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A Windang home on the NSW South Coast replaced its failing hardwood deck with an approximately 80 m² outdoor entertaining area that combines a new deck, built-in seating, BBQ storage, cladding, planters and evening lighting. The project shows why a coastal renovation has to address the structure beneath the visible boards as carefully as the finish above them.
Southsea Carpentry carried out the work for the owners, with materials supplied by Wonson Bros Timbers & Building Supplies. The project account is published by NewTechWood, so its product and warranty statements are manufacturer claims rather than independent performance testing.
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The project at a glance
| Element | What the case study records |
|---|---|
| Location | Windang, on the NSW South Coast, near Lake Illawarra |
| Scope | Approximately 80 m² of decking, seating and BBQ-area refurbishment |
| Builder | Southsea Carpentry, Illawarra, NSW |
| Supplier | Wonson Bros Timbers & Building Supplies, Tarrawanna, NSW |
| Deck surface | NewTechWood US49 Terrace decking in Teak |
| Cladding | NewTechWood UH61 Castellation cladding in Ebony |
| Lighting | Kos lights, including lighting at the pool steps and strip lighting below the bench |
| Structural discovery | More than half of the old frame required replacement after the hardwood boards were removed |
| Warranty statement | A 25-year residential warranty is stated on the manufacturer-hosted page; current terms and applicability must be confirmed |
The page does not state the project completion date. It also does not provide independent measurements of service life, slip resistance, fading, structural performance or maintenance requirements.
Why the old deck had to be opened up first
The renovation began as a surface replacement, but removing the old hardwood boards changed the scope. Tom Dillon of Southsea Carpentry is quoted as saying that the existing frame had “seen better days” and that more than 50% of it needed to be replaced.
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That discovery is a useful warning for anyone pricing a deck from photographs or a quick visual inspection. Boards conceal the joists, bearers, posts and connections that carry the load. Timber can look acceptable from above while having deterioration at fixings, ends, low points or places where water remains trapped. Until the surface is lifted, the amount of rebuilding is an estimate rather than a confirmed quantity.
What the discovery means for budgeting
A responsible allowance separates the visible finish from the supporting frame. Include demolition, disposal, inspection, replacement timber or other framing components, new fixings and any adjustments needed around steps, doors, drainage or pool edges. The Windang case does not publish a cost, so no dollar estimate can be inferred from its 80 m² area.
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The practical sequence is to expose the frame, assess what can remain, replace compromised sections, protect the rebuilt structure and then install the new boards. Reversing that order risks fitting an attractive surface over defects that will be difficult and expensive to reach later.
Designing a large entertaining zone rather than a simple platform
The owners wanted enough room for friends and family, and that brief shaped more than the deck size. The completed area incorporates bench seating, a built-in BBQ with storage beneath, planters and a raised bench face finished in Ebony cladding. These pieces turn the deck into an outdoor room with places to sit, prepare food, store equipment and soften the hard edges with planting.
Bench seating as architecture
Fixed seating can define the edge of a deck and create a continuous visual line, but it also affects access to the frame, drainage and electrical work. In this project, the bench rise became a cladding surface rather than an afterthought. That gives the seating a finished architectural face and lets the dark Ebony tone contrast with the Teak deck.
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BBQ and storage planning
A built-in BBQ needs a deliberate relationship between cooking space, landing areas and circulation. Storage below keeps utensils and outdoor equipment close to the cooking zone, reducing the need for freestanding cabinets that would consume floor area. Any future project should confirm appliance clearances, ventilation, access panels and the suitability of surrounding materials with the appliance manufacturer and local requirements.
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Planters and movement
Planters help divide a broad deck into usable zones, but they add weight and create locations where water, soil and leaf litter can sit. Their placement should leave inspection routes to the frame and avoid blocking drainage or the safest path to steps and doors. The case study identifies planters as part of the finished arrangement but does not specify their dimensions or construction.
The material palette: Teak decking with Ebony cladding
The named surface is NewTechWood US49 Terrace decking in Teak, paired with NewTechWood UH61 Castellation cladding in Ebony. The warm deck colour establishes the main floor plane; the darker, textured cladding gives the bench rise a strong vertical accent.
This restrained two-colour approach is useful when a deck includes several built elements. Keeping the floor and vertical feature in distinct tones makes the seating and BBQ zone legible without requiring a collection of competing finishes. It also gives a painting or exterior-colour plan a clear starting point: treat the deck as one dominant colour, the built-in joinery or wall as a second, and furnishings and planting as the flexible layer.
Do not assume the products can be substituted casually
The case study names specific product ranges and colours, but it does not establish that every composite board or cladding profile has identical dimensions, support requirements or fixing details. If a different system is considered, compare its installation instructions, subframe spacing, edge details, expansion provisions, warranty language and colour availability rather than relying on the appearance alone.
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What is and is not proven by the colour choice
The photographs and project description document the selected colours. They do not prove that Teak or Ebony will weather identically at another property, that either colour will remain unchanged, or that the combination is suitable for every exposure. Those decisions require the current technical data for the exact product and site.
Coastal and lakeside detailing beneath the finish
Windang is a seaside location, and the case study also identifies the nearby Lake Illawarra setting. The builders report using stainless-steel fixings throughout and wrapping the subframe with vapour or joist protection tape. These are choices documented for this project, not a universal specification for every deck.
Stainless-steel fixings
Fasteners are small components with an outsized effect on a deck’s serviceability. In a salty or persistently damp environment, the installer must select a grade and fixing method compatible with the board system, the supporting frame and the local exposure. “Stainless steel” by itself does not identify a grade, so a quotation should state the proposed fastener specification and where it will be used.
Joist or vapour protection tape
Protection tape is applied over the top of framing members in the reported build. Its purpose in a project like this is to separate the board-and-fastener zone from the timber surface and help limit water entry at penetrations. The correct product, width, adhesion and installation method must come from the tape manufacturer and the decking system instructions; the case study does not publish those details.
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Drainage remains fundamental
No tape or fastener can compensate for water that has nowhere to go. The frame, board layout, edges, steps and areas beneath seating need a path for rain and cleaning water to escape. A site inspection should check falls, clearances and access before the first board is fixed.
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Lighting that extends the deck into the evening
The finished area includes strip lighting below the bench and lights in the pool steps, identified in the case study as Kos lights. This is a layered approach: concealed light gives the bench a floating edge, while step lighting marks a change in level where people need visual guidance.
Plan lighting before cladding closes the frame
Lighting conduits, drivers, junctions and access points are much easier to install while the bench and cladding are open. Draw the cable routes before the final boards and panels are fitted, and leave serviceable access to components that may need replacement. The project description does not state the electrical voltage, control system, ratings or installer, so those details should not be assumed.
Separate atmosphere from safety
Low-level strip lighting can create atmosphere, but it should not be treated as the only illumination for stairs, cooking surfaces or circulation paths. A lighting plan should identify every level change and work area, then coordinate fittings with the relevant electrical and pool-safety requirements.
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- Record the brief. Set the required entertaining capacity, seating positions, BBQ location, storage needs, planting areas, lighting goals and access to the house and pool.
- Survey the existing structure. Measure the deck and inspect posts, bearers, joists, connections, drainage and interfaces with the building before promising a final price.
- Remove the old boards carefully. Photograph concealed conditions as sections are opened so the replacement scope can be documented.
- Approve the frame strategy. Identify which components remain, which are replaced and how the rebuilt frame will meet the chosen decking system’s requirements.
- Confirm exposure-specific details. Specify fastener material, protection tape, flashings, clearances and drainage for the actual coastal or lakeside conditions.
- Coordinate services. Set lighting routes, BBQ services, storage access and any pool-related interfaces before closing the structure.
- Install the deck and built elements. Follow the current manufacturer instructions for board spacing, edge restraint, cuts, fixing and cladding attachment.
- Commission the area. Check walking surfaces, doors, steps, storage access, lighting operation, drainage and appliance clearances before handover.
This workflow reflects the decisions exposed by the Windang project; it is not a claim that every step or specification appears on the case-study page.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Questions to ask before signing a quote
- Does the price include lifting and disposing of the existing hardwood boards?
- How will the contractor inspect the frame once it is exposed, and what triggers a variation?
- Which sections of the subframe will be replaced, and what material and treatment will be used?
- What stainless-steel grade and fixing pattern are proposed?
- Which joist-protection tape is specified, and how will joints and penetrations be sealed?
- How will the deck drain beneath benches, planters and the BBQ enclosure?
- Where are the electrical drivers, junctions and access panels for the lighting?
- What clearances and ventilation does the selected BBQ require?
- Which current warranty document applies to the exact decking and cladding products?
- Who is responsible for approvals, electrical work and any pool-interface requirements?
How to read the 25-year warranty statement
The manufacturer-hosted case-study page reproduces a 25-year residential warranty statement. That number should be treated as a manufacturer warranty claim, not as an independently measured lifespan or a promise that the entire deck will remain unchanged for 25 years.
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Before relying on it, obtain the current warranty document and check the covered products, installation conditions, owner obligations, exclusions, colour or appearance provisions, transfer rules and claim process. Confirm that the intended property use is residential and that the installer’s method meets every stated requirement. The page does not give the warranty publication year or establish that the terms are unchanged today.
What this case study can—and cannot—tell you
Established by the project account
- An approximately 80 m² refurbishment was completed in Windang near Lake Illawarra.
- The work replaced old hardwood decking and included a substantial rebuild after more than half of the existing frame was found to require replacement.
- The named materials were US49 Terrace decking in Teak and UH61 Castellation cladding in Ebony.
- The design included seating, BBQ storage, planters and integrated evening lighting.
- Southsea Carpentry reports using stainless-steel fixings and joist or vapour protection tape.
Not established by the page
- The total project cost, labour rate or itemised material cost.
- The completion date or the deck’s measured age.
- Independent testing of durability, slip resistance, fading, structural capacity or maintenance burden.
- A named interview with the owners; the page’s positive reaction is not an independently documented quotation from identified people.
- Current stock, colour availability or current warranty wording.
Keeping those boundaries clear matters. A successful project account can show how a particular brief was solved without proving that the same products, details or results will suit every home.
Lessons for painting and exterior-finish planning
Although the Windang project is centred on decking and cladding rather than a conventional painted facade, it offers a useful colour-planning lesson. Outdoor renovations often combine existing walls, new flooring, built-in joinery, metal hardware, planting and lighting. Choose the dominant fixed finishes first, then test any paint colours against them in daylight and after dark.
The Teak-and-Ebony pairing demonstrates the value of a controlled palette: one warm horizontal surface and one dark vertical feature. If nearby walls or trims are to be painted, samples should be viewed beside both materials, not on a separate white card. Consider how light from the under-bench strip and pool steps changes perceived colour at night. Paint selection should remain separate from claims about the composite products’ warranty or weathering, because the case study provides no paint-performance data.
The takeaway for a seaside deck renovation
The strongest idea in the Windang example is not a single colour or product. It is the decision to treat the deck as a complete outdoor room and to resolve the hidden structure before polishing the visible finish. The owners’ entertaining brief led to seating, BBQ storage, planters and lighting; the coastal setting led the builders to document stainless-steel fixings and protective tape; and the removal of the old boards revealed why a frame inspection could not be skipped.
Use the project as a planning reference, not a guarantee. Confirm the current technical instructions, obtain a detailed quote that allows for concealed damage, and have the proposed structure, services, lighting and warranty requirements checked for your own site.
Quick Recap
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