Two hardwoods dominate Melbourne backyards: Merbau (also sold as Kwila) and Spotted Gum. Both are beautiful, both last decades outdoors — but they behave differently in Victoria's weather, and the right choice depends on your site.
Merbau: the dependable all-rounder
Merbau is the workhorse of Australian decking, and for good reason:
- Rich, even colour — deep orange-brown that settles into a handsome dark brown.
- Excellent stability — it copes well with Melbourne's swings between 40°C northerly days and cold, wet fronts, moving less than most timbers.
- Termite resistant and naturally durable, rated for 25+ years above ground.
- Kind on the budget — usually the cheapest hardwood option.
The catch: tannin bleed. Fresh Merbau leaches a dark, tea-like stain when it gets wet before it has fully weathered or been cleaned properly. In Melbourne, where autumn and winter are damp, that bleed can mark light-coloured pavers and painted render for the first season. It washes out of timber, but it's worth planning drainage and floor finishes around.
Spotted Gum: the local champion
Spotted Gum grows along Australia's east coast and is the premium choice:
- Distinctive grain — gum veins, fiddleback figure and tones from pale browns to rich chocolate. No two boards are alike, and it looks spectacular under a clear oil.
- Bushfire-rated — it's one of the few timbers suitable for BAL-29 construction, relevant on Melbourne's fringe (though not usually the inner west).
- Very hard — Janka around 11, dents less than Merbau underfoot and furniture.
- Sourced closer to home, which matters to many clients.
The trade-offs: it typically costs 10–20% more per metre than Merbau, and its density makes it slightly harder on tools and fixings.
How Melbourne's climate treats each
Victoria's UV is fierce in summer, and both species silver off if left unoiled — Spotted Gum's colour change is the more dramatic of the two. In shaded, damp inner-west yards (think the older pockets of Newport and Ascot Vale with big canopies), either timber can grow surface mould on shaded boards; neither is especially prone to rot when properly ventilated underneath.
Both timbers hold oil beautifully. Expect to re-oil every 12–18 months — our seasonal maintenance guide covers the full routine.
If you want even colour, the best price and maximum stability: Merbau. If you want character, provenance and the harder-wearing surface, and you're happy to pay a bit more: Spotted Gum.
Our honest take
For a classic inner-west backyard, Merbau remains the value pick and it's what we build most often. For front-facing decks and alfresco areas where the deck is a design feature, Spotted Gum under a natural oil is hard to beat.
If hands-on timber care isn't your thing, composite decking removes the oiling entirely. Whichever way you lean, we measure your site for free and quote both options side by side, fixed in writing.