Deck Builders Merrimac

Residential and commercial decking around Merrimac

Alongside home decks, we take on decking for managed and commercial properties: outdoor customer areas for cafes and retail, office break-out decks, body corporate common areas, and replacement decks on investment properties for landlords and property managers. Commercial work can be timber or composite, and is scoped and quoted the same way: measure, assess what is there, then a fixed written price.

Ask anyone who has pulled up an old deck what failed first and the answer is usually the same: the joists rotted where water sat. Boards get the attention, but the space between and under them does most of the work in keeping a deck sound.

Why the gap between boards matters

Timber swells when wet and shrinks when dry. Boards laid too tight close up in summer storms, trap water on top of the joists and cup. Boards laid too wide catch heels and chair legs. Hardwood is usually laid with a gap of around 4 to 6 mm, adjusted for how dry the boards are on the day. Composite follows the maker's spacing, which allows for heat expansion along the length as well as across.

Air under the deck

A deck built close to the ground with solid skirting on every side becomes a damp box. The underside of the boards never dries, and the frame stays wet for days after rain. We aim for clear ground space under the frame and leave skirting with gaps or battens so air can move through.

Low decks need extra care

• Use a frame timber rated for ground-level exposure.
• Fall the ground away from the house so water drains out, not under.
• Cap joists with joist tape to shed water off the top edge.
• Choose composite with a frame the maker approves for low clearance.

Where water leaves the deck

Water runs off the edge of every board and lands somewhere. If that spot is a garden bed against the house or a low patch with no fall, you get puddles, mud and termite-friendly damp. Part of planning a deck is deciding where the runoff goes, and sometimes that means a strip of gravel or an ag drain along the edge.

Prices and how we can work

As a general guide, timber decking runs roughly $350 to $550 per m² and composite $450 to $700 per m² supplied and installed, depending on height, access, framing and finishes. We also offer install only if you have bought your own boards. See timber decking, composite decking or our deck cost guide.