Browse Forums Flooring & Floor Covering 1 Dec 19, 2008 3:25 pm Hi All,
We are now up to the stage when we need to pick flooring and tiles. We are having timber floors in blackbutt, and need to decide what to do with the two external decks we have. Our original thoughts were also blackbutt...to get the flow happening, but from my limited knowledge, blackbutt weathers pretty hard externally (ie darkens), so it might look funny. Our other options are a complete change into a nice large tile, or to a different timber like a Merbau. Do anyone have an opinion on this...from a look, flow, price, maintenance, and general point of view? Thanks again. Re: Timber Floors and Decking 2Dec 20, 2008 8:24 am Tiles are always going to be easier to maintain and cheaper to buy and lay (to a point, depends on the tile).
I would go for merbau, any internal timber flooring isnt really designed to go outdoors. Re: Timber Floors and Decking 3Dec 23, 2008 6:26 pm I was put off with the idea of floorboards, only because when we walked through most of the display homes, the floors were already creaking!
So we are definately going to get tiles.. But if i knew there would be no creaking.. i love the look of the floorboards. Re: Timber Floors and Decking 4Dec 23, 2008 6:48 pm We have yet to decide on tiles vs boards inside, but are going with tallowwood for the decking, nice & oily to stand up to the weather.
What did you seal your blackbutt with? Re: Timber Floors and Decking 5Dec 23, 2008 6:51 pm We put a deck on last year and used merbau. We had it laid flat side up and it looks sensational. Get your guys to lay it flat side up it'll look a million bucks - the difference is amazing. It looks like a really beautiful outdoor floor.
Everyone has a different opinion about which way decking should be laid - some say the grooved side up is for anti-slip - some say the grooved side should be under so the drips can run off it. Some say the flat side up will get slippery but our builder said it wouldn't and it hasn't at all. We had a smaller deck put in off the bedroom around the same time by another builder who was of the "groove side up" school and it looks really ordinary. Disappointing and wish I hadn't agreed to it. And it always looks dirty because dirt stays in the grooves. One thing with merbau - you need to put a couple of coats of deck oil on it once a year to maintain it. You do with a lot of outdoor timbers but it's easy to do - except ours isn't because it's a third covered in huge pots of plantings. Anyway willos, if you go for the decking get them to do it flat side up - you won't regret it. Re: Timber Floors and Decking 8Dec 23, 2008 7:06 pm Grooved side up is very wrong, not to mention looks so bllahhhh Re: Timber Floors and Decking 10Dec 23, 2008 9:44 pm Yep... definatly flat side up! We were in a rental a few years back that had the deck done with the grooves up... no maintanance done....HEAPS of splinters. Couldn't even go out there without shoes on. Not good for my then 4yr old boy wanting to play outside Built a modified "Daydream 279" .. Cor@l Homes on a flat 4473m block!! And lov'n it!!! Re: Timber Floors and Decking 11Jan 14, 2009 9:32 am Thanks everyone for the replies....we have to make the decision today for the upper deck. Tiles or Timber???
Looks like it is timber from everyone's point of view and we do really like Merbau. I am definitely a flat side up man...I thought the rippled side was so that the timber can breath and not rot underneath. The only thing holding me back is that because it is an upper deck, it covers the lower one, and we would get full protection with a tiled deck...but probably prefer timber. Not really close to a decision in my mind.....it hurts my head!!!! Re: Timber Floors and Decking 12Feb 02, 2009 6:01 pm Thanks for the flat-up idea !!
We are doing Timber decking as well. Will you be able to let me know how much does it roughly cost (with Merabu). The total decking area we have is about 38 square meters. Also, is it necessary to do concrete underneath the timber deck ? Are there any other alternatives to ensure that grass/weeds will not come out the the timber deck over time. Cheers, Subhashish Hi, as per the subject. Does anyone have any recommendations for the best value decking oil (Bunning is close to where I live) for a treated pine deck? Thanks 0 10974 Engineering timber is certainly a less fuss option, times cheaper to supply and install and better withstands humidity. 1 15924 2 4686 |