A timber deck is a raised or ground-level outdoor platform, built from a timber or steel frame and decking boards, that turns an awkward or sloping section of yard into a usable outdoor living space.
Timber floors are currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity with people renovating their outdoor living areas. Used as the flooring for balconies, decking is still popular around pools because of its natural looks and heat absorption properties, unlike some pavers that can get too hot to walk on with bare feet.
The timber decks Adelaide residents have custom built by Hand Made Gardens are made from hardwoods, making them extremely durable and highly resilient to Adelaide's hot Summer sun, while looking, feeling and even smelling great. The most popular hardwoods requested include Jarrah, Spotted Gum, Blackbutt and Merbau, which is the most common decking timber used across Adelaide.
The frame underneath matters as much as the decking boards themselves. On a bushfire-zone site at Glen Osmond, a steel frame was the right call: 65mm galvanised support posts augered and jackhammered through solid rock, since the ground wouldn't take a normal timber footing. Timber and steel move differently with temperature and moisture, so stainless steel screws were used to fix the Merbau decking slats to the steel frame rather than standard fixings that would work loose over time. Most sites don't need steel, but it's the right call on a steep, rocky or bushfire-zone block where a timber frame can't be relied on to hold its shape.
Finishing is what protects the investment once the frame and boards are down. On that same job, the deck, built-in seating and balustrade were sanded to 120 grit and given two coats of quality matt timber oil before handover. A step that's easy to skip but is what actually stops Adelaide's sun, wind and rain from greying and cracking the timber prematurely.
Create a living area outside complete with weather-proof furniture, a fire pit and spa on your timber deck. Matching privacy screens and lights complete the look and help create an outdoor room within your garden: a private area for couples to enjoy romantic evenings, or for larger families an outdoor kitchen with dining table and chairs to make a space the whole family can use, or a great place to entertain friends.
Many people have timber floors inside their house, and these days, with people wanting to spend more time entertaining outside, decking can be used to complement the internal flooring and form a natural flow from indoors to outdoor living spaces under an alfresco or verandah. Built over the natural lie of the land, timber decks Adelaide residents request can be economically built over many levels with steps. Low voltage deck lighting can create a relaxing ambiance, extending the time you spend being outside in your garden.
Timber deck paths with pebbles either side make for a stunning entrance and can suit any garden theme, modern or country, depending on the wood you choose and of course the stain.
How A Timber Deck Is Actually Built
Footings come first. Post positions are set out and holes dug or augered to the required depth, deeper in reactive or sandy soil than in stable ground, with posts set in concrete rather than just packed with soil. Getting the post layout right at this stage is what everything else gets built square and level from.
Bearers span between the posts, and joists run across on top of them at set centres: typically 450mm for standard decking boards, though the actual spacing and timber sizes depend on span tables for the species and the distance being covered, not a single fixed rule. The frame needs a slight fall, or at minimum careful levelling, so water actually sheds off the deck rather than pooling against the house.
Decking boards are fixed either with exposed screws (cheaper, faster, and the screw heads are visible) or hidden fastener clips (a cleaner finish with no visible fixings, slower to install and more expensive). Both are legitimate choices, and it's a look-versus-budget call rather than one being objectively better. A small gap is left between boards for drainage and to allow for the timber's natural movement as it expands and contracts with moisture.
A deck built higher than 500mm above natural ground level needs a compliant balustrade, not just a rail for looks: glass panels, cable wire (as pictured above at Glen Osmond) or timber balustrade are the common options, each with its own fixing and spacing requirements to actually meet the height and gap rules a council or private certifier will check.
Choosing between hardwood and composite decking boards is its own decision with real trade-offs on cost, maintenance and heat: see our full hardwood versus composite decking comparison if you're still deciding which suits your project.
See how this looks in practice: our deck built on a sloping block in Glen Osmond and the hardwood decking project at Oaklands Park are two completed examples of the finished result. A deck is often paired with complementary paving to tie the whole outdoor space together.
Timber Decks FAQ
Do I need council approval for a deck in South Australia?
Generally not if no part of the deck floor is higher than 500mm above natural ground level and it sits at least 900mm from a property boundary. A higher or closer-to-boundary deck needs Development Approval, and some zones (Hills Face areas, heritage zones, bushfire-prone suburbs) switch off these exemptions entirely, so it's worth checking for your specific site.
Hardwood or composite decking, which is better?
Hardwood (like Merbau) gives a classic look and can be oiled to maintain its colour, but needs periodic maintenance. Composite decking costs more upfront but needs virtually no ongoing maintenance, though darker composite boards can get noticeably hot underfoot on a hot Adelaide summer day, more so than timber. The right choice depends on how much upkeep you want to do and how the deck will be used in Summer.
How long does a timber deck last?
A properly built frame is what matters most: done right with the correct timber sizes and fixings, a deck lasts decades. Maintenance (sealing/oiling for hardwood) affects how good it looks over that time, not whether it survives.
Can a deck be built on a steep slope?
Yes. Decks are one of the best solutions for a steep or awkward slope, since the frame can be built up on posts rather than needing the ground reshaped like paving would.
How much does a timber deck cost?
Size, height above ground and decking material all affect the price, so every deck is quoted individually, but as a guide, 10 square metres of decking typically costs around $6,800 (incl. GST). A free on-site quote gives you a real number for your project.
Would you like a timber deck? If you know what your budget is and have something in mind, ask us to quote on it.
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