Merbau Decking Melbourne
Premium Merbau hardwood decks designed and installed across Melbourne — dense, rich red-brown boards with Class 1 durability over an engineered hardwood substructure. The most popular hardwood deck in Victoria for good reason.
HIA Member
VBA Registered
Melbourne's specialist Merbau decking installers.
Deck It Out Decks & Pergolas has been building Merbau decks across Melbourne since 1999. Merbau (Intsia bijuga) is a dense South-East Asian hardwood with Class 1 durability above ground — the benchmark hardwood for Australian decks. Its tight grain, deep red-brown colour and natural oils make it ideal for Melbourne's hot summers and cold, wet winters.
We're a small, owner-operated team. Marc runs every Merbau decking job from first sketch through permits, build and handover, so you talk to the same person from quote to keys — not a salesperson, not a subcontractor.
Merbau is sourced from FSC and PEFC certified suppliers, fixed with stainless or hot-dipped galvanised fasteners, and finished with a penetrating decking oil to lock in colour. With basic care it will outlast almost anything else you put on the ground.
Why Merbau is Melbourne's most popular hardwood deck.
Class 1 durability — the highest above-ground durability rating in Australia. A correctly built Merbau deck will easily last 25+ years.
Dimensionally stable — Merbau moves less with seasonal humidity than most other hardwoods, so gaps stay even and cupping is minimal.
Rich red-brown colour — kept warm and deep with annual decking oil, or left to silver off naturally to a soft grey.
Dense and hard underfoot — termite resistant, splinter resistant and tough enough for high-traffic family decks and pool surrounds.
Why Deck It Out
25+ years building hardwood decks in Melbourne — design, permits & construction under one roof.
Common questions
Merbau Decking — answered
How much does Merbau decking cost per square metre in Melbourne?
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Merbau decking in Melbourne typically lands between $380 and $620 per square metre supplied and installed, depending on board width, substructure height, stairs, picture-framing and site access. Every quote is fixed and itemised after an on-site visit.
How long does a Merbau deck last in Melbourne?
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A correctly built and maintained Merbau deck in Melbourne will last 25 years or more. Merbau is a Class 1 durability hardwood — the highest above-ground rating in Australia. Re-oil every 12–24 months to maintain colour and water resistance.
Does Merbau decking need to be oiled?
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Yes. Merbau is rich in natural tannins that bleed in the first few months — we leave the boards to weather and rinse before applying the first coat of penetrating decking oil. After that, re-oil every 12–24 months to keep the warm red-brown colour. Without oil, Merbau silvers off to a soft grey, which some homeowners prefer.
Merbau vs Spotted Gum decking — which is better?
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Both are Class 1 durability Australian-friendly hardwoods. Merbau is more dimensionally stable, easier to install and slightly cheaper. Spotted Gum is Australian-grown, has dramatic grain variation and is harder underfoot. We install both and help you choose based on your home, budget and the look you want — see our spotted gum decking page for the side-by-side.
Is Merbau decking sustainable?
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We source Merbau only from FSC or PEFC certified suppliers — the same standards used by major Australian retailers. Chain-of-custody documentation is provided on request. If sustainable Australian-grown timber is your priority, our Spotted Gum decking is the local alternative.
Do you build Merbau decks across all of Melbourne?
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Yes. We build Merbau decks across Melbourne and the eastern and north-eastern suburbs — including Eltham, Donvale, Eaglemont, Templestowe, Doncaster, Warrandyte, Ivanhoe, Heidelberg and surrounds.
Compare before you choose
Explore other decking materials
Not sure Merbau is right for your home? Compare it with our other Melbourne decking materials and find the best fit for your budget, style and maintenance expectations.
Who builds your deck
Marc — owner, builder & your single point of contact.
Marc has been designing and building hardwood and composite decks across Melbourne since 1999 — over 25 years and 700+ completed projects, all in the Eastern and North-Eastern suburbs. He's VBA-registered (DB-U), an HIA member and has been featured on Best Houses Australia.
Every Merbau deck is owner-built. Marc quotes it, draws it, lodges the permits, runs the crew on site and hands you the keys. No salespeople, no subcontracted project managers, no "your builder is on annual leave" answers.
- Years building
- 25+
- Decks completed
- 700+
- Google rating
- 4.9 / 5
- Workmanship guarantee
- 7 years
Built to Australian Standards
Every Merbau deck we build is engineered and constructed to the standards Victorian councils and the VBA inspect against — no shortcuts on the structure you can't see.
- AS 1684Residential timber-framed construction (substructure design & spans).
- AS 1604Specification for preservative treatment of softwood (treated pine bearers & joists).
- AS 1720.1Timber structures — design methods (load-bearing decking specification).
- NCC Vol. 2National Construction Code — Class 1 & 10 buildings (Victorian variations).
How a Merbau build runs
- 01
On-site consult
Marc visits, measures, checks falls, drainage, footings and overlooking — never a phone quote.
- 02
Fixed itemised quote
Substructure, decking, fixings, fascia, oil and rubbish removal priced line-by-line — no allowances.
- 03
Permits & engineering
Building permits, engineering, pool-zone compliance and council lodgement managed in-house.
- 04
Build & handover
Marc on site every day. First coat of oil included. 7-year structural workmanship guarantee on every deck.
Talk to Marc directly about your Merbau project.
Ready to start?