How much does decking cost in Sydney?
If your Sydney deck is weathered rather than failing, restoring it may be all it needs. Bringing tired boards back with a full sand and oil costs $29–$69 a square metre, and a clean with two fresh coats $17–$52. When the frame has had its day, a new deck is priced per square metre installed: treated pine $205–$400, merbau $345–$630 and composite $320–$805. A medium hardwood deck as a complete job is $9,200–$18,400. In NSW, a small, low deck behind the building line can often go ahead as exempt development, with no planning approval. All prices include GST.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Decking cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Decking Cost in Sydney 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treated pine deck (per sqm) | $205/sqm | $300 | $400 |
| Hardwood deck — merbau (per sqm) | $345/sqm | $485 | $630 |
| Hardwood deck — spotted gum (per sqm) | $400/sqm | $550 | $690 |
| Composite deck (per sqm) | $320/sqm | $630 | $805 |
| Small deck (15 sqm, hardwood) | $5,750total | $8,600 | $11,500 |
| Medium deck (25 sqm, hardwood) | $9,200total | $13,800 | $18,400 |
| Large deck (40 sqm, hardwood) | $14,950total | $21,850 | $29,900 |
| Deck steps (per step) | $205/step | $345 | $460 |
| Deck balustrade / railing (per lm) | $170/lm | $320 | $520 |
| Deck sanding + oiling (per sqm) | $29/sqm | $46 | $69 |
| Old deck demolition + removal | $23/sqm | $40 | $63 |
| Pergola over deck (basic timber or aluminium, about 4 x 4 m to 4 x 6 m) | $5,750total | $9,200 | $17,250 |
| Deck stairs (per flight, installed) | $1,150installed | $2,300 | $5,200 |
| Elevated / high-set deck surcharge (per sqm) | $57/sqm | $115 | $205 |
| Deck re-oil only (clean + 2 coats, no sanding, per sqm) | $17/sqm | $34 | $52 |
| Hardwood deck — blackbutt (per sqm) | $380/sqm | $520 | $715 |
| Composite deck — premium capped / solid-core, Trex class (per sqm) | $520/sqm | $655 | $1,025 |
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Get Sydney quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Sydney metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
Sydney’s Decking Market in 2026
Sydney’s outdoor living culture drives one of the busiest decking markets in Australia. From alfresco entertaining areas in the Inner West to pool surrounds across the North Shore and Sutherland Shire, timber and composite decking is a staple of Sydney home improvement. The city’s humid subtropical climate, strong UV, and termite pressure all influence material choice — and Sydney homeowners pay a premium compared to most other Australian cities, with labour rates typically 10–15% above the national average.
The biggest shift in Sydney’s decking market over the past few years is the move toward local hardwoods — particularly spotted gum and blackbutt. These NSW-native species are naturally durable (Class 1 above ground), termite-resistant and sourced from local mills; our Sydney table prices spotted gum at $400–$690 per sqm, against $345–$630 for merbau. Spotted gum in particular has become Sydney’s most popular premium decking timber, with its distinctive grain and warm colour that weathers to a silver-grey if left unoiled.
Composite decking (brands like NewTechWood, Modwood, and CleverDeck) continues to gain market share in Sydney, now accounting for roughly 30–40% of new deck builds. The higher upfront cost ($320–$805/sqm vs $205–$400 for treated pine) is offset by zero maintenance — no annual oiling, no sanding, no staining. For busy Sydney households, the lifetime cost calculation increasingly favours composite.
Council regulations vary across Sydney’s 33 councils. A deck needs a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) or Development Application (DA) if its floor is more than 1m above existing ground level, and heritage overlay areas in the Inner West, North Shore, and Eastern Suburbs may restrict visible structures. Always check with your local council before building.
We’ve compiled pricing from Sydney deck builders, timber suppliers, and trade databases to give you the most accurate picture of decking costs in Sydney for 2026.
How Decking Costs Vary Across Sydney
Eastern Suburbs & Inner City
Typical cost: $280–$650/sqm installed
Bondi, Randwick, Coogee, Paddington, Surry Hills. Premium labour rates and tight site access push costs 15–20% above the Sydney average. Terrace house backyards in Paddington and Surry Hills have narrow rear access — materials often need to be hand-carried through the house, adding to the cost of the job. Pool decking is common in the Eastern Suburbs, requiring slip-resistant profiles and drainage consideration. Heritage Conservation Areas restrict visible structures — check before building anything visible from the street.
Inner West
Typical cost: $250–$600/sqm installed
Marrickville, Newtown, Balmain, Leichhardt, Dulwich Hill. The Inner West deck market is dominated by rear courtyard and backyard entertaining areas in Victorian and Federation-era terraces. Access is the main cost driver — many properties have no rear lane access, and materials must be delivered through or over the house. Balmain and Rozelle’s steep streets and sandstone-block lots can complicate subframe engineering. Strong heritage controls across the Inner West Council area apply to many properties.
Northern Beaches & North Shore
Typical cost: $260–$640/sqm installed
Manly, Dee Why, Mosman, Neutral Bay, Pymble. Coastal properties on the Northern Beaches need to account for salt air corrosion of metal fixings — stainless steel fasteners are essential within 1km of the coast and add 10–15% to fixing costs. Many North Shore and Beaches properties sit on steep, bush-adjoining blocks requiring elevated decks with substantial substructure (engineered posts, bracing, concrete piers). Bushfire-prone areas around Ku-ring-gai and Pittwater require BAL-rated materials.
Sutherland Shire & South Sydney
Typical cost: $230–$580/sqm installed
Cronulla, Miranda, Caringbah, Engadine, Hurstville. Popular for pool decking and alfresco areas. Parts of the Shire (Engadine, Heathcote, Bundeena) fall within bushfire-prone zones requiring BAL-rated decking. Sandy soils in coastal Shire areas provide good drainage but may need deeper concrete piers for elevated decks. Generally 5–10% more affordable than the Inner West and Eastern Suburbs due to better access and flatter blocks.
Western & South-Western Sydney
Typical cost: $205–$520/sqm installed
Penrith, Blacktown, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Camden. The most affordable area for decking in Greater Sydney. Predominantly newer homes on flat blocks with good rear access — ideal conditions for a straightforward build. Treated pine is the most popular choice in new estates where budgets are tighter. Western Sydney’s hotter summers (regularly 5–8°C warmer than the coast) make shade structures and pergola integration with decking increasingly popular. Competition among builders keeps rates below the metro average.
What You’ll Actually Pay — Common Sydney Decking Jobs
Here’s what typical decking jobs cost across Sydney in 2026, priced from the per-square-metre and whole-deck rows in our Sydney table.
Ground-level entertaining deck — spotted gum, 20 sqm
$8,000–$13,800 for 20 sqm
The most popular deck build in Sydney’s middle-ring suburbs. Spotted gum decking boards ($400–$690 per sqm supplied and installed in our Sydney table), hardwood subframe on concrete piers, and basic finishing (sanding and two coats of decking oil). Decks with a floor no more than 1m above existing ground level are usually exempt development that doesn’t need council approval, as long as they meet all the exempt standards, including a maximum area of 25m². Spotted gum is naturally Class 1 durable and termite-resistant, and it’s sourced from NSW mills. Allow 3–5 days for construction.
Elevated deck with stairs and balustrade — hardwood, 25 sqm
$9,200–$18,400 plus $57–$205 per sqm elevated
Common on sloping blocks across the North Shore, Sutherland Shire, and Northern Beaches. Our Sydney table prices a 25 sqm hardwood deck at $9,200–$18,400 and adds $57–$205 per sqm for an elevated or high-set frame; stairs are $1,150–$5,200 a flight ($205–$460 per step) and code-compliant balustrades $170–$520 per lineal metre. Decks with a floor more than 1m above existing ground level don’t qualify as exempt development and need a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) or a Development Application (DA). Stainless steel fixings are essential for coastal properties. Allow 1–2 weeks for construction.
Pool surround deck — composite, 30 sqm
$9,600–$24,150 for 30 sqm
Pool decking is one of Sydney’s most common deck jobs. Composite decking ($320–$805 per sqm in our Sydney table) is ideal around pools — it won’t splinter, doesn’t need oiling, handles chlorine splash without damage, and brands like Modwood and NewTechWood offer slip-resistant profiles specifically designed for pool surrounds. The subframe needs to be aluminium or treated to handle constant moisture exposure. Drainage away from the pool and house is critical — your builder should ensure a slight fall on the deck surface. Fencing compliance around the pool is a separate requirement.
Budget courtyard deck — treated pine, 12 sqm
$2,460–$4,800 for 12 sqm
A practical entry-level option popular in Inner West terraces and apartments with small courtyards. H3-treated pine ($205–$400 per sqm) on a simple subframe. Pine is the cheapest timber option but needs regular oiling to prevent greying and surface cracking — skip the maintenance and it won’t last as long as it should. In Sydney’s humid climate, ensure adequate ventilation under the deck to prevent moisture buildup and termite risk. H3 treatment is the minimum for above-ground use; H4 is required for any in-ground contact.
Deck restoration — sand, oil, and repair
$580–$1,380 for 20 sqm
Sydney’s UV and humidity degrade deck finishes faster than drier climates. A professional restoration includes sanding back to bare timber (removing grey weathering and old oil), replacing any damaged or split boards, tightening fixings, and applying 2–3 coats of quality decking oil. For a typical 20 sqm hardwood deck our Sydney table prices sanding and oiling at $29–$69 per sqm; if the timber only needs a clean and fresh coats, a re-oil is $17–$52 per sqm. Board replacements are priced on inspection. If you’re happy with a silver-grey patina, an annual clean and light oil is sufficient.
Decking cost per m² in Sydney (2026): treated pine, merbau, spotted gum and composite
Decking in Sydney costs $205–$690 per square metre built, depending on the board: treated pine $205–$400/m², merbau $345–$630/m², spotted gum $400–$690/m² and composite $320–$805/m². Per square metre covers the posts, bearers, joists and boards on a low-set deck. As whole jobs in hardwood: a small 15 m² deck is $5,750–$11,500, a medium 25 m² deck $9,200–$18,400 and a large 40 m² deck $14,950–$29,900. Balustrade is $170–$520 per metre on top.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treated pine deck (per m²) | $205/m² | $300 | $400 |
| Hardwood deck — merbau (per m²) | $345/m² | $485 | $630 |
| Hardwood deck — spotted gum (per m²) | $400/m² | $550 | $690 |
| Composite deck (per m²) | $320/m² | $630 | $805 |
| Small deck (15 m², hardwood) | $5,750 | $8,600 | $11,500 |
| Medium deck (25 m², hardwood) | $9,200 | $13,800 | $18,400 |
| Large deck (40 m², hardwood) | $14,950 | $21,850 | $29,900 |
| Deck balustrade / railing (per m) | $170/m | $320 | $520 |
Timber vs composite decking in Sydney: treated pine is the cheapest board and needs the most upkeep; merbau and spotted gum are the hardwoods most Sydney decks are built in, oiled every year or two; composite costs about what hardwood does per square metre but is never oiled, and the saving is in the years after. The frame under all four is the same, so the board choice is most of the per-metre difference.
What moves a decking quote in Sydney:
- Height: a low-set deck is the base; an elevated deck needs bigger posts, bracing, balustrade and often an engineer.
- Size and shape: per-metre rates fall on a plain rectangle and rise with curves, cut-outs and multiple levels.
- Board and fixing: hardwood with concealed fixings is slower than face-screwed pine.
- Ground and footings: concrete footings into sand, clay or rock, and the number of posts, sit under every quote.
- Extras: stairs, balustrade, a pergola, lighting and a privacy screen are priced on top.
For a decking quote in Sydney that compares, give the square metres, the height off the ground, the board you want and whether stairs or balustrade are needed.
What Affects Decking Costs in Sydney
Restore or replace
If the joists and bearers are sound, oiling is far cheaper than rebuilding: a re-coat without sanding typically costs $34 a square metre, under the $46 for a sand and oil. Rot in the frame changes the sum. Then you pay $23–$63 a square metre to pull the old deck out before the new boards go down.
Rain in every season
Sydney has no true dry season. At Observatory Hill even September, the driest month, averages 68.1 mm of rain, while June tops the year at 133.1 mm (BOM averages). Oil needs a few dry days to cure, so plan an oiling job around the forecast rather than a set month. The city falls in NCC climate zone 5 (warm temperate), and January, the hottest month, averages 26.0 °C.
When no approval is needed
A deck is exempt development in NSW, needing no planning approval, when its floor is no more than one metre above existing ground, it covers no more than 25 square metres, it sits behind the building line and it is at least 900 mm from the lot boundary. Miss one of those and you need a development application to council before the deck goes in.
Bushfire-prone land
On a block mapped as bushfire prone, an exempt deck or patio that is less than 5 metres from the house must be built of non-combustible material. Timber boards do not meet that, so a timber deck close to the house on such a block falls outside the exempt route and needs approval. Check your block's mapping before you choose materials.
Covered decks
A pergola over the deck adds $5,750–$17,250. To stay exempt, a roofed structure attached to the house cannot rise above the house's gutter line, and if it fixes to the fascia, that connection must follow an engineer's specifications. A flyover-style roof that lifts above the gutter falls outside the exemption.
Licence and paperwork in NSW
Once a job is valued above $5,000, NSW needs the builder to hold a contractor licence and to give you a written contract, and even a small hardwood deck starts at $5,750, above that line. NSW home building law limits the deposit to 10 percent. On home building work over $20,000, which the dearest large decks reach ($29,900), confirm valid home building compensation insurance is in place before any money changes hands.
Apartments and smaller homes
Only 55.8% of Greater Sydney dwellings are separate houses, and flats and apartments account for 30.7%, against a national figure of 14.2% (ABS 2021 Census). On a townhouse or a tight lot, a compact deck may be all the space allows, and a small hardwood deck runs $5,750–$11,500. Per square metre the small job typically costs more than a large one, since setup and fixed costs are spread over less area.
How to Save Money on Decking Cost in Sydney
Frequently Asked Questions — Decking Cost in Sydney
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 →