How Much Does Ekodeck Cost Compared to Timber?

A practical breakdown of Ekodeck cost on the Central Coast versus timber decking — material, installation, and the 25-year maintenance bill most quotes leave out.

Every deck quote looks like two numbers: a material cost and an install cost. That's the easy part to compare. What actually decides whether Ekodeck or timber is the better spend on a Central Coast property is what happens in the fifteen years after installation — sanding, oiling, salt-air wear, and the occasional board replacement that timber decks quietly accumulate. Below is how the two stack up at every stage, from the first quote to the 25-year mark.

The figures below are general estimates to help you compare the two materials — every deck differs in size, access, subframe condition, and board choice, so they're a starting point for budgeting, not a quote. For pricing on your actual project, get in touch with us directly.

Ekodeck Material Costs Per Square Meter

Composite board costs more upfront than most timber, and Ekodeck is no exception. As a general planning range for the Central Coast:

On material price alone, Ekodeck sits above treated pine and roughly in line with mid-to-premium hardwood. It's not the cheapest board on the rack — but material cost is only one line in the total bill, and it's the line that changes least over the life of the deck.

Installation Costs: Ekodeck vs Timber

Installation is where the two materials diverge more than most homeowners expect. Ekodeck boards are milled to a consistent profile and go down on a hidden fastening system, which speeds up laying time and avoids the visible screw heads and pre-drilling timber needs. Hardwood, by contrast, needs more cutting allowance for natural variation, pre-drilling to stop splitting, and ideally a coat of oil before or shortly after it goes down.

Lifetime Cost Comparison Over 25 Years

Timber's running costs are where the upfront saving gets eroded. Hardwood decking on the Central Coast typically needs re-oiling or re-staining every 12–18 months to hold its colour and stop cracking under UV and salt exposure — call it $20–$35/m² in product and labour per treatment if you're paying a tradesperson, or a weekend of your own time if you're not. Over 25 years, that's somewhere between 15 and 20 maintenance cycles, plus an allowance for replacing boards that split, cup, or rot outright.

Ekodeck's running cost is close to zero: an occasional wash to clear surface grime, no sanding, no oiling, and no board replacement budget to plan for under normal use. The upfront gap narrows every year the deck is in service, and on most 20–25 year projections the total cost of ownership favours Ekodeck once timber's cumulative maintenance spend is counted in.

These are planning ranges, not a quote — actual figures depend on deck size, board choice, and how consistently a timber deck is maintained. A timber deck that's under-maintained won't cost less over time; it'll just fail earlier and need boards replaced sooner instead of oiled regularly. If you want numbers specific to your deck rather than a range, that's exactly what a quote from us is for.

Hidden Timber Maintenance Costs

The maintenance line item on a timber quote rarely captures the full picture. On a coastal property, factor in:

• Re-oiling or staining every 12–18 months, more often on boards in direct sun or sea spray.
• Sanding back greyed, splintering, or rough boards every few years to keep the surface safe underfoot.
• Salt-air acceleration — airborne salt speeds up timber greying, fixing corrosion, and grain-raising along exposed Central Coast frontages.
• Board replacement for individual boards that cup, split, or rot, particularly near ground contact or in shaded, damp corners.
• Pest and termite checks, an ongoing cost timber carries that composite decking doesn't.
• Your own time — if maintenance is DIY, it's still a real cost in weekends spent sanding and coating rather than using the deck.

None of these show up on the day-one invoice, which is exactly why timber looks cheaper than it turns out to be.

Ekodeck ROI for Central Coast Properties

For owner-occupiers, the return shows up as time and money not spent on upkeep, plus a deck that still looks presentable a decade in without a restoration project. For landlords and investment property owners, it's fewer maintenance callouts between tenancies and no urgent re-oiling job before an inspection. And for any property exposed to salt air and coastal humidity, composite decking simply degrades slower than timber over the same span — which is the difference between a deck that needs attention and one that doesn't.

Buyers and renters on the Central Coast increasingly read a low-maintenance deck as a feature, not a neutral detail, which can support resale appeal alongside the running-cost savings above.

Frequently asked

Is Ekodeck more expensive than timber decking?

Upfront, yes — Ekodeck typically costs 15–30% more than hardwood to supply and install. Over 25 years, timber's ongoing oiling, sanding, and board replacement usually closes or reverses that gap.

How long before Ekodeck pays for itself compared to timber?

Based on typical Central Coast maintenance cycles, the total cost of ownership tends to even out somewhere in the 10–15 year mark, then favours Ekodeck for the remaining life of the deck.

Does Ekodeck decking need any maintenance at all?

It needs far less than timber — an occasional wash is generally all that's required, with no oiling, staining, or sanding under normal use.