Thread: Decking Anyone?

Welcome Ricey, what the hell is swan river red - I think over here that is something we drink, straight from the swan valley wineries

There is a decking section in the renovate forums, scroll down on the main page you will find the link. You are likely to get more answers there regarding decking and renovating than here. Stick around though as you will get plenty of other useful advice here.

In regard to fasteners, it all comes down to your preference. I have done plenty of decks and 55mm screw shank nails straight off the coil nailer go great and I have never had a problem with them coming out, don't like ring shank though as I find they tend to fold up when being shot through hardwood decking. Screws look good but are more expensive.

If going screws I would use something like Powers 9 gauge 53mm stainless square drive screws. Lots of work because the decking boards need to be pre drilled and countersunk (use a combined countersink with 1/8 drill bit same as cabinet makers use for kitchen carcases).

Thanks Burnsey, will check out the renovate forum.
I guess swan river red must be an S.A thing, we are a weird bunch after all, very common over here though.
Where would I pick up the countersink tool you mentioned?

Most good tool shops should have them do a ring around. Mine is branded snappy and had a 1/8 drill bit that is removable via a grub screw which is good in case you snap it or want to use a shorter bit (pop rivet bits are good if you want a short one.

Ricey, for once, I have to disagree with Mike (what am I doing???) I did some decks here at our new home build, decided on our house I'd do things a bit up market, use the stainless steel fixings - I just found them to be really soft. I also had to have a few drills running too - 1 with a clearance drill for the decking, 1 to countersink the face, 1 to pilot hole the seasoned spotted gum joists and last one with driver bit to screw them down. Even with this regime of tangled bloody power leads and hours on your knees, I found 1 in 8 just stripped the head out or snapped just as they bit down into the decking.

I swapped out to 50mm gal batten screws, half the time to lay and much less grief with stripping or snapping. My boards where 5" wide so they could take the extra size of the batten screw without looking stupid.

still can't believe I didn't agree with Mike!!!

Swan River Red is a marketing name for Karrri,the name was concocted in 1996 by an employee at boral.This company does not even mill the timber.
Treated pine is always dodgy to fix a hardwood into so make it as secure as possible .
Screw it.
The price is about on the money
Any further information you may require let me know.
I have app 2m3 of select 88x19 Karri machined to a decking profile S4.50LM ex Melbourne.
App 20-25LM for freight

Originally Posted by andrew tarpey

Swan River Red is a marketing name for Karrri,the name was concocted in 1996 by an employee at boral.This company does not even mill the timber.

And neither does it grow anywhere near the Swan River. Anyway, I wouldn't be using karri anywhere near the ground, Termites just love the stuff.

It ceertainly does in cerrtain climatic condotions.
Otherwise it is fine.
as for decking it is no problem as thousands of cubic metres used over the years to no real infestation problems as far as I am aware,
Large volumes of the product sent to the UK for uses in ground
widely used in Victoria for domestic fence posts.(A total under utilisation of the product)
I am not sure whether the products sapwood is lyctus susecptable however you never see any sapwood in the product for it too chew on anyway.
Let me know where you have witnessed infestation by termites in Karri.
I believe its durability is 2/3 in ground and 2 above.

You are 100 percent correct about growing no where near the Swan.The epicentre of production is at Pemberton just 4 hours south of Perth

Originally Posted by andrew tarpey

It ceertainly does in cerrtain climatic condotions.
Otherwise it is fine.
as for decking it is no problem as thousands of cubic metres used over the years to no real infestation problems as far as I am aware,
Large volumes of the product sent to the UK for uses in ground
widely used in Victoria for domestic fence posts.(A total under utilisation of the product)
I am not sure whether the products sapwood is lyctus susecptable however you never see any sapwood in the product for it too chew on anyway.
Let me know where you have witnessed infestation by termites in Karri.
I believe its durability is 2/3 in ground and 2 above.

err . . . From the WA FPC Website.
"http://www.fpc.wa.gov.au/content/species/native_forests/karri.asp"
Durability Class based on the CSIRO 1996 ratings in the ground is 3/2 for decay and 4+ for decay and termites. Sapwood is Lyctus-susceptible." A 4 Rating for termites means less than 8 years. Maybe there are termites and TERMITES ?

No idea about the timber, but agree with NOT using SS screws. I bought a box to do a decking job and returned them the same arvo.

From memory, rounded 3 heads, broken 2 out of ten. Went for Gal and didn't miss a beat.

Although the SS did look better...............


GC

You are bang on the money.
There are termites and there are termites.
I am not able to comment on the termite scale you have mentioned but I believe that it is relevant to the infestation of the sapwood in the timber.
As mentioned the sapwood band in Karri is obvious and it is eliminated.
Without knowing the termite scale which I am not trying to elude there are mountains of the material in ground contact a lot more than 8 years old as well as thousands of roofs in WA with the timber being used.
There are millions of metres of the product used in flooring and there are countless commercial and engineered developments with this timber in it.
Then htere is endless amounts of it sold as decking and prominately marketed as Swan river reds by BORAL.
let me tell me you one thing
That mob would not be selling the prodcut if it deteriated by infestation in 8 years.
There would be litigation going off all over the place.
the scale of termite infestation would be interesting to view.
If you ahve access t oit I would love to view it.
Its been good chatting.Lets do more of it
You obviously love you woods.

Originally Posted by andrew tarpey

Then htere is endless amounts of it sold as decking and prominately marketed as Swan river reds by BORAL.

Maybe it was not even Karri, . . . .

Interestingly the Boral Website does not list Swan river red as a species for anything. It lists a River red from NSW (Grandis) for decking and Karri for flooring and decking.

. . . . . . shades of Pacific Jarrah?

Ring them
They have it as do most of the merchants that didtribute Boral products on the east Coast

the Pacific jarrah was anither issue.
That was a specie I believe from the soloman islands that in some ones eyes that could be sold as Jarrah.
They got awaay with it for some time.
I beleive they still do.
The Swan River red matter is a different kettle of fish
They wer not suggesting for one moment that the marketing name was trying to induce you into beleiving it was another time.
It simply said we will market any red timber that comes out of the west as Swan river.reds
Back in 1995 there was a lot more jarrah available and yes they actually convinced me that gnangarra gum was to be part of the package.
give any boral branch a call and ask for swan river reds.
They will have it
River reds has only been around for a shorter period of time
they used to market as mixed reds whcih included mainly grandis and saligna
Red mahogony,
or here is one for you some used to name it
East coast jarrah was part of that package as well
Good night