You can choose from several varieties and each has its pros and cons.
Best hardwood for decks.
Redwood cedar and cypress as well as the exotic species are good choices but since most decking boards from domestic woods are sapwood and not rot resistant you should treat them.
Treated pine is not all alike though.
One thing to mention whenever using merbau is to never use it near light coloured tiles or pavers as the timber is one of the worst when it comes to leeching tannins.
While redwood can be left to weather naturally it absorbs and retains all types of finishes making it a long lasting wood deck choice.
Tropical hardwoods such as philippine mahogany red tauari ipe cunard and massaranduba are rich grained woods that are naturally resistant to insects and rot as well as being hard and durable.
The most popular hardwood decking choices include ipe cumaru garapa cambara and machiche.
Although cedar is a soft wood it resists rot and insect infestation better than most other wood.
Pine takes stain or paint well so you can make your deck any colour you like.
For the deck surface you can use 2x4s 2x6s or 5 4x6s.
Keep in mind that because wood is a natural product there will be color and grain variations within each species.
Merbau is an excellent performing hardwood and is perfectly suited to the australian climate.
Using cedar for decks is one of the most popular options because of it s durability and resistance to moisture.
This is probably because early decks were typically made from teak.
Treat it with marine oil and it looks like teak.
These hardwood decking selections have become so prevalent because of their durability strength longevity and performance.
If you re after a red coloured hardwood merbau is the perfect option.
Or let your mahogany deck age to a silvery hue.
Hardwoods are a great option for australian decks they re extremely durable highly resilient and can look feel and even smell great.
A really stable wood that has great resistance to moisture it s easy to see why teak was the hardwood decking material of choice for such a long time.
Treated pine is the new kid on the block it s grown to become one of the most popular decking timbers because it is one of the least expensive options and can make a great looking deck.
Popular hardwoods include jarrah spotted gum and merbau which is the most common timber decking in australia.