Deck Master ... for improved decking performance over a longer life

Until we are able to provide the details of Deck Masters in your local area, we would like to provide some general guidelines for choosing a good deck builder.

At Deck Master we emphasise decks as investments in lifestyle and consequently we believe that quality and performance should be the focus. The important thing is to get "value" - quality and performance, appropriate to your needs, at a reasonable price.

As a start, we suggest that you could select a couple of possibilities from referrals from friends or from the yellow pages but looking for builders whose advertisements talk about quality &/or performance. Another way is to call a couple of suppliers in your area and see who stocks Australian hardwood as well as Merbau/Kwila decking and ask for the contact details of some deck builders which they would recommend.

The Australian and Merbau question is intended as an indication of the supplier being able to offer various qualities for different customer preferences or applications (rather than making assumptions that, for example, lowest price will be the determining factor).

Suggest you then have a look through the summary of good deck building practices in the

Deck Master Construction Standard at http://www.deckmaster.com.au/construction_standard.htm

including the downloadable sheets at the bottom of the page to become familiar with the main elements of the Deck Master Decking System.

Then talk to each of your short list of builders about how they would build your deck - at this stage you are not looking for a price - you are looking for builders which you would trust to build you a deck which will give good performance over a long life. You could ask them questions like "What subframe timber do you use/recommend", "What decking do you use", "How do you fix your decking" and compare the answers to the recommendations in the Construction Standard.

Good answers are like this -

"I use Spotted Gum / Kwila decking because it has high natural durability and performs well in the weather"

"I use 50mm joists so that I can stagger my nails"

"I stagger my nailing pattern because although nails in line look better this will almost certainly split the joist (at least in hardwood joists)"

"I seal my joists with (product name) to protect the top of the joist from weather damage"

Bad answers are like this -

"All decking timbers perform the same. I use the cheapest" - this is simply wrong and the low initial price may become a performance issue and maintenance cost for you into the future

"I can use a couple of fixing methods - which would you prefer" - your builder should be able to recommend a method to you and be able to explain why the recommended method will produce a better result.

You are also asking questions to see if you could work with this person - someone who is impatient and not interested in talking through issues may not be someone you want to be dealing with in building your deck.

The most important subjects (and hence most critical parts of the "system") to be addressed to ensure performance and longevity include:

Decking Materials quality - with a focus on strength, durability and performance - a common error is to specify timber purely on the basis of "strength" eg F14. Strength specification only ensures that the timber is adequate for its structural purpose but does not ensure good performance. Most decking problems result from durability or instability (or construction) issues, not from incorrect strength specification.

Subframe and decking materials should have high durability (so that they last a long time) and be stable (particularly when exposed to the weather) so that they provide good performance over a long life - your builder should be able to provide advice on the best materials to use (and should be able to explain why).

What you shouldn't hear is "I could use this timber for the subframe or decking .... which would you prefer". The builder should be your guide through the process (but suggest you use the Construction Standard as cross-reference).

Construction - particularly the fixing - similar to above - the builder should be able to provide advice on good construction techniques including fixing materials and methods.

Fixings should be hot dipped galvanised or stainless steel - around a pool, (all) fixings should only be stainless steel. T-nailing is a common fixing method but should never be used - again the builder should be able to provide you with advice in this area.

Talk to the builder about the problem of fixings being installed "in-line" splitting the joist and what would they do about it - staggering the nails (together with 50mm wide joists) will reduce the likelihood of splitting the joist & avoid many associated problems.

Joist sealing - for any external application we would recommend a joist sealer - a good deck builder should already know about this and be doing it or at least know of products and how they should be used.

Maintenance - important for long term performance - some builders offer as additional service. Some clear finishes cannot be applied immediately after completion unless the timber is pre-treated - check with manufacturer for details. Most oils can be applied immediately but must be reapplied at short term intervals (6-12 monthly). Suggest pre-treating all round before laying (with sealer compatible with finish coats - confirm this aspect with your supplier).

More detailed advice is available on our Frequently Asked Questions page - http://www.deckmaster.com.au/faqs.htm - Which decking finish should I use?

Once you have satisfied yourself that you are dealing with a couple of builders who would do a good job then ask for quotes (for the same standard of work) from say 3 builders to ensure you are getting a reasonable price for the quality you require. Suggest you confirm specific materials and construction techniques at this stage so they are all quoting on same or comparable quality eg a builder may normally use Kwila - if you specifically wanted Spotted Gum he/she would have to quote this specifically. Any specific requirements must be on the quote so that you can refer back to it if necessary.

Importantly - check with the Government Building Licensing Authority/Department (Building Services Authority in Queensland) to see what licenses builders need to have to do the work you are anticipating and what insurance coverage this licensing provides. Ensure your builder has appropriate licensing for your project and appropriate insurance.

Unfortunately, things can go wrong and it is important that there is insurance cover behind the builder (even if a builder is unable to fix any problems the Licensing Body should then be able to finish the job - actual responsibility and dispute resolution process may vary from State to State).