Durability

A built deck has meet several building codes regarding durability.

Fasteners and fixings

Contrary to a common belief to many DIY enthusiasts, all fixings (with the exception of nails, screws and fabricated brackets) need to be Stainless Steel, grade 304 for externally exposed decks. All the decks designed using ROBO Deck Designer has open slats between the decking timbers and are considered exposed. This applies to all the exposure zones as set out in NZS 3604. This does not cover areas affected by

• Industrial contamination and corrosive environments.
• Geothermal hotspots - Hot spots are defined as within 50m of a bore, mud pool, steam vent or other source.

Fabricated brackets need to be a minimum of 5mm thick, and hot dip galvanised.

Timbers

Preservative treatment of timber used in decks needs to comply with NZS 3602.

For more information on the durability of building materials used on decks, please refer to NZS3604, section 4.