How much does decking cost in Cairns?
In Cairns, board species or composite, deck height and the number of steps set most of the price. Cairns is in Wind Region C, where homes are designed for cyclone gusts of 250 km/h at roof level (QRA), and that rating follows exposed work onto the quote. Ground clearance and airflow under the boards decide how long a timber deck lasts. The table below prices 17 decking jobs for Cairns, with low, typical and high figures, followed by local notes on timing, rules and suburbs.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Decking cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Decking Cost in Cairns 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treated pine deck (per sqm) | $195/sqm | $280 | $380 |
| Hardwood deck — merbau (per sqm) | $325/sqm | $455 | $595 |
| Hardwood deck — spotted gum (per sqm) | $380/sqm | $520 | $650 |
| Composite deck (per sqm) | $300/sqm | $595 | $755 |
| Small deck (15 sqm, hardwood) | $5,400total | $8,100 | $10,800 |
| Medium deck (25 sqm, hardwood) | $8,650total | $12,950 | $17,300 |
| Large deck (40 sqm, hardwood) | $14,050total | $20,500 | $28,100 |
| Deck steps (per step) | $195/step | $325 | $430 |
| Deck balustrade / railing (per lm) | $160/lm | $300 | $485 |
| Deck sanding + oiling (per sqm) | $27/sqm | $43 | $65 |
| Old deck demolition + removal | $22/sqm | $38 | $59 |
| Pergola over deck (basic timber or aluminium, about 4 x 4 m to 4 x 6 m) | $5,400total | $8,650 | $16,200 |
| Deck stairs (per flight, installed) | $1,075installed | $2,150 | $4,850 |
| Elevated / high-set deck surcharge (per sqm) | $54/sqm | $110 | $195 |
| Deck re-oil only (clean + 2 coats, no sanding, per sqm) | $16/sqm | $32 | $49 |
| Hardwood deck — blackbutt (per sqm) | $355/sqm | $485 | $670 |
| Composite deck — premium capped / solid-core, Trex class (per sqm) | $485/sqm | $615 | $970 |
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Get Cairns quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Cairns metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
Decking in Cairns: comparing the common jobs
Treated pine deck (per sqm) or hardwood deck — merbau (per sqm)
Treated pine deck (per sqm) runs $195–$380 a square metre in our Cairns table and hardwood deck — merbau (per sqm) $325–$595 a square metre. On typical prices, hardwood deck — merbau (per sqm) is $175 dearer.
Hardwood deck — spotted gum (per sqm) or composite deck (per sqm)
Hardwood deck — spotted gum (per sqm) runs $380–$650 a square metre in our Cairns table and composite deck (per sqm) $300–$755 a square metre. On typical prices, composite deck (per sqm) is $75 dearer.
Small deck (15 sqm, hardwood) or medium deck (25 sqm, hardwood)
Small deck (15 sqm, hardwood) runs $5,400–$10,800 total in our Cairns table and medium deck (25 sqm, hardwood) $8,650–$17,300 total. On typical prices, medium deck (25 sqm, hardwood) is $4,850 dearer.
Figures are this page's table rows for Cairns.
What Affects Decking Costs in Cairns
Wind Region C and cyclone season
Coastal Queensland north of Bundaberg, Cairns included, is Wind Region C, and homes there are classed C1 to C4 for gusts of 250 km/h at roof level (QRA cyclone resilience guideline). The season runs from November to April. Anything exposed to the wind should be rated for your site's cyclone class, so ask the deck builder to name it on the quote.
Wet season scheduling
Cairns Aero records 2,019.1 mm of rain in an average year, and the bulk of it lands from January to March: 404.8 mm, 436.1 mm and 424.3 mm (BOM, Cairns Aero). By August the monthly average is down to 26.9 mm. Decking that needs dry ground or dry surfaces is easiest to schedule from June to October; in the wet, ask the deck builder how rain days are handled before you sign.
Humidity and drying time
Cairns sits in National Construction Code climate zone 1, hot and humid in summer and warm in winter (ABCB climate zone map), and an average February brings 16.0 days of rain (BOM, Cairns Aero). Moist air slows drying and curing and feeds mould, so ask how the deck builder deals with moisture, ventilation and drying time on your job.
Termites in a warm, wet climate
Warmth and moisture are what termites need, and Cairns has both for most of the year. Ask for treated or naturally durable timber, keep the slab edge and subfloor visible for inspections, and have the deck builder flag any damage found once linings come off.
Approvals in Cairns
Whether decking needs approval depends on its size, height and position, under the Queensland Building Regulation and CairnsPlan 2016, whose overlays include flood and inundation, coastal processes, bushfire hazard and acid sulfate soils. The council's CairnsPlan Property Report tool shows which apply to your lot. Ask who lodges any approval and whether its fee is in the quote.
What Cairns homes look like
Separate houses make up 71.0% of occupied Cairns dwellings, below the 74.8% across Queensland, while flats and apartments are 17.0%, well above the state's 12.5% (ABS 2021 Census). Apartment jobs bring body-corporate rules, lifts and parking into the price; a house brings yards, roof space and longer runs.
How to Save Money on Decking Cost in Cairns
Deck builders in Cairns: what they charge (2026)
Deck builders in Cairns charge by the square metre, supply and build: $195–$380/sqm for treated pine (typically $280), $325–$595/sqm for merbau (typically $455), $380–$650/sqm for spotted gum and $300–$755/sqm for composite. As whole jobs in hardwood that is $5,400–$10,800 for a small 15 sqm deck, $8,650–$17,300 for 25 sqm and $14,050–$28,100 for 40 sqm. Steps are $195–$430 each and balustrade $160–$485 per lineal metre. The figures are the Cairns table on this page, GST inclusive.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treated pine deck (per sqm) | $195 | $280 | $380 |
| Hardwood deck, merbau (per sqm) | $325 | $455 | $595 |
| Hardwood deck, spotted gum (per sqm) | $380 | $520 | $650 |
| Composite deck (per sqm) | $300 | $595 | $755 |
| Small deck, 15 sqm hardwood | $5,400 | $8,100 | $10,800 |
| Medium deck, 25 sqm hardwood | $8,650 | $12,950 | $17,300 |
| Large deck, 40 sqm hardwood | $14,050 | $20,500 | $28,100 |
What moves the quote:
- Cyclone region: decks in Cairns are built to wind loading, with tie-downs, heavier posts and footings; a builder who prices that in is quoting the deck you are allowed to build.
- Termites and moisture: the frame should be H3-treated or steel and kept off the ground with good airflow; the cheapest frame is the one you replace in five years.
- Height and approval: a deck more than a metre off the ground needs balustrade and usually council approval, and the engineering and certification are separate lines.
- Material: composite costs more per metre than pine but needs no oiling in the tropical sun; hardwood sits between them and wants a coat every year or two.
For deck builder quotes in Cairns that compare, give the size, the height off the ground, the timber or composite you want, and whether steps and balustrade are included; ask whether the quote covers footings, tie-downs, approval and certification.
Frequently Asked Questions — Decking Cost in Cairns
Our Methodology
These are independent estimates from public cost guides, marketplaces and industry rate data, and no tradesperson can influence them, so always get a few quotes. Last reviewed October 2026. Read our full methodology →