St Ives Merbau Deck

Brief

The homeowners wanted an outdoor entertaining area but had an unused section of backyard that wasn't doing anything. The yard sloped, and they weren't sure what would work with the existing layout.

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Challenge

The site had a slope that needed to be worked with rather than against. The deck had to create a flat, usable surface at an appropriate height while tying back into the house cleanly.

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Key considerations included:

• Designing the deck to work with the natural fall of the yard
• Building a raised structure with proper balustrade safety
• Choosing a timber that handles Sydney's moisture and temperature
• Keeping the design in proportion with the home

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Solution

We built a raised Merbau hardwood deck that turned the dead space into a proper outdoor entertaining area. The subframe was designed to follow the slope, creating a level deck surface that connects to the back of the house.

The deck was finished with a glass and wire balustrade to keep sightlines open across the yard. Merbau was the right call for this site. It handles moisture well, holds up to foot traffic, and the rich red tone looks good from day one.

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Result

What was an unused patch of sloped yard is now the most-used area of the property. The raised Merbau deck gives the family a flat, stable outdoor space for dining and entertaining, and the glass and wire balustrade means you can see the full yard from the deck.

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