Which Hardwood Decking should I choose for a light coloured timber?
The best hardwood decking I would choose for a light coloured timber would have to be from a selection of timbers that have proven to be suitable for use as decking. There are many more botanical species of exotic timber to choose from than you may have first thought. The price of these highly prised timbers does vary from £100 – £140 per square metre and will rise to many hundreds of £ per sq m.
Choosing light coloured timber
Teak is the perfect choice, a light golden colour with the best track record for use in exterior timber projects especially decking. Indonesian Teak, is more sustainable than anything from Burma. For the finer or higher grades the cost is prohibitive. If you still want teak, you should use the more economical priced Rustic Teak then the cost is similar to quality Ipe hardwood. Please be sure to complete your due diligence for certification such as FSC or PEFC.
Elondo, is a great hardwood for decking with a similar in look to Teak with a more open grain. Elondo is often used as decking on Yachts where the budgets are low, but nevertheless a great choice.
Taperyba, tight grained hardwood, has the smell of cinnamon when cut, very hard and durable. This species of timber has a more golden finish when compared to Elondo decking.
Doussie, an established timber when commonly used as interior flooring. This timber has been used across Europe for many years and is a contender for a light coloured timber decking at the lower end of the cost spectrum yet has the performance to that of Elondo.
Teak will always be the winner as it is by far the most durable, stable and is of course spelt T-E-A-K so if anyone asks what is the best deck you can have there it is…
From left to right, Elondo, Taperyba, Rustic Teak, Doussie and Indonesian Teak
Will my timber retain its colour?
In short, NO. Your hardwood timber deck will fade to a silvery grey colour. The time taken for this to happen will be determined by the amount of UV, volume of rain and level of foot traffic. it will Certainly be less than 3 years and as quick s 6 months. If there are no oils applied to the timber it will change colour almost immediately. The only way you can prevent this colour change is to apply a professional decking oil from Owatrol.
There are a few oils to choose from and the correct oil choice is determined by the species of hardwood you are using. Call Owatrol for the very best advice.
