- Composite decking review (WPC).
- What is the best decking timber type?
- What is the best decking treatment?
What wood species are available and which is the best for alfresco areas?
There is a range of wood species for outdoor use e.g. Treated Pine, Cypress Pine or several hardwood types. Some of them may have small advantages compared to others but it is more important to achieve the result and the look you want and to stay within your budget. Choosing a different decking timber can affect the final price by approximately 25%.
Untreated class 3 and 4 timbers should not be used for rain exposed Decks. The natural durability of heartwood classes 1 and 2 promises a service-life of up to 25 years and longer. Native Australian hardwoods are an excellent choice for decking because of their high rigidity, durability and resistance to attack by fungi and insects - perfect for the conditions of Australia.
Table of timber species for outdoor use and properties
| Species | Place of origin | Characteristics | Properties* |
| Blackbutt | Coastal areas of NSW and QLD Australia. | Eucalyptus type, light brown | Hardness: hard Termite Resistance: resistant Marine Borer res.: class 3 Natural durability above ground: class 1 Natural durability ground contact: class 2 |
| Cypress | Inland areas of Australia. | Yellowish brown to cream, brittle character, susceptibility to surface checking, many knots. | Hardness: moderate Termite Resistance: resistant Marine Borer res.: class 2 Natural durability above ground: class 1 Natural durability ground contact: class 2 |
| Jarrah | South-west of Western Australia. | Eucalyptus type, rich red to dark brown. | Hardness: hard Termite Resistance: resistant Marine Borer res.: class 3 Natural durability above ground: class 2 Natural durability ground contact: class 2 |
| Kapur | Indonesia, Malaysia. | Yellowish to reddish brown. | Hardness: hard Natural durability above ground: class 2 Natural durability ground contact: class 3 |
| Merbau | South-east Asia | Light to dark reddish brown, moderately coarse texture. | Hardness: hard Termite Resistance: resistant Marine Borer res.: class 3 Natural durability above ground: class 1 Natural durability ground contact: class 3 |
| Spotted Gum | Coastal areas of VIC, NSW and QLD Australia. | Light to dark brown, moderately coarse texture. | Hardness: very hard Termite Resistance: resistant Marine Borer res.: class 4 Natural durability above ground: class 1 Natural durability ground contact: class 2 |
| Selangan Batu | South-east Asia, Indonesia. | Yellowish to reddish brown, fine to medium texture. | Hardness: hard Natural durability: class 2 Very resistant and durable. |
| Sydney Blue Gum | Coastal areas of NSW and southern QLD Australia. | Eucalyptus type, dark pink to red-brown, moderately coarse texture. | Hardness: hard Termite Resistance: not resistant Marine Borer res.: class 3 Natural durability above ground: class 2 Natural durability ground contact: class 3 |
| Treated Pine | VIC, NSW, QLD, TAS, SA, WA and some can also be imported. | Pale-brown. | Hardness: soft Natural Pine is low in resistance against fungi and insects. The durability depends on the treatment with wood preservatives but can be very high for Treated Pine. |
*Hardness rating: Soft - Moderate - Hard - Very Hard
*Natural durability describes the timber's resistance to attack by wood destroying fungi and insects. The sapwood of all timber species has poor resistance and so the natural durability rating applies only to the heartwood of a timber species. Classes one to four, the lower the number the higher the performance in terms of durability.