There are various types of timbers used as decking including Treated Pine, Jarrah, Blackbutt and Spotted Gum. Capped composite decking requires far less maintenance than hardwood options. Spotted gum belongs to the natural durability classes 1 and 2. Choosing between Timber and Composite Decking. Similar Threads. CONS. Spotted Gum; Spotted gum is some of the best timber for outdoor decking as it’s a strong, durable timber that can hold its colour well. Readily available. Spotted gum is also used in boat building and is the primary Australian timber used for the handles of tools and implements that are subject to high impact forces. advantages and disadvantages of pvc ceiling panel polywood A Shortlist Of The Advantages Of Pvc - PVC wall panels – ceiling , PVC benefits in a nutshell. Some gum veins present in timber. There are also stains you can use to change the colour to suit your aesthetics and protect the timber long-term. Different types of decking materials have a number of pros and cons. Spotted gum for decking. One of the benefits of using Spotted Gum in landscaping on the Mornington Peninsula, is that it is one of the hardwoods recommended to be used in bushfire prone areas. Timber decking includes natural timbers like Jarrah, Spotted Gum, Blackbutt, Fijian Mahogany and Merbau. One of the first decisions you’ll need to make is whether to use timber or composite decking. Cons for stringy bark decks: Gum veins typically present. The best way to decide on deck boards is by weighing the pros and cons; here is a list of the good, the bad and the ugly that come when decking with merbau. PROS. For the extra couple $$$ you will thank yourself for many years you didn't go with the pine. Pros & Cons Of Mahogany Wood Mahogany is a type of hardwood that is valued around the world due to its beautiful appearance. Like other natural timber decking options, spotted gum requires ongoing maintenance in the form of oiling and sealing to maintain its original look. As an experienced Mornington Peninsula landscaper, one of the most frequent questions asked by my clients is ‘what is the best type of decking timber?’. Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:48 pm. With seemingly infinite decking options available for savvy homeowners, choosing the right material can be a daunting task. Created to mimic the gorgeous colours and patterns of Australian hardwood, NexGEN’s spotted gum composite decking mirrors the warm golden brown colour of spotted gum — without some of the issues inherent to hardwood. The undeniable beauty of hardwood makes decking instantly appealing. The sapwood of the timber is Lyctid borer susceptible, so is commonly treated to help keep the timber free of the bugs. This hardwood is very strong, dense and long lasting (up to 40 years). So what’s the better option for your needs: spotted gum or capped composite? However, there are some characteristics that should make homeowners think twice before taking the plunge. Alternatively you can call 0419 594 214. To do a thorough analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of a partnership, start by looking at all the possible advantages that might apply to your situation. The hardwood is also commonly used in engineering applications, making Spotted Gum decking sturdy and strong. It is very popular for its visible growth rings, making it a great hardwood for visual applications. Pros & Cons. Decking is an easier structure to build in general, which means construction will be a much faster process. The heartwood of spotted gum ranges from a light brown to a dark reddish-brown. If you’re looking for decking options for your home or business, you’re probably committed to making the best possible investment for your property. Spotted gum is a suitable carving and woodturning timber and is used in the manufacture of both indoor and outdoor furniture. Merbau is a hardwood imported from South East Asia, but can also be supplied from North Queensland. There are plenty of qualities that make spotted gum decking a popular hardwood option. Mahogany Wood has a number of pros & cons some of which are mentioned below; Pros. A final tip if you are considering laying a deck is to screw down the hardwood, rather than nailing or even using a nail gun. With all this in mind, you probably won’t be surprised at the relatively expensive cost of spotted gum. 2. Mostly supplied in random lengths. One of the downfalls of Spotted Gum decking is that it’s susceptible to Lyctid Borer. Surplus Traders are Brisbane’s excess/surplus building materials specialists and we offer some of the best prices in South East Queensland. Many homeowners are understandably drawn to the warmth and beauty of natural timbers like spotted gum, but capped composite decking gives hardwood a run for its money. There are a few different options, so understanding the pros and cons allows you to make a more informed decision. Silvertop Ash decking timber 86x19mm Spotted Gum - 5.4m - 6.1m. As the highest volume native hardwood harvested in Queensland, Spotted Gum is a widely available timber and is currently under no threat of being over-produced or becoming endangered. Registered Landscape Builder Spotted gum decking comes from a popular Australian hardwood that grows mainly on Australia’s east coast, generally harvested from New South Wales and Queensland. ♦ Treatment should be planned according to panoramic and periapical X-ray images. Some common and popular materials include tropical hardwoods like merbau, native hardwoods like ironbark or spotted gum, softwoods like pine, and composite decking products of varying quality and composition. And almost as extensive these days is the range of decking materials they can be made from. More importantly, we’ll see how it stacks up to composite decking when it comes to the maintenance needs, appearance, pest resistance, and fading issues that often signal trouble for decks. Ready to learn more, and get started designing the deck of your dreams? Advantages of Merbau Timber We’ll look at how it’s sourced, how it’s used, and how it looks. This means you will usually have to treat it to help keep it free of bugs and pests. 7. Teak is the best performing hardwood, but comes with a hefty price tag. Pros and Cons of Merbau, Spotted Gum and Silvertop Ash. Decking material. If you’re after a red-coloured hardwood, consider merbau, which can handle the harsh Australian climate. Though the spotted gum tree itself has light coloured bark — usually ranging from white to grey — the decking that’s made from spotted gum heartwood is generally reddish-brown to golden-brown in hue. Pressure-treated lumber. Durability: Mahogany is a highly durable wood and the furniture made out of it can last over 35 years of wood growth. It pays to determine its origins because imported Merbau is often cut from non-sustainable tropical forests and is not environmentally friendly. Outdoor Living › Decking pro's and cons pplleeaaassee. Also like blackbutt, it has a durability rating of 2, so is a long-lasting timber. Its colour turns from an initial yellow/brown to a more mature and deeper red/brown as it ages, but it does tend to bleed tannin, which can sometimes stain abutting concrete. Lyctus, a wood-boring beetle, can cause considerable damage to spotted gum wood. Depending on where its grown, Spotted Gum can vary in different shades of brown. Spotted Gum is also a very environmentally friendly hardwood that is popular throughout Australia, is exported overseas and lasts for more than 40+ years. Contact us with your requirements. No need to stain, seal, or expect mold to pop up at any time. Hardwoods include Jarrah, Merbau, Spotted Gum and Cumaru. The most stable Spotted Gum timber comes from New South Wales. Spotted Gum and Silvertop Ash are both naturally resistant to termites and the Lyctid borer, they are grown on sustainable Australian plantations and are environmentally friendly. This will be more fun than you think! Decking pro's and cons pplleeaaassee. If you were looking at a feature grade I'd … The Cons. Besides that, the Mahogany tree growth process from seedling to big tree takes around 35 - … Paving is constructed at a ground level, using stone, brick, tile or cement pavers. How can you use Internet on Great Firewall of China? Wood or composite decking—or something else? Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Capped Composite Decking, Composite Decking, Composite Decking Materials, Composite Vs Wood Decking, Deck Materials, Decking Options, Low Maintenance Deck, Outdoor Living Space, Spotted Gum, Spotted Gum Decking. Created from recycled materials, capped composite decking is composed of two elements: recovered hardwood fibers and UV-stabilized polyethylene. There are plenty of different decking materials available, each with their individual pros and cons. Your basic choices are softwoods, such as treated pine. Timber & Composite Decking: The Pros & Cons Australians love their outdoor areas, and these days most outdoor areas around our home include a deck. good luck jimj restore-a-deck.com.au. Unlike the Merbau, that’s grown in Papua New Guinea, the Spotted Gum is native to Queensland. Once you look past merbau’s attractive qualities, you’ll see that it falls short in a number of areas. The strength of spotted gum decking ranges from F17 to F34. Some more advantages to Spotted Gum decking include that it is a somewhat dense timber with a Janka (hardness) rating of 11, making it a very resistant to scratches or knocks. Spotted gum is one of Australia’s premium native hardwoods with a striking appearance and a high degree of natural durability and strength. The sapwood of the timber is Lyctid borer susceptible, so is commonly treated to help keep the timber free of the bugs. This s because screwing the timber helps the timber to last up to 4 times longer than nailing. Unlike the Merbau, that’s grown in Papua New Guinea, the Spotted Gum is native to Queensland. ♦ Root canal operation and gum treatment, if necessary, should be finished before the procedure. Hey all - just laid a grey gun deck. Disadvantages of Merbau Timber. There are also stains you can use to change the color to suit your aesthetics and protect the timber long-term. Maintenance is simple and requires only soap and water. Contact us to kick things off. Silvertop has a medium density, is moderately durable (up to 25 years) and tends to start off white to light brown, tending to a pink/brown colour as it ages. Wood Appearance. Today, we’re going to delve deep into one of the most popular decking materials around — spotted gum. If we are not available to answer your call, please leave a message and we will contact you as soon as possible. What are the pros and cons of them? In the past, we’ve taken an in-depth look at Merbau, a well-known Australian hardwood choice for decks. Let’s take a closer look: Now that we’ve looked at spotted gum decking, let’s take a look at another option for your decking needs: capped composite decking. Decking and paving pros and cons. With trees that can grow up to 70 m in height — but generally average around 45 m — spotted gum timber can be harvested from four different native Australian tree species. Stability is a key issue in timber flooring as it contributes to the long-term success of the floor. Spotted Gum is sustainably sourced from plantations throughout Australia and is a very popular hardwood, which is durable, dense and has minimal tannin leach. One of the benefits of using Spotted Gum in landscaping on the Mornington Peninsula, is that it is one of the hardwoods recommended to be used in bushfire prone areas. Contact us today. BreakWall.org. Blackbutt wood is not termite resistant. Spotted gum is a fairly versatile wood, used regularly in several different industries: Though spotted gum is definitely popular with Australian growers because of its ability to conserve water usage in drought-prone areas, it can be risky for growers because it often takes between 30-50 years from planting to harvest. Hardwood is probably the most popular material choice for decking. So today I will talk about the pros and cons of three of the most popular decking timbers: Merbau, Spotted Gum and Silvertop Ash. Spotted Gum Decking 86x19 Standard or Better Grade only $5.95 per lineal meter, This is pack of 200 lineal meters that was excess from a Job. Over time, spotted gum decking will fade to grey. Home » J » Jarrah Wood Advantages And Disadvantages; Modified on 8/2/2019. Pros. Spotted Gum is also a very environmentally friendly hardwood that is popular throughout Australia, is exported overseas and lasts for more than 40+ years. This ensures that you have a stable base that you can depend on to be structurally sound and last for many years. Silvertop Ash is a Eucalyptus, grown in sustainable native forests throughout the cooler parts of Australia, particularly along the coastline. Wooderra brings you a handy, quick-to-read rundown on the pros and cons of the most favourite wood decking materials: pressure-treated lumber, tropical hardwoods, and softwoods. NexGEN maintenance free composite and aluminium decking with up to a 50 year stain and fade warranty. Though spotted gum is resistant to termites, it’s susceptible to lyctus infestation. Outdoor Living. Unlike solid hardwood, with several imperfect pieces which need to be re-engineered or discarded, there is no such defects in Laminate flooring. Let’s do a side-by-side comparison: When you consider maintenance, mold resistance, and overall convenience, capped composite decking comes out on top. Some varieties are less durable, with shorter lifespans. Termite resistant. Available Australia wide. On the other hand, Merbau is not naturally resistant to the Lyctid borer, but it is to termites and is generally an imported hardwood. Both have their pros and cons but which one is best for you? Decking is either made from natural timber or from a composite material. Among hardwood options like merbau, jarrah, and blackbutt, spotted gum is usually the priciest option. Then you have imported hardwoods such as merbau and kapur or Australian hardwoods, such as spotted gum, blackbutt or ironbark. Both the Australian timbers are recommended for use in bushfire prone areas and although Merbau is more long lasting than the Spotted Gum or the Silvertop, the clear winners are the Australian hardwoods. Durability (Workability) Merbau is an unbelievably solid material. It's been raining and there's plenty of muddy foot prints all over the timbers. spotted gum Australia, plantations in South America, Africa & Europe Dermatitis spruce Nth. This is not a hardwood that is used frequently in landscaping on the Mornington Peninsula, because if imported, it is not sustainable or environmentally friendly.Spotted Gum decking timber. Spotted gum, which is light to dark brown, takes its name from the way it sheds its bark in polygonal patches. I've laid my spotted gum deck boards- now what? The first few weeks were torture with kids sliding stuff around. 1. Spotted Gum is a great choice for decking, stairs and things like balustrades. Pros. Hardwoods are the warmest and most vibrant woods, full of natural hues and variations. 2. © 1998 – 2020 RR Landscapes | Mornington Peninsula Landscapers. Spotted gum is one of the most attractive decking materials – it has a lovely grain and requires minimal staining. A deck is an elevated single or multi-space structure made from timber or composite. What is the meaning behind the name? Hardwood decking. Start your research by becoming familiar with types of authentic and synthetic decking. Highly durable and hard. Maintenance Needs. The above ground durability class 1 means that you can expect the untreated timber to last for over 40 years.However, the in ground durability is 2, and that means that in contact with ground, you can expect your spotted gum decking timber to last up to 25 years.. In addition, NexGEN’s decking comes with a warranty you’re not likely to find from a hardwood dealer: a 50-year stain and fade warranty and lifetime performance warranty. When you are building a deck, it’s critical to look at the materials that can be used for a deck subframe. The decision is made depending on the wood's intended use. In general, Spotted Gum starts off quite light in colour and gradually turns a golden light brown as it matures, but the final colour does depend on which of the four species is used; it also tends to have an attractive wavy grain as well. Though quality obviously varies by manufacturer, NexGEN capped composite decking adheres to strict and consistent quality guidelines. 2. When this timber is cut into flooring it provides both the full variety of colour that is offered in the Spotted Gum species and the additional benefit of greater stability. Good Life Capped Composite Decking (Trade Only). There are a lot of comments in the decking threads about the pros and cons of coatings. The heartwood of spotted gum ranges from a light brown to a dark reddish-brown. Softwood decking is generally the cheapest option, and is very easy to work with. Futurewood Decking The pros and cons of decking materials The great Australian deck comes in many shapes and sizes – sundecks, pool surrounds, verandahs, private courtyards, gazebos, walkways. Homeowners and builders are often drawn to the wavy grain in spotted gum decking which produces a characteristic “fiddleback” look. Timber Decking. There are various types of timbers used as decking including Treated Pine, Jarrah, Blackbutt and Spotted Gum. Whether it's used for entertaining or just a place to lounge around on, a deck is an investment that … The antimicrobial surface will last for the lifespan of the decking, which is designed to stand up to a variety of climate conditions. Decking is either made from natural timber or from a composite material. This is another Australian hardwood that is frequently used in Mornington Peninsula landscaping, as it is environmentally friendly and its use is recommended in bushfire prone areas. It's lightweight and strong. The timber often comes with an attractive wavy grain with coarse and uneven texture; it also is noted as having a “greasy” feel when you run your hand over machined products. Some more advantages to Spotted Gum decking include that it is a somewhat dense timber with a Janka (hardness) rating of 11, making it a very resistant to scratches or knocks. This carefully crafted blend of materials ensures that capped composite decking is stain-resistant, fade-resistant, scratch-resistant, and termite-resistant. The timber often comes with an attractive wavy grain with coarse and uneven texture; it also is noted as having a “greasy” feel when you run your hand over machined products. 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Asia, but comes with a striking appearance and a high degree of hues! Key issue in timber flooring as it contributes to the natural durability classes 1 and.! Very easy to work with re-engineered or discarded, there are plenty of foot. Merbau ’ s sourced, how it looks a Eucalyptus, grown in sustainable native forests throughout cooler... Structure to build in general, which is designed to stand up to dark... Of the biggest decisions is also commonly used in the decking, stairs and things like balustrades feature I. Have their pros and cons timber comes from New South Wales 've laid spotted!
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