Square Decking is proud of the fact that we only use the best woods for you.Sourced from special locations all over the world.We have a wide range of selections including Burmese Teak and our personal favourite Red Balau as well as many more.
Red Balau is our favourite and we specialize in it.It is not to be confused with Yellow Balau(which is what almost every one else will offer you)which is proven not to work well in interior regions such as Gauteng.Red Balau is a kiln dried tropical hardwood that can be sealed or left natural.
The wood comes in the following sizes:19x90mm;26x90(30%more durable)and the large 26x140mm.
We use CCA treated pine(protects wood from microbes,termites and other wood boring insects)for the frame:114x38mm
Red vs yellow
Balau in general is a very tightly grained and dense wood with many rich tropical resins and oils.It's similar to teak but much more cost effective.It is very durable.
It can be sealed or left natural in which case it will turn a silvery grey.To retain its original colour you should coat it every 2 years with an oil product containing an ultra-violet inhibitor.
In the battle of red versus yellow,here are some facts:
~ Red balau has a longer lifespan.
~ Red balau is kiln dried.(placed in an oven to remove excess moisture and stabilize wood)
~ Yellow balau is air dried.(resulting in more warping and defects).
~ Yellow balau is 3rd or 4th grade.
~ Red balau is 1st grade.
~ Red balau has almost zero defects such as worm holes,knots and colour variation.
~ Yellow balau only comes in lengths up to 3m long.
~ Red balau comes in lengths up to 5.8m long.
Red balau stats:
~ It comes from managed forests in Indonesia.
~ It's a heavy dense hardwood with interlocking grains.
~ It is very durable.
~ Extremely resistant to both fungal and insect attack.
~ It has a natural resistance to splintering and shrinkage.
~ It's twice as hard as normal mahogany.
~ It has less colour variation than other hardwoods.
~ Reddish brown in colour.
~ Used in: - Heavy construction work
- Bridges
- Sleepers
- Boats
Hardwoods are usually more dense and hard than softwoods(which come from conifers).Examples include teak,oak and balau.
Hardwoods are more costly but would definitely be the better option.
The Clip deck system
We make use of a revolutionary new concept in the decking industry.Using top quality nylon clips(that will outlast even the wood)we seamlessly join the planks together.The clips are manufactured from an extremely durable and strong nylon based compound designed to grip onto the deck boards and stay there.
As you can see in the above diagram clipping your decks is the better option. Standard decks: -Require more screws.
-The screws go right through the top of the wood which takes away the aesthetics.
-The newly drilled holes are an inlet for water,rust and decay.
-Standard decks take up to 70% longer to install. Clip decks:-Require less screws and labour and are therefore quicker to install.
-Are much stronger(as the clip grips a larger deck surface area),can be drilled tighter and won't crack through like wood.
-Last a very long time.
Monocoat oil
Imported from America Monocoat Oils are the next generation of decking sealants.This 1 coat plant based oil is the best product you can put on your wood.It contains no harmful chemicals and comes in more than 30 colours.
Our lighting
We use a system of L.E.D lighting that has been specially designed for use on your wood deck.They use very little power and are built on a day/night switch system.They are made to fit directly into your wood planks.Click here for more info.
Our screws
We use extra long and extra thick copper plated screws for our framework guaranteed to grip tight and last long.
When it comes to fastening the clips of our deck planks we use only the best-stainless steel,which means both strength and no chance of rust.
