Need ideas for new pool decking - rustic look

[KimN]

I would love some ideas for new pool  decking. Current decking sits on two concrete slabs and each piece of old wood is 2m x 10cm x7.5cm. Open to the next deck being a bit longer (aka 2.5-3m). Our house is a nice redwood brown and would love something rustic or earthy looking to go with the cabin in the woods style of my house. 

I’ve been thinking about varnishing sienna sleepers but would love some other/better ideas. 

Looks like ants or termites under the old sleepers. 

 

 

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @KimN. It's great to have you join us, and many thanks for your question pool decking.

If you’re looking to maintain the sleeper styling, Sienna sleepers would be a great option as they’re non-CCA treated, making them suitable for a trafficked area like your pool deck. Since they’re pine and milled, they might not have the same rustic charm as reclaimed or hardwood sleepers, but they can still offer a warm and natural look. To enhance the rustic aesthetic, you could consider using hardwood sleepers, which often have more character and texture. Just double-check the hardwood sleeper in your location, as some have been treated with arsenic and wouldn't be suitable for a deck.

If termites or ants have been an issue, it’s worth ensuring the new decking is properly treated or using a naturally resistant hardwood like spotted gum or ironbark. These hardwoods are durable and will age beautifully, complementing your cabin-in-the-woods style. Reclaimed timber could also be a great option if you want something with real character and history.

For a more finished look while still keeping it rustic, you might also consider timber-look composite decking in an earthy tone. It won’t have the same raw appeal as real wood, but it’s low maintenance and resistant to pests.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[KimN]

Thanks for this great advice. Do you think the sleepers would need to be sanded and varnished to avoid splinters? 

I’ve considered concrete too… but I find they always have a brand name on the ends, which would look tacky along the pool as they are made more for fencing. 

[MitchellMc]

The sleepers come rough-sawn for landscaping purposes @KimN. So, there's a good chance of splinters, and sanding would help reduce them.

Mitchell

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @KimN 

I like the hardwood sleepers, somethinga round the 50mm thick mark and probarly 2m or 2.4m long if possible. Sanding them back to remove the majority of the splinters would be worth the effort. I would oil them over varnishing as I feel the protection lasts longer and wont flake as varnish may with time. You would have to re-oil every year of so for awhile. It really protects the timbers outside when I have oiled them regulary (yearly). I would also add some some support rails and screw the sleepers to them so the timber sleepers are not touching the ground.

I do like the natural look you have, right down to the greyness of the old sleepers. I just had a thought to adding a gabion bench seat with timber top to the end of the decking area to deliminate the area and also a useful edge.

Gabion wall bench seats is the project as an example. It still retains a rustic look especially if you fill the cages with local styled rock. I have used sandstone for other gabion walls (faced the front of the cage with scrappy rocks inside the cage) and they look brilliant. If you look at my bookmarks you will find them there. I have just finished a larger retaining wall style with a timber top as well. (yet to be posted) For both cages with timber tops I used recyled old hardwood from house knock downs and they have held up well.

Dave

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Dave-1,

I just wanted to point out that the hardwood sleeper you've linked to is what I referred to above as being CCA-treated. Due to the arsenic content, they are only allowed to be used for landscape purposes and can't be used on projects like a deck where they will experience bare skin contact.

It's a bit tricky as some locations around Australia have arsenic-treated hardwood sleepers, but for this project, we'd be looking for non-treated hardwood sleepers if we were going that route.

Mitchell

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @MitchellMc 

Whoops yeah dont use those lol I was just after a 50mm thick piece of hardwood and used that wrongly as an example 😕 I like hardwood as it tends to last longer with less care. Will remove that link

Dave