Timber or composite decking also depends on what area you live in, regards the climate and where your deck will be. Merbau hardwood is an Indonesian timber that fares very well in Western Australia as the climate is hot and dry which tends to suit the Merbau. It can leech tannins, especially if wet, if not oiled straight after installation when these tannins are locked in. We laid a Spotted Gum deck for clients in Perth a year ago that needs constant oiling, every two months, to withstand the severity of the sun. Spotted Gum looks lovely but being in Perth, it is better to be covered. However Merbau hardwood decks are more stable, durable and don't tend to twist or shrink as other timbers such as Jarrah, Batu, Spotted Gum and pine may do. Merbau is a hardwood we recommend to clients in they are unsure what timber to go for. A timber deck fully exposed or beside a swimming pool will need more oil applications than one under a veranda or patio. NexGen composite is a beautiful board manufactured in the USA that comes in various colours and is secret clipped. This is maintenance free other than a wash down with warm soapy water every now and again. Trex is also an American board that is highly recommended. Millboard is a very good choice also and has a more of a natural look. This board is a bit more expensive than NexGen and Trex and looks great. Cons for composite is that it does get hot if exposed to the sun however, timber will get hot too. From experience, its also better to lay your composite decking when the boards are cool, not too hot as they expand and contract length wise. Composite is also scratch resistant but isn't scratch proof. Things to consider before having your deck installed are 1) how much maintenance am I prepared to do to upkeep my deck? 2) Is my deck in a termite or fire prone area? 3) Do I need a council permit? (if it is 500 mm off the ground in which case you'll need balustrading) 4) What look am I going for? (Modern, natural, rustic or contemporary) 5) How much money am I willing to invest? 6) What material do I like better? Whatever material you decide on, enjoy your deck. It will be a good investment for you and your family, and your property.

If you can put doors on the whole back area and deck or pave out to a functional size for entertaining - be sure to have as close to same height as inside and the whole width of the house if possible. You could do the pergola which looks gorgeous and makes a cozy feel. On top of the pergola you may be able to do a weatherproof retractable awning if you do not want a permanent covered area. That would make a whole area for indoor outdoor entertaining in all types of weather. You can still have a step down area to grass and plants at the rear. Travetine is great and easy to hose down. You do not have to concrete them down use pavers on a good road base. You would have to speak to the experts about how to get the right height - also be sure to have a slight fall away from the house.

We are about to start our new build and have to decide upon decking material. It will be a large covered deck (21m x5m). Have read other discussions on Houszz but haven’t come across anything regarding Duralife composite decking. We are leaning towards composite type decking as for a deck of that size oiling would be a huge maintenance issue. Appreciate any feedback.

On average, 15 – 20% of the materials purchased to build a deck are wasted during installation – regardless of the product used. This can be due to deck sizes, board length, required spacing between boards, positioning of joins around joists and other factors. For example, in the past, DecoDeck required a joist spaced at 600mm to join two pieces together, often resulting in 13% wastage of each length of decking, or more on a larger project. By failing to fully utilise decking materials, and therefore spending money on large amounts of material that are not used at all, deck installers are losing money on their projects. DecoDeck has created an innovative solution to this problem, developing a remarkable product to reduce decking wastage. The DecoDeck joiner is a piece of aluminium specifically designed to join two pieces of DecoDeck anywhere along the span of a deck – even between joists. This allows customers to utilise their DecoDeck materials up to 100%, as it reduces the need for cuts that align with joist positioning. For just a small cost when ordering a DecoDeck, deck builders can use more of the decking material they paid for, making a saving of around 15 – 20 %. As DecoDeck requires fewer joists than timber or composite products, which require 450mm spaced joists, the cost of the subfloor itself is also reduced. To find out more or to order a DecoDeck joiner, contact DECO at info@deco.net.au