The ultimate Kiwi home dream — a large outdoor living space — would be nothing without the humble deck. When Del Woodford and his family built their new home in Cambridge, plans showed traditional wooden decks — a style they didn’t think would suit their home. So, they moved into their new home with pallets for decks (classic kiwi number 8 wire) until they had decided how they wanted to use their outdoor spaces.

The family’s black brick stack with white stria home is now characterised by a whopping back deck the size of a small home in Auckland — 75m² to be exact — accompanied by a smaller deck that leads to the front entrance of the home.

Del spent a lot of time researching decking materials. He says he didn’t know a lot about composite decking until he was introduced to Ultim8 decking by IBuilt — a solution so perfect, it’s like the match was made in decking heaven.

“I looked at a bunch of hardwood decking options — pine, which was the most economical option, but requires regular staining; Aquila, which in my experience has never lasted long, so as an alternative I started researching composite decking solutions. I received a sample of Ultim8 and honestly, it’s like the product was made to fit our home.”

Creating the right aesthetic, without the hassle

Del talks about how he was looking for something that would maintain its structural integrity and performance over time, and require very little maintenance. He had a specific aesthetic in mind, too — a large deck area perfect for entertaining, with seating and open planter boxes built in. He was also looking for that clean and polished finish.

Del’s builder, Scott David Peters of SDP Construction, is no stranger to composite decking. He says IBuilt’s Ultim8 suited this project because of its consistency. IBuilt’s Ultim8 composite decking products are an alternative to hardwood, combining two sustainable and responsible materials — plantation-grown bamboo for strength, and recycled (HDPE) waste plastic for durability and weather resistance. This composite material provides the look and feel of natural timber, without some of the usual hassles of maintaining timber decking.

Team goes extra mile

Although the deck was simple and square in design, with very few shapes or steps, without the use of a specialty tool, its large size could have made it difficult to achieve Del’s specific aesthetic. He wanted it to look seamless, with no screws visible from the top of the deck.

Del was keen on a secret nail look, after some research it was decided the most effective solution was to work with the Camo fastener system that removed the need for face mount screws but still allowed the removal of individual boards should the need arise after the deck was installed.

“The IBuilt team contacted the tool supplier, tried it out for themselves on their own product before giving me and Scott the go-ahead to use it on our project. And Scott’s done a great job with both decks,” explains Del.

More BBQ-ing, less maintenance

So, what does Del think of the finished results?

“Absolutely stoked! The product doesn’t require staining — it’s already a beautiful grey colour — and because of the size of the back deck, with its long, wide planks and no visible screws, it really stands out. We get a lot of compliments on how good it looks."

“There’s no better feeling than setting up your BBQ on a new deck. We’re excited to finally have an outdoor living space that works for us as a family, and I’m so pleased with how well it matches our house.”