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Decks for South East Queensland homes
Steel or timber frames, the board that suits your sun and your weekends, and a patio roof over it if you want one. Drawn, approved and built by our own team.
A deck is a frame, a floor and the rules in between
We build low decks off the back door, raised decks on highset and split-level homes, and decks on sloping blocks with stairs down to the yard. Most go in with a patio roof over them.
We measure the height at the lowest point of the ground, check the slope and the council mapping, then price the frame, boards, stairs, balustrade and any roof together, with the approval included.
- Steel or timber frames, engineered for your site
- Hardwood, composite, HardieDeck, aluminium or tiles
- Stairs, balustrades and privacy screens drawn with the deck
- Plans, engineering and approval handled
Steel or timber underneath?
The frame is the part that carries the deck, and it is the part you never see again. We build both.
Steel frame
Bearers and joists from the same BlueScope steel beams we use for patios, on steel posts and concrete footings.
- No rot and no termites in the frame
- Longer spans, so fewer posts and footings
- Engineered for your site, and ready to carry a roof now or later
- Stays straight, so the boards stay flat
Best for: low decks close to the ground, high or exposed decks, and decks with a patio roof on top.
Timber frame
Treated pine or hardwood bearers and joists, sized from Timber Queensland’s span tables for the grade and spacing.
- A familiar build that suits a hardwood deck
- Easy to fix boards to and to alter later
- Works well at a comfortable height with good air flow under it
Keep in mind: close to the ground it needs the right treatment, a termite inspection zone and air flow, or it will not last.
More on this in steel or timber deck frame.
Five ways to finish a deck
Each one behaves differently in the Queensland sun and asks different things of you afterwards. The board comes first, because it decides the joist spacing under it.
Hardwood
Spotted gum, blackbutt or merbau boards, the deck most people picture.
- The coolest of these underfoot in the summer sun
- Real grain that changes board to board
- Repairable: a damaged board can be swapped, and the deck sanded and re-oiled
Keep in mind: It needs oiling after the build and again on a regular cycle, more often in full sun. Left bare it greys and the boards check (small surface splits) sooner.
Composite
Boards made from wood fibre and plastic, usually with a hard outer shell.
- No oiling: a wash with soapy water is most of the upkeep
- No splinters, and the colour stays even for years
- Far less attractive to termites than timber
Keep in mind: It moves with heat, so it needs the maker’s end gaps, no butt joins in the middle of a span, and often a breaker board across a long deck. Dark colours run hot in the sun, and the joists go closer together than for hardwood.
HardieDeck fibre cement
Fibre cement boards with a joint strip between them, for a smooth, even look.
- Non-combustible, which helps on a bushfire-prone lot
- Will not rot, and termites do not eat it
- No knots, splinters or tannin stains
Keep in mind: It needs sealing, it is heavy, it uses jointers between the boards and wider joists under them, and the maker does not allow it within 50 m of breaking surf.
Aluminium
Aluminium deck boards, some of which lock together into a watertight floor.
- Light and strong, and it will not rot or get termites
- Non-combustible
- Watertight systems keep the area under an upper deck dry
Keep in mind: It sits at the top of the price range for boards, gets hot in full sun and can dent if something heavy is dropped on it.
Tiles on flooring sheet
Fibre-cement flooring sheet on the frame, a waterproof membrane, then tiles.
- Waterproof when it is done right, so the area under it stays dry
- Easy to clean, and it can match the tiles inside
- No oiling, ever
Keep in mind: It needs a membrane, falls so the water runs off, and a stiff frame so the tiles do not crack. With the sheet, membrane and tiling on top of the frame, it is usually the dearest deck to build.
We bring board samples to the quote so you can see and feel them in your own light. Hardwood or composite? Read composite vs hardwood decking in Queensland.
The rules, in plain terms
- Small, low and open: no approval
- A deck with no roof, no more than 10 m² and a floor no more than 1 m above the ground is exempt from building approval. The boundary setbacks still apply.
- Bigger, higher or roofed: approval
- Go past any one of those and the deck needs a building approval from a certifier, with engineering. A roofed deck always needs one. We draw it and lodge it.
- Balustrades
- Where someone could fall 1 m or more, the deck needs a balustrade at least 1 m high, with no gap a 125 mm sphere can pass through. Above 4 m, no climbable rails low down.
- Stairs
- Stairs have set sizes for the risers and treads, handrails, and often a landing on a long run. We draw them with the deck so the certifier sees the whole thing.
- Height on a slope
- The height is measured from the ground at the lowest point, not from the back door. On a sloping block that one number often decides the approval and the balustrade.
A deck with a patio roof over it
A roof turns a deck into an outdoor room. Many of the decks we build go in under a new patio roof, and building the two together is simpler and better.
- One design and one approval for the deck and the roof
- The roof posts land on footings sized for them
- Shaded boards stay cooler, and hardwood keeps its colour far longer
- An insulated roof adds downlights and a ceiling fan
Only want the deck for now? We design the frame and footings to take a roof later. On a highset home, a flyover lifts the roof clear of the gutter: see a patio for a highset house or raised deck, and single skin vs insulated.
Decks we have built
Tap a photo to see it full size.
Deck guides
- Composite vs hardwood decking in Queensland: heat, upkeep and what lasts
- Steel or timber deck frame? Termites, moisture and ground clearance in SEQ
- When does a deck need approval in Queensland? Heights, roofs and balustrades
- Decks on a sloping block: height, stairs and what the certifier checks
- Roofing a deck or verandah: what to know
- A patio for a highset house, split-level or raised deck
- Deck Frames and Mezzanine Decks: Steel vs. Timber
- Patio posts near a pool fence: the climbable zone rules in Queensland
Deck questions
Do I need council approval for a deck?
Only a small, low deck is exempt: no roof, no more than 10 m² and a floor no more than 1 m above the ground. Anything bigger, higher or roofed needs a building approval from a certifier. We draw the deck, stairs, balustrade and any roof together and lodge the approval for you.
Which decking board is best in South East Queensland?
It depends on the sun, the upkeep you want and the site. Hardwood is the coolest underfoot and can be repaired; composite needs no oiling; HardieDeck and aluminium do not burn; tiles on sheet are waterproof. We bring samples to the quote and go through them on your deck.
Should the deck frame be steel or timber?
Steel does not rot or get termites and spans further, so it suits low decks near the ground, high decks and decks with a roof on top. Timber suits a hardwood deck at a comfortable height. Either way the frame is designed for the boards you choose.
Can you build a deck and a patio roof together?
Yes, and it is the best way to do it. The deck and roof are designed and approved together, the roof posts land on the right footings, and the roof keeps the boards cooler and lasting longer.
How high does a deck balustrade need to be?
Where someone could fall 1 m or more, the balustrade must be at least 1 m high above the deck floor, with no gap a 125 mm sphere can pass through. Above 4 m it also cannot have climbable rails low down. Your certifier checks it.
Planning a deck?
Send us the size, the height and the address. We come out, measure up, check the council rules for your lot and give you a fixed price.