Melbourne · Victoria
Independent editorial journal
Volume I · Outdoor rooms
Decking MelbourneAn independent journal of timber, weather and outdoor rooms
Before you build
Council permits, orientation, cost, bushfire ratings, privacy and the paper that decides whether a deck can exist.
On the urban edge a deck is part of the house's fire armour. What BAL ratings mean for timber, composite and the gap under the boards in Victoria.
James Calder · 2 September 2025
Read Bushfire-prone decking and BAL ratings on Melbourne's fringe
2026 price bands for timber and composite decks in Melbourne, what pushes a job from a simple platform into a small building project, and the line items people forget to budget.
Eleanor Hart · 14 August 2025
Read How much a new deck costs in Melbourne
On a tight Victorian block the deck is never only yours. How overlooking rules, screens and ordinary courtesy work when the new platform looks into someone else’s kitchen.
Eleanor Hart · 19 April 2025
Read Screening, privacy and neighbours for Melbourne side decks
Weight, drainage, membranes and the owners corporation sit above any argument about grey boards. How to put a wearing surface on a balcony without turning it into a leak.
Tom Nguyen · 22 March 2025
Read Balcony decking for Melbourne apartments
North is the prize in Victorian houses — until January, when the same deck becomes a skillet. How to aim a deck at winter sun without ruining summer afternoons.
Eleanor Hart · 28 February 2025
Read Designing a north-facing deck for Melbourne sun and shade
Some decks are as-of-right. Some are a planning file with your neighbour’s name on it. How Victorian building and planning rules actually treat a new deck, and when to stop guessing.
Eleanor Hart · 20 January 2025
Read Council permits for decks in MelbourneCanonical hub URL: https://deckingmelbourne.com.au/topics/design-and-planning