Wood, wood composite, or a wood-look alternative? With a variety of options on the market, how do you choose the right one for your home? DecoWood® is Australia’s leading sublimated timbergrain powder coated finish for aluminium. Using a DecoWood product, whether it be cladding, decking, battens, sheeting or fencing, will offer you a myriad of benefits, including the beauty of natural wood coupled with the durability of powder-coated aluminium. Choosing a timber-look aluminium building product with a DecoWood® finish is the perfect choice to add a stunning, long-lasting natural element to your home. Read on to find out some of the ways DecoWood® compares to other alternatives.

Maintenance

Timber is strongly affected by weathering, and its appearance and strength can be altered by damp, heat and strong sunlight. For this reason, timber must be regularly stained or oiled to maintain it. Wood composites can also fade or weather when exposed to the elements – and in addition, their porous nature means they are also at risk of staining easily due to spills, and must be thoroughly cleaned using a cleaning agent. DecoWood®, on the other hand, consists of a Super Durable™ powder coating for aluminium, which is designed to withstand even the harshest of Australian conditions. This means it will never need staining or oiling, and can be easily cleaned with a hose and a pH-neutral detergent, and will maintain its stunning woodgrain colour.

Fire Safety

While a beautiful timber façade or deck is many a homeowner’s dream, building in bushfire zones limits your opportunities. Even the more bushfire-resistant species of timber, such as Blackbutt, can only be used up to BAL 29. Composites with fire retardants can be used in some cases up to BAL 40, but they are still excluded from the Flame Zone. DecoDeck® – a solid aluminium decking profile with a special slip-resistant DecoWood® finish – comes with special cover strips to insert between the boards, which make it compliant right up to BAL FZ. Solid, powder coated aluminium is also non-combustible in accordance with AS 1530.1 and AS 1530.3. meaning if embers land on the deck they are less likely to start a fire. Even if exposed to a flame, the DecoWood® finish will char, rather than spreading flames. DecoDeck® is therefore a fire-safe timber alternative for BAL 40 and BAL FZ, which still looks like the real thing thanks to its stunning, non-combustible DecoWood® finish.

Long-term costs

While the appeal of using a natural product is high, real wood can fade, rot, warp and even twist over time, leaving your deck, fence or the cladding on your house in need of repairs. Maintenance or replacement costs can vastly outweigh the initial material costs of cheaper timbers. Even more durable species of timber, such as Western Red Cedar, which may cost more initially, will still need regular maintenance to reduce the effects of ageing and weathering. Wood composites can be expensive to install, and are susceptible to mildew and sunlight. Some composites need to be replaced as often as every three years. Using solid aluminium products finished in DecoWood® can significantly reduce long-term costs. Aluminium is lightweight and easy to install, reducing labour costs when building your deck, fence or façade. As the Super Durable™ finish has been tested in extreme exposure sites, it is proven resistant to sunlight and other elements. DecoWood® is also resistant to chipping and cracking, meaning re-staining or re-finishing your aluminium products is not necessary. Aluminium building products with a timber-look, sublimated powder coating finish also have the added benefit of not rotting or warping, reducing your need to replace boards or panels frequently. Using an aluminium product finished in DecoWood® will mean a significant reduction in long-term costs.

 For more information on DecoWood®, and on DECO’s range of products finished in DecoWood® including DecoDeck, DecoClad, DecoBatten and DecoSlat, contact us at info@deco.net.au .