where to buy decking materials in Melbourne

[Paul W B]

Hi, Brand new to posting but have been viewing for a long time, not able to contribute anything technically useful so far but amazed at the knowledge and helpful tips of the gifted !

I am planning (with the help of threads here) a decking in the back yard, joining onto the side of the house, a hardwood decking 7.3 x 6.5 meters all up.

I have watched with interest the ebay sites advertising no nail systems and it looks really good.

Does anyone have a recomendation please on where in melb to purchase good quality ready to lay decking (coating later no probs)

The prices seem to vary a lot, like most things, I assume you get what you pay for,

Many thanks for reading and hopefully I can contribute from my own experience when this project is done,

Regards Paul

[Gumby]

In my opinion, you can't beat the look of natural timber decking. I considered some of the new pre-form boards they have on display at Bunnings but it looked too plastic. I went for Merbu and am very happy with the result. Finished in natural decking oil. Most larger places have that sort of thing. I got mine through a builder who has a Bowens account.

[Eastie]

If you can get down to Flatmans timber in Mount Waverly, tell them you want some advice and have a chat to them about what you're planning. They should point you in the right direction and give you a good indication of what to expect in terms of availability/quality & cost options.

[Paul W B]

Many thanks people, I'll head to Flatmans on the weekend. BTW I'd never considered anything other than hardwood, really just after the best place to buy it and see if anone had an opinion on the no nails system

Thanks again, Paul B

[Studley 2436]

Paul I am able to help you with some flooring. I can call the mill and find out about decking in various Australian hardwoods.

As far as funny fixtures this is just timber but it costs about $25/square metre and is cover grade so decent stuff.

You can see the details on this thread (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=34689)

Let me know if you are interested at all. Best way to fix this down is to get a nail gun and rip into it.

Studley

[Paul W B]

Thanks Studley,

Is this material ready to lay/fix ?
I assume at 19mm 50m2 is about 1 tonne ?
Is the tongue and groove in the ends or sides ?

Sorry for all the questions !!

Regards Paul

[Studley 2436]

Paul go and have a look at the thread I posted before (click on the blue type) and you will see lots of information there.

The flooring is all tongue and groove and end matched. I am finding out if it is grooved in the back to prevent cupping. I get the same estimation as you 50m2 is about 1 tonne.

Studley

[Studley 2436]

The underside of the flooring they have has two grooves in it. These are for ID purposes. It is all tongue and groove as the machine that dresses it also puts the tongue and groove in it as well.

Studley

[Paul W B]

The underside of the flooring they have has two grooves in it. These are for ID purposes. It is all tongue and groove as the machine that dresses it also puts the tongue and groove in it as well.

Studley

Hi Studley,

I have re-read your other post and see some additions which explain my questions - thanks very much, I'm not sure the side tongue in groove is appropriate for me but many thanks for the kind offer and help - I really appreciate it but will search for some traditional decking stuff if anyone else knows where.

Regards Paul

Regards Paul

[Studley 2436]

It's all dressed and tongue and groove the ends are matched as well which is handy because you don't have to put the joins over the top of a joist.

It will make the flashest deck I reckon.

Studley

[Studley 2436]

Paul just chatted with the mill and they are able to supply 100x25 rough sawn for $6.00 per linear metre.

It is more expensive than the flooring because they are unable to grade it so have to charge as if were top grade wood. Of course you have to dress it yourself too.

Studley

[steve H]

There is a places hume hwy in campbablefeild ...fabio crt .. australian recyling company they have a web have a look , they really are good.

[Paul W B]

There is a places hume hwy in campbablefeild ...fabio crt .. australian recyling company they have a web have a look , they really are good.

Thanks very much Steve, do you know the name ? I've had a good search but short of driving out there, I'm unsure.

Regards Paul

[glock40sw]

G'day.
Give Market Timbers a try.
they are in the book.

They source Australian hardwood from northern NSW.
It is the real deal. Not imported cr_ap.
Also, it is pencil round decking. Not T&G.
BTW...A higher price for rough sawn dry over machined T&G dry is Bullschit.
Some body is trying to make a killing. You can almost smell Ripoff...

Be wary of poor drying and machining. Some producers only air dry (Stabilized) rather than Kiln dried (Seasoned).
Endmatched is not ideal for decking. Decking must be joined over the joists.

[Studley 2436]

BTW...A higher price for rough sawn dry over machined T&G dry is Bullschit.
Some body is trying to make a killing. You can almost smell Ripoff...

I take offense to that. From the supplier I was quoting and offering a very good price they can't grade the timber until it is faced. Rough Sawn means ungraded so they have to put a loading on it because they have to cover for the higher grade timber you would get at that point.

From being sawn it goes through one machine which dresses and puts a tongue and groove into it it can then be graded as select premium feature or cover grade.

Studley

[glock40sw]

G'day.
No offence intended.
We do the same thing. sell dry rgh
However, if selling T&G is say $4 per l/m select grade.
why charge $6 per l/m for unknown grade dry rgh?
Surely you would sell rgh dry for the same price as select grade profiled?

[Studley 2436]

The Price I had Glock was $5 for feature grade flooring or $6 for rough sawn.

I just asked at the mill and they said they had to cover the high grade stuff they would have got out of it. Fair enough I thought. They sound like a highly automated set up where one machine just does it all. Perhaps they aren't that interested in selling timber like that. Myself I was a bit surprised that it cost more for rough sawn but there you go.

I trust this mill as they have been good to us here. Based on past dealings they are being as fair as they can.

Anyway no hard feelings

Studley

[Larry McCully]

c'mone trevor, tell us how it is really done !!!

[glock40sw]

c'mone trevor, tell us how it is really done !!!
Ya take a log and saw it up. Then you rack the boards to dry.
Then you put the rack in the kiln and pump steam into the kiln.
Then when its dry yu dress it on a moulder.
Then you grade it and dock the defects out.
Then you sell it to the public .
Job Done...
Questions?

[journeyman Mick]

Trevor,
you forgot the:
"check over stock for any really interesting pieces and snaffle for private stash" :D

Mick

[Larry McCully]

Their yo go again.............Drying timber by pumping steam into it. The marvels of technoligy]

[glock40sw]

Mick.
No. That is what Bruce does. He is funny like that.
Me... I hate timber. Would rather work with steel lately.

Larry. Love steam. Bugger solar. Vaccum is working great too.

[glock40sw]

The Price I had Glock was $5 for feature grade flooring or $6 for rough sawn.

I just asked at the mill and they said they had to cover the high grade stuff they would have got out of it. Fair enough I thought. They sound like a highly automated set up where one machine just does it all. Perhaps they aren't that interested in selling timber like that. Myself I was a bit surprised that it cost more for rough sawn but there you go.

I trust this mill as they have been good to us here. Based on past dealings they are being as fair as they can.

Anyway no hard feelings

Studley

Studley.
It sounds as though they didn't want to do the job and were trying to price it too high so as not to have to do it.

Buy I could be wrong. Have been a few times in the past:D

[Larry McCully]

steam is gentle

[glock40sw]

steam is gentle

Not if used incorrectly.

[Larry McCully]

yes very true. also you can carry things on the back of steam

[glock40sw]

yes very true. also you can carry things on the back of steam

Don't get ya?

[Larry McCully]

Don't get ya?you could use steam as a carrier of chemical to the timber

[glock40sw]

Not really.
Steam looses heat and condenses rapidly unless under pressure.
Free steam is virtually useless as a host medium.

[Larry McCully]

Not really.
Steam looses heat and condenses rapidly unless under pressure.
Free steam is virtually useless as a host medium. is it possible to intro steam into a vacuumed chamber, do you think that the preasure in a heated vacuum kiln would keep the steam as steam and not condense.

[glock40sw]

Drying via vacuum actually produces steam.
Water boils at a lower temperature under vacuum.
So @ -200mbar water boils @ 61.5 Deg C.
each litre of water extracted from the wood, produces about 800 litres of steam that is extracted and condensed back into water.
We are having tests done on the extracted water to see if any extractives are carried over with the condensate from the wood.
Any one want some wood alcohol. :D

[Larry McCully]

Drying via vacuum actually produces steam.
Water boils at a lower temperature under vacuum.
So @ -200mbar water boils @ 61.5 Deg C.
each litre of water extracted from the wood, produces about 800 litres of steam that is extracted and condensed back into water.
We are having tests done on the extracted water to see if any extractives are carried over with the condensate from the wood.
Any one want some wood alcohol. :D awsome stuff, do you use heated water plates or low voltage current to heat plates and which is more effictive