Hi Love the setting! From what you are describing, it sounds like you have a ventilation issue. A deck lower than 400mm off the ground needs to have ventilation just like the house. This typically means the sides are open (doesn't happen) and the spacing is around 5-6mm between boards. If you don't have this, the water that gets in cannot evaporate and will keep the ground and the underside of the deck moist, even with your drainage as it can pool in sections. This in turn means your deck is always wet. Once that happens, it is only a matter of time before fungus growth/soft rot etc occurs. We always excavate a low to the ground deck to ensure we have 400mm of clearance to the underside of the bearers. Another way is to ensure there is a moisture impermeable membrane across the ground (plastic) covered with gravel and graded down with vents placed all around. Cheers

Wow, that looks amazing, what a difference.

Summer in Australia is all about the outdoors. For many homeowners, spending summer lazing around on the back deck or beside the pool is the best way to enjoy that Aussie sun. But which deck is the right deck? There are a few questions you need to consider when choosing a deck. Is the material fire safe? Does it have a great appearance? Will it resist salt and chlorine? What is the slip resistance? Is it safe to walk on? Is it pet friendly? DECO explored 4 main types of decking around pools and spas. TIMBER The three main types of timber decking available are Pine, Rainforest Merbau and Hardwood. Timber is a really beautiful decking material, however, it requires a lot of maintenance including painting/oiling every 6-12 months, stripping and re-sealing every 3-4 years, and over time it will deteriorate. A timber deck has great dimensional stability, although it is subject to shrinking and warping, as well as having a poor fire safe rating and poor resistance to salt and chlorine. COMPOSITES Composite decking is manufactured product from either China, Australia or America. Chinese and Australian composites are inclined to fade rapidly and have some dimensional stability issues. American composites have a higher plastic content, making them the most durable of the three. The plastic, however, retains a lot of heat and becomes impossible to walk on with bare feet in direct sun. All composites fail for slip and chemical resistance and have a poor fire safe rating. FIBRE CEMENT SHEET + TILES Fibre cement sheets and tiles are another decking option; however, they do not provide the traditional appearance of a timber deck. This material is a durable, pet friendly and water-resistant (although the decking will become slippery when wet) decking as well as maintenance free. This particular type of decking is a good option for bush fire zone areas (BAL FZ). ALUMINIUM DECO product DecoDeck combines the natural look of timber with the strength and durability of aluminium. The decking system features a strong box section extrusion, anti-slip polyurethane powder coating and allows for expansion and contraction. DecoDeck is manufactured using powder coating sublimation technology to achieve a beautiful natural timber appearance. There is no maintenance, painting, sanding or oiling required. It is comfortable to walk on and will not retain heat like other decks do. DecoDeck withstands harsh environmental conditions and is a non-combustible product. For more information on DecoDeck please visit www.deco.net.au

Outdoor entertaining spaces are an important part of home and landscape design today. Creating an on-trend, attractive outdoor space can present a challenge, but DECO has some stylish options to help design the ultimate outdoor area. Enhance your backyard with a deck No garden or outdoor area would be complete without a deck. Decking adds a functional space to a backyard, ideal for family gatherings or quiet time alone. Add a bit of innovation to a decking design by utilising the leftover decking material as a seat or built-in storage box, or by creating an extended living area that flows from the indoors to the outdoor space. DECO’s timber-look aluminium decking product, DecoDeck, is a premium, durable and attractive decking product for an effortless outdoor space, designed to endure even the harshest of Australian conditions. Elegant batten privacy screens The only thing that makes an attractive outdoor space even better is making it more serene and private, blocking out the prying eyes of the neighbours with a timber-look batten privacy screen. As well as adding some much-welcomed privacy, batten privacy screens allow light and shade into the space, add warmth to a garden or courtyard and pair well with native plants or add a stunning contrast to modern materials such as concrete or brick. Batten privacy screens can be spaced narrowly for extra privacy or widely for a more open space. DecoBatten, the elegant timber-look batten system by DECO, offers a highly durable timber-look batten option ideal for privacy screens, minus the maintenance and weathering of real timber, and with the added bonus of a wide range of sizes for mix-and-matching and unique designs. Decorative ceiling panels If your outdoor area features an overhanging ceiling, this can be incorporated into an atmospheric backyard design by adding a cladding product to it. Cladded ceilings can be a visually pleasing statement feature, as well as creating designs where undercover areas seamlessly transition into the rest of the outdoor space. DECO’s timber-look cladding product, DecoClad, offers an aesthetically stunning alternative to timber-clad ceilings. Made from solid aluminium, it requires no maintenance, will not weather like real timber, and is safe for use even in bushfire areas, while retaining the natural timber aesthetic Australians adore. DECO recommends choosing lighter ceiling colours for a cladded ceiling, as being on the underside of the roof, ceilings always appear darker once installed. A functional opening roof A twist on the cladded ceiling, timber-look opening roof systems allow an alfresco to be opened and closed as desired. This allows your outdoor space to transform with the seasons, keeping it sheltered from strong sunlight and rain, while providing shade and shelter for a space that can be enjoyed whatever the weather. DECO partners with Opening Roof Specialists to create luxurious opening roof systems finished in DECO’s timber-look finish for aluminium, DecoWood. Mixed materials for unique designs Make a unique statement with your outdoor area by combining different materials, colours and textures, to create contrast, add a modern look to your outdoor space, or create a one-of-a-kind statement. Combining different timber grains can add extra warmth, colour and contrast, while combining timber-look finishes such as DecoWood with neutral, urban colours such as DECO’s edgy concrete-look finish, DecoCrete, can create an on-trend classic-meets-modern aesthetic. For more information visit www.deco.net.au.