New Zealand is currently facing a national shortage of pine timber. This is due to a number of reasons including the housing boom and high log exportation numbers. As a builder, it is strange to see empty shelves where stacks of decking timber once was at our local supplier.
Some lesser-known timber suppliers do still have pine decking timber in stock. But due to the demand vs supply issues, the price of pine has spiked. At one of the few suppliers who have 140mm pine decking on their shelves, the price per lineal metre is very close to the price of Kwila decking.
With the current pine shortage in NZ, many people are having to wait to have their new decks built. With this in mind, we thought it would be a good time to share our top 5 decking timbers that are a great alternative to pine.
Pine decking is great for decks when you are on a budget, however, Hardwood decking is much more sustainable and will last a lot longer than pine decking.
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Bamboo Decking
Bamboo or Bambusoideae is one of the less common decking timbers to make our list, however, in our opinion it is second to none. Firstly, it comes with a stunning tongue and groove design and is fixed with clips. This means you do not see any screws or screw holes.
Secondly, its durability is superior to hardwood timbers and thus it is a sustainable and eco-friendly product. That is to say, Bamboo decking timber gets the big green tick from us. -
Vitex Decking Timber
Vitex decking timber or Vitex cofassus, is a tropical hardwood sourced mostly from the Soloman Islands. It is a light creamy colour when new, however it will age to a silvery grey colour.
Vitex is one of the more common hardwood decking products used in New Zealand due to it being low maintenance and being highly durable. It has a class 2 durability rating. This means that it is expected to last 25+ years above ground. -
Kwila Decking Timber
Kwila, or Intsia Palembanica is a South East Asian tropical heartwood that is commonly imported from Papua New Guinea.
It is a popular choice for hard wood decking in New Zealand as it is incredibly durable and relatively affordable compared to other high end decking timbers. Kwila is a rich red-brown colour which gives it a very luxurious look.
One thing to keep in mind when choosing Kwila decking timber, is that during the first few months after being laid, Kwila is known to bleed tannins. This means that it will stain the likes of concrete.
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Macrocarpa Decking Timber
Macrocarpa, or Cupressus macrocarpa is a New Zealand grown softwood timber. Being grown in New Zealand, not only ensures that you are supporting local businesses, it also reduces the carbon footprint, which gives it a green tick.
Macrocarpa is a light yellow-brown colour which gives it a nice high end look. It is naturally chemical free and relatively low maintenance, making it a popular choice of decking timber in NZ.
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Wood-Plastic Composite Decking
Wood-Plastic composite decking timber is an eco friendly alternative to pine or hardwood decking. It is often made with recycled plastics and reused waste timber.
Composite decking is almost maintenance free. In other words, you wont need to re-stain, re-screw or replace any boards.
So that completes our list of alternates to pine decking. Don’t let the New Zealand pine shortage slow your plans to build a new deck. If you’d like any more information, or a price to build a new deck with any of the above decking timbers in Auckland, give us a call today for a chat.
