Merbau is a very dense hardwood timber that commonly grows in the Phillipines, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and other parts of South East Asia. This hardwood is a very popular choice for timber decking and is readily available within Australia. Although its most common use is for outdoor decking, it is a very versatile timber product that is suited to many other external uses, such as fencing, outdoor furniture, pool surrounds and landscape design features. Merbau is also used internally across a large range of uses including timber for flooring.

The grain of Merbau can vary, but it is usually interlocked or wavy with a coarse but even texture and it has a beautiful and deep reddish brown colour. This material is highly resistant to splintering, has minimal shrinkage and finishes beautifully with a stain or polish.

Not only does Merbau look extremely beautiful, it is also a remarkably durable timber with a ‘natural durability rating’ of Class 2 making it highly resistant to decay and insect infestation. This timber also has a reasonably high ability to withstand denting and wear and tear – with a Janka rating of 8.6 for hardness. If properly cared for and maintained, Merbau decking has a very long life span of up to 40 years and it is actually quite an easy surface to maintain. These notable features of this material make it a top choice for a timber deck.