Timber & Composite Decking Builders in Sydney
Decking is an elevated timber or composite platform that creates usable outdoor living space over ground you otherwise couldn't use, a slope, uneven fall, or tired existing paving. The main decision is timber versus composite, and it's mostly a maintenance decision rather than a looks decision.
Types of Decking
Merbau
The most common hardwood in Australian decking. Red-brown, affordable, durable. Needs oiling to hold its colour, and will leach tannins early on.
Spotted Gum
Premium Australian hardwood with strong grain and silver-grey tones as it weathers. More expensive than Merbau and worth it where the deck is a feature.
Blackbutt
Pale, even-toned hardwood. Often chosen where a lighter deck is wanted, and it carries good bushfire-rated credentials.
Composite (ModWood, Ekodeck)
Wood-plastic composite. No sanding, oiling or staining, with 20–25 year manufacturer warranties. Capped versions resist fade and stains better than uncapped.
Elevated decks
Anything with a meaningful drop underneath. Needs engineering and, past a 1m fall, a compliant balustrade.
Pool surrounds
Material choice matters more here, heat underfoot and slip resistance become the deciding factors.
Why choose decking
- Makes sloped or uneven blocks genuinely usable
- Composite needs no sanding, oiling or staining
- Hardwood offers a premium natural look that ages well
- Composite warranties typically run 20–25 years
- Can be built to BAL-compliant spec for bushfire-exposed sites
Council approval in NSW
Decks fall under the same exempt / CDC / DA framework as patios. Elevated decks, particularly those with a fall over 1m, typically require DA or CDC plus structural engineering. The NCC requires a barrier wherever a fall of 1 metre or more is possible: minimum 1000mm high, gaps that will not pass a 125mm sphere, and for decks over roughly 4m no climbable horizontal elements between 150mm and 760mm. In bushfire-prone areas of Sydney, decking material, framing and gap sizing must match the site's BAL rating under AS 3959. A deck forming part of a pool barrier must also satisfy AS 1926.1.
General guidance only, requirements vary by council and by property. We confirm what applies to your address before quoting.
Our process
- 01
Consult
A free on-site visit to understand the brief, the block and what council will expect. - 02
Quote
A clear, itemised quote, no vague allowances, no surprise variations later. - 03
Council
We handle exempt development, CDC or DA paperwork so the build is fully compliant. - 04
Build
Our own dedicated crew builds the job, not a rotating cast of subcontractors. - 05
Inspect
A final walkthrough against the quote before we call the job done.
Decking FAQs
Timber or composite, which should I choose?
If you'll actually oil a deck every year or two, hardwood looks better and costs less up front. If you won't, composite is the honest choice, an unmaintained hardwood deck looks worse after three years than a composite one ever will.
What's the best decking timber for Sydney's climate?
Merbau and Spotted Gum both handle it well. Spotted Gum holds up slightly better in full sun and looks better as it silvers; Merbau is the value option.
Do I need council approval for a deck?
Low decks close to the ground are often exempt development. Once there's a meaningful drop underneath, particularly over 1m, you're generally into CDC or DA territory, plus structural engineering.
How high can a deck be before it needs a balustrade?
Under the NCC, a barrier is required wherever a fall of 1 metre or more is possible. Minimum height is 1000mm and gaps must not pass a 125mm sphere. Above about 4m there are additional restrictions on climbable horizontal elements.
Does composite decking get hot or slippery?
It does get hot in direct summer sun, noticeably more than timber in some colours. Lighter colours help. Slip resistance varies by product and by whether it's capped; around pools this is worth specifying deliberately.
What decking is suitable for a bushfire-prone area?
It depends on your BAL rating under AS 3959. BAL-12.5 and 19 allow a reasonable range; BAL-29 and above narrows it to non-combustible or specified bushfire-resisting timbers, and BAL-FZ requires non-combustible construction throughout.
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