While designing a garden landscape or extending the outdoor area of your house, you think about the timber flooring. And why not? After all, wood has all the properties to outshine in the construction or engineering industry. Selecting the right deck material is a crucial decision as it impacts both the aesthetics and functionality.
Two popular choices in the market are composite decking and spotted gum hardwood decking. Let’s begin on a comprehensive journey to explore the features, pros, and cons of each to help you make an informed decision.
Let’s have a closer look at each of them to realise their full potential when it comes to using them for decking.
Understanding Composite Decking:
Composite decking, as the name would imply, is a blend of wood fibres and recycled plastics. The benefits are manifold:
Low Maintenance: Unlike traditional wood, composite decking requires minimal upkeep. There is absolutely no need for staining, sealing, or painting it every year. This makes them a reliable decking option for low-maintenance solutions.
Resistance to Elements: Insects, decay, and everyday wear and tear do not compromise composite decking quality.
Aesthetic Variety: With a broad variety of colours and styles, composite decking offers a range of design possibilities. Even the versatility of wood grain patterns and texture makes them unique in every aspect.
However, there are trade-offs. The initial cost can be higher, and while durable, the lifespan may not match that of some hardwoods.
Exploring Spotted Gum Decking:
Spotted gum, a hardwood native to Australia, stands out as a robust decking material and is super attractive for decking surfaces. Some of the key features that stand spotted gum decking apart from other types of hardwood are as follows.
Natural Durability: Spotted gum boasts natural durability and the ability to resist insects, decay, and harsh Australian weather.
Aesthetics: The wood’s colour variations in dark brown or red-brown make them super attractive, more so when the wavy texture takes all the attention.
High-Density Material: The core strength and high density of spotted gum decking make them less likely to shrink or move even in winter. This also makes them a great investment if you organise late-night parties on deck.
Bush-fire Resistant: Spotted Gum decking is the only material that is fire-resistant. That is because they have an in-built layer that prevents fire from burning out the wood. However, the thickness can vary, and you may have to apply a fire retardant solution depending on the wood’s thickness.
Sustainability: Many varieties of spotted gum are harvested sustainably, making it an eco-friendly option.
Overall, the advantages of spotted gum include its durability, ageing beauty, and potential cost savings over the long term. The only downside is the expensive raw materials and installation that make them supreme add to the overall costs.
Maintenance Requirements:
Comparing the maintenance needs of both of these materials:
Composite Decking: Periodic cleaning in composite decking is usually sufficient but may be prone to fading or staining over time. So, you may have to use sealants or employ protective layers over the wood decks within a year., depending on the wood quality.
Spotted Gum Decking: Requires occasional oiling, staining, or sealing to maintain its shine and lifespan. Almost every type of spotted gum decking requires consistent maintenance, which makes purchasing these materials costly, for all right reasons.
Consider your willingness to invest time and effort into maintenance when choosing between these options.
Environmental Impact:
Here, we consider the sourcing and harvesting practices of both the decking materials that determine the extent of their eco-friendliness.
Composite Decking: Composite decking combines recycled plastic and wood materials, reducing the need for new resources. In fact, the manufacturing process involves energy and resources that cause no direct impact on the environment.
Spotted Gum Decking: Sustainability depends on responsible harvesting and whether the brand you are considering has all the sustainable certifications.
Make an environmentally conscious choice by weighing the eco-credentials of each decking material.
Installation Process:
Moving on to the installation process for both composite and spotted gum decking materials:
Composite Decking: Lighter and often easier to install due to uniformity and flexibility.
Spotted Gum Decking: Heavier, with installation considerations such as weight and flexibility.
Factors in the installation process are based on your DIY skills or the assistance you plan to enlist.
Aesthetics and Design Options: Composite Decking offers a uniform appearance and a variety of colours and textures. In contrast, Spotted Gum Decking brings in the charm of natural variations and a traditional, timeless look.
If you like experimenting with different styles and are more inclined to contemporary designs, go with composite decking. On the other hand, if timeless charm and rich texture are all you want for the decking, then spotted gum decking is a good choice.
Climate and Environmental Suitability:
Consider how each material responds to different climates and environments. Factors like extreme heat, cold, and humidity can affect both Composite and Spotted Gum decking differently.
Conclusion: Making the Right Choice for Your Deck
In conclusion, weigh the pros and cons based on your priorities. Assess your budget, maintenance capacity, and design preferences. Both composite decking and Spotted Gum decking offer unique advantages, and your decision should align with your specific needs and circumstances.
Composite decking is an answer to a durable and cost-effective decking solution for your exterior area. And if you want your decking surface to remain timeless and dense with its strength, then spotted gum decking will surely serve your needs.
Remember, a well-informed choice today ensures a deck that looks beautiful and stands the test of time.
Navigate Green Hill timbers Today
At Green Hill Timbers, we understand our customer’s priorities, needs, and concerns. We are the number one hardwood store offering local and imported timber products. Apart from interior flooring products, we offer outdoor timber flooring, composite decking, hardware and accessories. With our high-end technologies, we employ an eco-friendly process to cut and drill each of our timber to make an even and long-lasting flooring product.
Contact us today to claim a free quote and get ready to start with our services.
