3 Popular & Durable Materials to Consider for Your New Deck
Australia has an enduring love affair with the great outdoors. As well as beaches, parks and other public spaces, this includes outdoor living spaces at home. For this reason, adding a beautiful deck is one of the most popular home improvement projects for homeowners.
A deck provides you with much desired outdoor space and it's also a great way to create a connection and flow with the interior living space of your home. As well as deciding on the size and location of your new deck, you'll also need to decide which material to use. Here are three of the most popular and durable options for decking material.
1. Timber
Timber has been used to create decks for Australian homes for many decades. It may be a traditional material, but it still has enormous appeal as a decking material in modern homes. Timber is natural, renewable and can last for many years if cared for properly. It's also incredibly beautiful, with a natural warmth and elegance that's incredibly popular.
If you choose timber for your decking material, it's worth investing in good-quality hardwood. Hardwood is more expensive than softwood, but it is also much stronger and more durable. These are important qualities when you consider how exposed the deck will be to environmental conditions.
2. Fibre cement
Another excellent choice for decking material is fibre cement. This material is created using cement, sand and cellulose fibres that are pressed into moulds to create decking boards. You can choose from a huge variety of colours and widths to help you customise the look of your new deck.
While it doesn't have the natural beauty of timber, fibre cement has many other benefits. Unlike timber, it doesn't need regular maintenance to stay in good condition and it's resistant to mould, rot, termites and shrinkage. It's also one of the more affordable decking materials, so it's a great choice if you are on a tight budget.
3. Composite timber
Composite timber decking is a relatively new product on the market but it's enjoying a rapid rise in popularity. It's made using waste timber which is mixed with plastic polymers to create attractive and durable decking boards. Because it uses recycled materials, composite timber is considered a very sustainable material which may be an important factor for you.
Composite timber gives you the natural look of timber without the need for maintenance. The polymer forms a hard and waterproof membrane over the timber component, which means it won't suffer from the same problems that timber does when it's exposed to the weather.
If you're still contemplating your options, contact local timber decking services to get a great deck for your budget.
