03 9465 9875
Blackbutt decking: sizes, lengths and prices
| Size | Lengths | Price | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 135 × 19 mm | Random length | $19.90 per lineal metre | in stock |
| 86 × 19 mm | Random length | $10.36 per lineal metre | in stock |
Both widths are sold in random lengths, usually 1.8–5.4 m, cut to suit. Prices are our website prices on 14 October 2026, per lineal metre; a 20 m² deck needs about 140 lineal metres of 135 mm board or 225 of 86 mm, plus 10% for cuts.
What Blackbutt decking is like
Blackbutt, Eucalyptus pilularis, grows along the coast from Bega in NSW to Maryborough in Queensland and is the paler of the Australian decking hardwoods: golden yellow to pale brown, with a straight grain and, now and then, a slight pink cast. It is about 900 kg/m³ seasoned, with a WoodSolutions seasoned hardness of 8.9 kN, heartwood that is naturally termite resistant, and sapwood that lyctid borer does not attack.
Its durability is Class 1 above ground, which the Queensland Government tables put at more than 40 years, and Class 2 in the ground. Be aware that some yards sell other species under the name “Blackbutt”; ours is Australian E. pilularis, which is what the bushfire listing applies to.
Where it suits
Blackbutt is on the AS 3959 list of bushfire-resisting timbers, so 19 mm boards can be used for decking up to BAL-29. The pale colour is the reason most people choose it: it stays cooler underfoot than the dark timbers and suits modern houses with pale render or light cladding. It bleeds more tannin than Spotted Gum in its first months, so hose it down before oiling and keep it off unsealed pale paving until it settles.
Fixing and finishing
Pre-drill, two screws per board per joist, 450 mm joist centres, 3–4 mm gaps on 86 mm boards and 4–5 mm on 135 mm. Coat every face and end before laying. Blackbutt takes a clear oil well and keeps its light colour better under a UV-filtered product such as CUTEK Extreme CD50; Intergrain Universal Timber Oil is the budget option. Screws and joist tape are in decking accessories.
The same timber for other jobs
- Blackbutt flooring – solid, engineered, hybrid and laminate floors
- Blackbutt solid floorboards – 83 × 14, 130 × 14 and 130 × 19 mm, Select and Standard
- Blackbutt engineered flooring – for slabs and underfloor heating
- Blackbutt cladding – the same timber on the wall
- Hardwood decking – all six species side by side
Compare the species
Our decking timber comparison puts hardness, durability, bushfire rating and price per metre for all six hardwoods on one page; Merbau decking is the budget alternative.
Questions we get asked
How much does Blackbutt decking cost?
On our website on 14 October 2026, 86 × 19 mm is $10.36 per lineal metre and 135 × 19 mm $19.90 per lineal metre.
Is Blackbutt decking BAL-29 rated?
Yes. Australian Blackbutt is on the AS 3959 bushfire-resisting timber list, so 19 mm decking can be used up to BAL-29.
Blackbutt or Spotted Gum?
Blackbutt is paler and cooler underfoot; Spotted Gum is harder (10.1 kN against 8.9), bleeds less and is cheaper per metre in the wide board here. Both are Class 1 above ground.
Does Blackbutt bleed?
Some tannin in the first wet weeks. Wash the deck down before the first oil and keep run-off away from pale, unsealed surfaces until it stops.
Will it stay that pale colour?
Under a UV-filtered oil, mostly; under a plain oil it goes a deeper honey; left bare it silvers.
Pickup and delivery
Stocked at 170 Settlement Road, Thomastown, Mon–Fri 7 am–4:30 pm and Sat 9 am–1 pm. We pack and load it for you, or deliver across Melbourne and regional Victoria; delivery is quoted with the order. Call (03) 9465 9875 with your sizes and we will work out the lineal metres and the price.
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