melbourne that usually comes down to two options: a hardwood like merbau, or composite boards.

Both make a good deck. They suit different people, different blocks and different amounts of weekend maintenance. Here's how to work out which one suits yours.

What Is Composite Decking?

Composite decking boards are made from a blend of wood fibre and recycled plastic, bound together and formed into boards. They're made to look like timber, come in a range of colours and finishes, and don't need oiling or staining.

Many newer boards also have a capped outer layer, which adds protection against fading and staining. Board quality varies between brands, so it's worth asking exactly which board is being quoted.

Timber Decking in Melbourne: Merbau and Other Hardwoods

Merbau is one of the most common decking timbers in Melbourne. It's a dense hardwood with a rich red-brown colour, it's naturally durable, and it suits both older homes and new builds.

Other hardwoods such as spotted gum and blackbutt are also used, each with its own colour and grain. All of them need regular oiling to hold their colour. Left untreated, they weather to a silver-grey over time.

New merbau also bleeds tannin in its first few rains, which can stain paving and concrete around the deck. A few washes before the first coat of oil takes care of most of it.

How They Compare

Maintenance

A timber deck needs a clean and a fresh coat of oil on a regular basis, more often on decks in full sun. A composite deck needs a wash down a couple of times a year. If your weekends are already full, this is usually the deciding factor.

Look and Feel

Timber has natural variation in colour and grain, and every board is a little different. Composite gives you a consistent colour across the whole deck and holds that colour for longer. Some people love the character of real timber. Others prefer the clean, even finish of composite.

Heat Underfoot

Composite boards can get hotter than timber in full summer sun, particularly darker colours. A lighter shade helps, and so does a roof over the deck. If the deck faces west and you'll be on it barefoot, factor this in.

Melbourne Weather

Melbourne throws hot dry spells, cold wet winters and sudden changes at a deck in the same week. Timber moves with moisture, and boards that aren't kept oiled can cup or crack over time. Composite is more stable with moisture and expands and contracts with heat, so it needs the right gaps and fixings to sit properly.

Cost

Composite boards usually cost more to buy than merbau. Over the life of the deck, the gap narrows once you count the oil, the time and the occasional board replacement on a timber deck. Frame, footings and labour are similar for both, so the board choice is only part of the total. Our guide to what affects outdoor build costs covers the rest.

Which One Suits Your Backyard?

A few questions help narrow it down:

• How much upkeep do you want? If the answer is as little as possible, composite makes sense.

• Does the deck sit in full afternoon sun? Timber or a lighter composite will be more comfortable underfoot.

• Will it sit under a roof? A covered deck takes the sun off the boards, which slows fading and cuts back how often timber needs oiling.

• Do you want it to match existing timber? If the house already has merbau or hardwood features, timber will tie in more naturally.

• How long are you staying? If it's a long-term home, a low-maintenance finish adds up over the years.

Covering the Deck

A deck under a pergola gets used more in Melbourne, because rain and summer heat stop being a reason to stay inside. Adding insulated roof panels keeps the space cooler in summer and gives you a finished ceiling for lights and fans. It also protects the boards, whichever ones you choose.

Do You Need a Permit for a Deck in Victoria?

It depends on the height, the size and where the deck sits on the block. Low decks can sometimes be built without a building permit. Higher decks, and decks built with a roofed structure over them, generally need one. Overlays on your property can change the answer again. We confirm what your job needs and handle the approval as part of the build. Our article on pergola permits in Melbourne explains how the Victorian rules work for covered structures.

Get a Free Quote

We build timber and composite decks across Melbourne, designed around your home and how you use the yard. We'll come out, measure the space, talk through both options and give you a fixed-price quote with the full scope written down. Get in touch with our Melbourne team to book a free site visit.