From rooftop decks to alfresco courtyards

The great Kiwi dream of a quarter-acre block may be becoming more and more untenable in this age of increased density and ever-rising land prices but that doesn’t mean you have to forgo the lifestyle such a dream affords.

Outdoor entertaining and enjoying the company of friends and family has long been a lifestyle element of Kiwi living and thanks to an ingenious exterior flooring system by Outdure, creating a durable, low maintenance deck area that flows from your interior spaces is easy.

With experience in providing recycled composite decking ranges, Outdure designed QwickBuild as a more efficient way of building decks. The moisture-proof system comprises Global Green Tag-certified aluminium joist-bearer profiles as the framework and durable components as an alternative to a traditional decking sub-frame built from timber. QwickBuild means you don’t have to worry about it rotting or being susceptible to insect infestation, while the inherent stability of the system means that you will achieve a straight, level finish that lasts year after year.

Lucy Fountain, Brand Manager for Outdure, says that as part of a relaxed lifestyle, people want a connection between indoors and outdoor spaces and because QwickBuild comes in a range of profiles to suit all deck heights, achieving a level, flush-finish between interior and exterior floor heights where no' step down' is required is easy and a great way to easily add value to your home.

Other key benefits of the system are its speed of install and design versatility—QwickBuild supports hardwood timber, composite decking, exterior tiles, synthetic turf, or a combination. 

“You can easily transition from a tiled terrace area to a timber or composite deck on the framework to maximise usability,” says Lucy. 

Additionally, turf can be laid on QwickBuild aluminium baseboards to break up the hardscaping and bring a touch of green into even the most urban of courtyards, without increasing the overall maintenance.

QwickBuild and can be installed over concrete pads, existing pavers, natural ground, and as a compliant solution over waterproof membrane where the system can be used, for example, to transform flat roofs or attached garage roofs into rooftop decks. 

QwickBuild also allows for design details such as cantilevers and curves, as well as built-in elements such as stairs, seats, screens and planter boxes to be incorporated into the outdoor scheme to further promote a cohesive look as seen on The Block.

The Block is one of the most successful home improvement shows in Australia and is broadcast internationally in 10 countries including New Zealand. For both the 2019 and 2020 seasons, contestants were tasked with creating their own unique outdoor areas from courtyards, rooftop decks, alfresco areas, front porches, balconies, and pool decks all of which incorporated Outdure products.

The teams choose ResortDeck capped composite decking boards, exterior porcelain vitrified tiles and UltraPlush turf from Outdure’s surface ranges, with QwickBuild as the support structure. In this intense competition format, the advantages of the system really came to the fore: ultra-fast, easy installation, lightweight durability, design flexibility, dimensional stability, and minimal waste.

“The results of each house perfectly illustrate how Outdure products are suitable for all outdoor project types and architectural styles; from simple to complex,” says Lucy.

Learn more about Outdure’s design and quantification service to get started on your next outdoor project.