PLACEMAKERS
Opening Hours
DECKING
The Complete Guide to Decking
A deck extends the living areas of your home and creates a seamless indoor-outdoor flow that Kiwis love. Whether creating a beautiful outdoor entertainment space or simply adding value to your property, you want to be sure you’re making the right choice when investing in a deck. With so many decking timbers and materials available, it can be overwhelming to choose. Selecting the best timber for your deck will come down to personal preferences such as desired aesthetic, lifestyle, and budget.
What to Consider When Choosing Decking Timber
Aesthetic
The appearance of your deck, including colour and wood grain.
Durability
Is the material suitable for your climate, and how long will it last?
Maintenance
Ongoing care of your deck, including cleaning and staining requirements.
Sustainability
What is the environmental impact of your choice?
Ease of Build
Each decking material has unique installation guidelines, and some designs require council consent and a certified LBP.
Budget
How much are you willing to invest?
Explore the PlaceMakers Decking Range
We can help you find the perfect deck for your home. With a comprehensive range of decking materials, including pine, modified pine, hardwoods, and composite, we have something for every lifestyle, aesthetic, and budget.
A classic Kiwi decking timber, our locally sourced pine is a budget-friendly option that requires an annual clean plus sanding and staining every 1-2 years. You can expect your pine deck to last around 15 years with regular maintenance. Available in two grades, ‘merch pine’ and ‘premium pine’, this timber is a light tan colour that will weather off to silver or is easily stained. Pine timber features knots - naturally occurring imperfections in the wood grain – and is prone to contracting and expanding with changing temperatures.
Modified Pine such as Abodo Vulcan, and Accoya are alternatives to traditional pine that have been treated to make this timber as durable as hardwoods. More resistant to cracking and warping, these products are easily maintained with an annual clean and do not require re-painting or staining. Abodo Vulcan is avaialble in a dark brown, and Accoya is grey. Read on for further information on each option.
Hardwood timbers such as kwila, kwila ShadowDeck, garapa, vitex, and purpleheart are sourced from responsibly managed tropical forests worldwide. Dense, durable, and water-resistant, these timbers are low maintenance, only requiring cleaning every 1-2 years. Whilst kwila and kwila ShadowDeck are red-brown and will ‘bleed’ colour, garapa, vitex, and purpleheart do not leach, so they may be more suitable depending on your outdoor living design. For more on each timber, read on.
The technology of composite decking has advanced significantly over the last decade. An alternative to timber, these products are typically made of recycled wood fibre and recycled plastic or polyethylene. Highly durable and almost maintenance-free, composite provides a timber look and feel with various finishes available. While the initial investment can be more expensive than traditional timber, a composite deck will pay itself off within a few years due to its low maintenance. For our full range of composite decking brands, read on.
Popular Decking Products
Get Inspired
PlaceMakers can help you get started on a decking project to suit your space, get inspired below and then come in store to discuss your next project.
Find a store near you
A Classic Kiwi Deck
The perfect kiwi deck that accompanies the new lawn, extending the entertaining area, and optimising the northwest view down the valley of this Warkworth residence.
Vulcan Deck Lake Tarawera
The owners of this Lake Tarawera home have amplified their outdoor living with this Vulcan timber deck, complete with glass balustrades, to make the most of a magnificent view.
ResortDeck
Find out why homeowner Chris Reid began looking for a pool deck for his Mount Maunganui home and quickly zeroed in on Outdure ResortDeck®
Decking Guides
View our helpful tips on decking installation through to our decking screw selection guide.
We are here to help you every step of the way to accomplish your decking project.
Landscaping Catalogue
At PlaceMakers we're well equipped to turn your landscaping dream into a reality. We have a comprehensive range of trade quality products and offer helpful advice.