Merbau vs Composite Decking – Which One is Right For Your Home?

A well-built deck changes how you live in your home, turning a bare backyard into the place to be for weekend lunches, morning coffees, and long summer evenings. For a Melbourne home, it’s the kind of feature that pulls everything together.

When you start planning one, the merbau vs composite decking question comes up fast. Both materials are popular for good reason, and both can look excellent in the right setting. But they perform differently, age differently, and ask different things of you over time.

We’re here to help you get that choice right from the start. At Love It Landscaping, we always look at decking as part of the broader landscape design, not as a standalone decision. Material choice should work with your home’s architecture, paving, planting, levels and how you’ll use the space, rather than simply comparing one product against another.

A Quick Introduction to Merbau vs Composite Decking

• Merbau is a dense natural hardwood with rich, warm tones. It’s durable and long-lasting, but needs periodic oiling to maintain its appearance, with the frequency depending on weather exposure, usage and the coating system used.
• Composite decking is made from wood fibre and recycled plastic. It’s low maintenance, though periodic cleaning and care is still recommended in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines, and many quality composite products come with residential warranties of approximately 25 years or more, depending on the manufacturer and product range.
  
• The right choice comes down to how much maintenance you’re willing to put in, your budget, and how the deck fits into the wider garden design.

What Makes Merbau a Melbourne Favourite

Merbau is a dense tropical hardwood with a deep reddish-brown grain that’s been the default decking choice in Australian backyards for decades. That long track record reflects genuine performance.

What it does well

• Rich, warm colour tones that suit a wide range of home styles, from period homes to contemporary builds
• Naturally durable, with good resistance to decay and termite attack, though the complete deck structure should still be designed and constructed with appropriate termite-management considerations
• Dense and solid underfoot in a way that feels premium
• Excellent longevity when properly maintained – well-cared-for merbau decks regularly last 25+ years
• Aesthetically versatile alongside natural materials like brick paving for Melbourne homes and timber garden screens

Where it falls short

• Needs periodic oiling to hold its colour and resist weathering, with frequency depending on weather exposure, usage and the coating system used
• Can bleed tannins after installation, a reddish-brown residue that can stain adjacent paving or concrete if not managed
• Sourcing matters: look for FSC-certified merbau to ensure responsible harvesting
• Requires some upfront care at installation; always follow supplier recommendations for correct preparation and installation

The maintenance commitment is the defining question with merbau. If you’re comfortable with annual upkeep, it remains one of the most rewarding decking materials available.

Why Composite Decking is Becoming More Popular

Composite decking is made from a blend of wood fibre and recycled plastic. Early products had a reputation for looking artificial, but modern composite boards have improved substantially. Today’s options offer convincing grain texture and natural-looking colour variation. 

The real selling point isn’t the appearance though. It’s what you don’t have to do.

What it does well

• Composite decking generally does not require regular oiling, staining or sealing
• Resistant to moisture and splintering, and designed to resist significant colour change, although performance varies between products
• Consistent appearance year after year with minimal effort
• Can be a suitable option for shaded areas or around pools, though slip resistance, heat retention, drainage, ventilation and overall maintenance requirements should be assessed for each product before deciding
• Many quality composite decking products come with residential warranties of approximately 25 years or more, depending on the manufacturer and product range

Where it falls short

• Higher upfront cost than merbau at the supply stage
• Can retain heat in direct sun; worth considering on north-facing decks that get full afternoon exposure
• Colour range is more limited than the natural variation you get from real timber
• Doesn’t replicate the authentic grain feel or acoustic quality of hardwood underfoot

For households that prioritise low maintenance (busy families, rental properties, or homes where the deck sees heavy daily use), composite’s advantages are significant.

Maintenance: What You’re Actually Signing Up For

This is where the merbau vs composite decking decision becomes most concrete.

Merbau maintenance schedule:

• Oil every 12–18 months with a quality penetrating oil
• Light sanding before re-oiling if the surface has weathered
• Annual inspection of any cut ends and fixings

Composite maintenance schedule:

• Periodic hose-down or low-pressure wash
• Clear debris from board grooves in shaded areas to prevent mould build-up
• That’s largely the full extent of it

If you enjoy outdoor maintenance projects on weekends, merbau is satisfying to work with. If you’d genuinely rather not think about it, composite is the more honest choice for your lifestyle.

Cost Comparison: Upfront vs Long-Term

Merbau generally has a lower upfront material cost than composite decking at the supply stage, though pricing varies depending on the product, supplier, board size, grade, brand and overall project scope. Installation costs for either material can vary significantly depending on the deck design, subframe, board profile, fixing system, access and manufacturer requirements.

The upfront gap is real. But over 15–20 years, composite often closes it. Factor in a decade of oiling products, occasional board replacement on a merbau deck, and the cumulative time involved, and the total cost picture shifts.

For a larger landscape construction project where decking sits alongside paving, planting, and structural work, it’s worth running those long-term numbers before allocating your budget.

A good landscape design company can help you weigh up the full cost picture across the whole outdoor brief.

Merbau vs Composite Decking at a Glance

Decking Type	Merbau	Composite
Upfront material cost	Generally lower	Generally higher
Maintenance	Annual oiling required	Minimal
Lifespan	25+ years (maintained)	25–30 years
Aesthetic	Natural hardwood grain	Timber-look, consistent
Best for	Natural aesthetics, cost-conscious budgets	Low-maintenance applications and selected poolside or moisture-prone areas, subject to product suitability

Which One Should You Choose?

There’s no single right answer to the merbau vs composite decking question; it simply depends on your block, your budget, and how you actually live.

Merbau is the better fit if:

• You love natural timber and don’t mind the annual upkeep
• You’re working to a tighter upfront budget
• The deck has good sun exposure and ventilation
• You’re integrating it with other natural materials (like stone, timber, garden beds)

Composite is the better fit if:

• Low maintenance is a genuine priority, not just a preference
• The deck area is shaded, near a pool, or prone to moisture
• The household is busy, and the deck will be in heavy daily use
• You’re thinking about long-term consistency without ongoing effort

It’s also worth keeping in mind that material selection isn’t only about aesthetics and maintenance. Structural requirements, planning and building requirements, poolside considerations and, where applicable, Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) requirements can all influence which product is suitable for your project.

If the deck is part of a broader garden project, connecting to retaining walls, levels, paving, or a new entertainment area, it’s worth thinking about the full design before committing to a material. The right choice often depends on how everything sits together.

Looking for landscape construction services in Melbourne? 

Contact Love It Landscaping to work through your project from the ground up.