Australian turpentine hardwood decking, 135 x 19mm in random lengths. A dense native timber with deep red to red-brown colour, delivered across Melbourne.
Australian turpentine is a dense native hardwood with deep red to red-brown heartwood, and we stock it as 135 x 19mm decking in random lengths. It suits deck builders and home owners who want a durable, termite-resistant board with strong fire credentials, including for BAL-29 sites. Send us your plans and we’ll work out the quantities.
Turpentine (Syncarpia glomulifera) is a large hardwood from the high rainfall country of Australia’s east coast, growing from Batemans Bay in New South Wales to Cooktown in far north Queensland. The heartwood ranges from deep red to red-brown, the sapwood is paler and often cream, and the texture is fine to medium with a wavy, interlocked grain. It’s relatively free of gum veins, which helps keep the look of a deck clean and even. The figures below come from the WoodSolutions turpentine species data and its deck design guide.
| Property | Turpentine |
|---|---|
| Decking size we list | 135 x 19mm, random lengths |
| Seasoned density | About 945 kg/m³ |
| Natural durability, above ground | Class 1 |
| Natural durability, in ground | Class 2 |
| Termite resistant | Yes |
| Lyctid borer | Not susceptible |
| Bushfire | Bushfire-resisting timber, BAL-12.5, BAL-19 and BAL-29 |
| Hardness, seasoned (WoodSolutions figure) | 11.6 |
Turpentine has a long track record in tough places. WoodSolutions calls it the main Australian species for marine piling, it’s used in wharf and bridge construction, and its high silica content makes it resistant to marine borers. On a house deck, the numbers that matter are Class 1 above-ground durability, which WoodSolutions puts at more than 40 years, and termite resistance.
Fire performance is the other big reason. WoodSolutions notes that untreated turpentine performs like fire-retardant-treated timber under AS/NZS 3837, and it sits on the bushfire-resisting timber list for BAL-12.5, BAL-19 and BAL-29 under AS 3959. For Melbourne homes in designated bushfire-prone areas, that’s a big tick.
We think turpentine deserves more attention in Melbourne. It shares bushfire-resisting status with spotted gum and has a richer, redder colour.
On the limits side, it’s dense and hard, so pre-drill near edges and ends: keep fixings at least 12mm in, with holes about 80% of the nail diameter. Random lengths mean more butt joints to plan, and each one should land on a joist. Like most hardwoods it contains water-soluble extractives that can stain unsealed paving and brickwork, so finish all faces and cut ends before laying.
For 19mm hardwood decking in Medium Feature or Standard grade, AS 1684 allows joists at up to 500mm centres, according to the WoodSolutions domestic timber deck design guide. Use hot-dipped galvanised or stainless fixings (stainless within 1km of the coast or in a pool splash zone), and keep the boards 10mm off the house wall. Our step-by-step guide on building a timber deck covers framing and layout, and our article on the best wood for decking compares species.
A penetrating decking oil suits turpentine better than a film-forming coating, which foot traffic wears through. Re-oil at least once a year or as the coating maker suggests, sweep rather than hose the deck, and lift pot plants onto drip trays. See our deck maintenance tips for the full routine.
Turpentine decking is delivered by our own trucks across Melbourne, or collect from the Watsonia yard; call us for a delivery price. We deliver 6 days a week, from a trailer load to a semi load, usually within 2 days (Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm, Saturday 7am to 2pm).
Call (03) 9435 2555 or use our quote request form. Comparing species? See our spotted gum decking, silvertop ash decking or the full timber decking range.
Yes. WoodSolutions lists turpentine as a bushfire-resisting timber for BAL-12.5, BAL-19 and BAL-29 under AS 3959. Confirm your BAL with your building surveyor.
Yes. The heartwood is rated termite resistant, and the sapwood isn’t susceptible to lyctid borer.
Our turpentine decking is 135 x 19mm in random lengths. Tell us the deck size and we’ll work out how many lineal metres to order.
