It is just a great patio beer drinking table with a great view:) I couldn't get a picture of the table and the view because I didn't have the room with just a camera phone but this is the view from the top of the patio with it:)

I have miles of decking at two houses. All timber when put in the Australian sun will suffer. When building our beach house we decided to go for Spotted Gum and let it grey. Why fight it? We applied Cutek, and will on a regular basis. At our main house we have lots of Merabu or Quilla. Will not grey the same, and leaches lots of red stain. Cheap, but would not use again. What ever you use, use a good quality oil that seeps deep into the wood not a traditional stain/or top finishing product.

We are in Perth. We purchased our flooring direct from Sydney. At $90 a square metre. My husband is a builder so we went direct. He has installed the Havwood parquetry on his job in Ashfield also. If you go to Chest Constructions website you can see this. We then had our guys install. Best thing to do is ring Havwoods & ask them who supplies their product in Perth. The guy we had come out wasn't very good but we were able to see the colour choices. They are a few choices of colours.

Start with a budget and how much you want to spend. Think about how much work you are prepared to do yourself. Think about the type of roof cover you want, and how it will be supported. Think about maintenance, and how often you are prepared to stain or oil a deck. At the top end I would look at a slab to match the existing slab, with a tiled finish over both new and old slabs, with a vergola roof than can open and shut. At the bottom end I would think about concrete pavers laid on a sand bed with pebbles in between and a market umbrella. Middle range would be a timber deck with a pergola and shade cloth. Lots to think about.. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls