FAQs

WHY CHOOSE TREATED PINE and not MERBAU?

All of the pine we offer is harvested from local sustainable plantation forests throughout Australia. On the other hand, all Merbau is imported into Australia from Asia, cut down from rainforests. Its takes a minimum of 80 years for a Merbau tree to mature, and at the current rate of logging legally- Greenpeace state that within the next 35 years, Merbau will be gone. This doesn't even take into account the vast volumes of illegal logging. Greenpeace report. 

Should I wait for my treated pine to weather before coating?

We strongly advise against allowing your treated pine decking to weather. We have found from our own experience, that coating your treated pine product before installation is imperative. The idea of allowing your timber to weather may have originated from the fact that hardwood species will 'leech' natural oils until weathered. The natural oils that surface when hardwood is fresh, prevent coating from working effectively. Our treated pine will not 'leech'.

WILL TREATED PINE CRACK AND SPLIT?
Like all timber, treated pine is a natural product and is susceptible to surface checking. This is more likely if the deck or screen is fully exposed to the weather. Immediatley applying a good quality decking oil will help minimise the effects of weathering. Re-coating regularly will re-seal any visible surface checking, marks and scratches.
WHY DO I NEED TO PRe-coat all sides?

Pre-coating timber decking on all 4 sides before installation is of paramount importance to prevent moisture absorption from above and below the deck. An increase in moisture content leads to excessive swelling, and rapid loss of moisture leads to twisting, cupping and splitting.

which decking oil should i use?

Choosing a decking oil can be quite a challenge with so many products available. There are some key things to remember:

  • Choose a good quality oil that will enhance the natural colour already present.
  • Avoid darker colours as they tend to heat up in the sun.
  • Avoid cheap oils that form a hard, inflexible coating as they tend to crack and peel - exposing the timber.
  • Avoid clear varnishes, as sunlight can cause the timber to turn grey underneath the coating.
WHY HAS MY TREATED PINE DEVELOPED DISCOLOURATION?

This will most likely be ‘Blue Stain’ which is a harmless microscopic organism that can stain the sapwood of a tree in a variety of colours. It gets its name from the commonly seen blue to bluish-black shade, but can also appear grey, brown, red, yellow, orange, or purple.​

Blue Stain is different to mould. A simple test is to lightly rub the affected surface of the timber – Mould can be brushed off or smeared as it grows on the surface, whereas Blue Stain penetrates deep into the timber fibres and cannot be removed. It poses no health risk, and affected timber is safe to handle.

Because Blue Stain does not detract from the strength properties of of structurally graded timber, affected timber can be used for exactly the same purpose as nonaffected timber.