Registered Building Practitioner
Bayside Construction Company Pty Ltd logo
Outdoor Construction Specialists
0423 224 016
Attention to detail

As outdoor structures are constantly exposed to the elements, it is important that the necessary steps are taken to ensure works will maintain the same visual appearance as the day they were built; and also to make sure the structural elements within each job will not distort or change shape over time.Through using quality materials and workmanship, we can achieve a finished product which will look great ... and stay that way for many years to come.
Here, we provide short descriptions of materials that should and should not be used within your outdoor structure.

When should I seal my deck? What should I use?
We recommend using decking oil on your decking and outdoor woodwork. Lacquer or varnishes wear unevenly over time, once this occurs the decking must be sanded back before re sealing, in order to achieve a good even finish.

FastenersWhat type of nails and fasteners should be used on my outdoor structure?
Galvanised or stainless steel nails must be used in all outdoor structures due to their weather resistant properties. Galvanised nails and hardware are processed through a series of coating treatments which once completed make them weather proof and thereby greatly reducing there susceptibility to rust. This process makes this hardware more expensive than non galvanised nails and hardware, but is crucial to the long life of the nails and of the structure to which they are fastened with.

Decking fastenersStainless steel fasteners and hardware:
Stainless steel is a low carbon steel that includes at lest 10% chromium metal by weight in its composition. This is what is responsible for its stainless property: The chromium oxide forms a film non-detectable to the naked eye on the surface of the steel, which is flexible and self-healing in the presence of oxygen gas. Stainless steel nails and hardware should be used in all corrosive environments such as coastal areas.

Is there a specific type of concrete which should be used in conjunction with my outdoor construction?
Correct concrete must be used on all structural members e.g stumps and load bearing points (at least 20mpa). Rapid set concrete should be avoided in most instances as it does not carry a structural rating. Concrete pads used under stumps supporting floor loads only must be at least 150mm deep.

Is rough sawn timber adequate for use within my outdoor structure?
Rough sawn timber is timber that is not kiln dried and arrives at its suppliers still wet or “green”. Many decks and pergolas are built using this timber and it can cause problems once it dries out. As it dries, it can pull with it nails or fixings thereby cracking the decking boards. It can also change shape during the drying process thereby changing the shape of the structure it is incorporated in.

Which decking fasteners should be used on my timber decking?
Our preference is to use screws to fasten decking boards as they have a greater ability to hold the boards in place compared to that of nails. Decking boards which are fastened using pneumatic nail guns tend to move, and in some cases the heads of the nails can work their way proud of the decking , which not only looks bad, but can be a tripping hazard.

What are the ventilation requirements for my decking structure?
All decking structures should have at least 150mm clearance between the underside of the bearer and the ground or foundation it is built from.