When it comes to choosing the right decking material for your project, the options can be overwhelming. At BiForm, we believe in providing clear, straightforward information to help you make an informed decision. Traditional timber is no longer the obvious choice for your deck. BiForm Composite Decking offers a modern, low-maintenance alternative to timber, and is sourced ethically with enhanced durability. Below, we've highlighted the key differences to help you understand that there is a new obvious choice…BiForm Solid Composite Decking.
Feature | BiForm Composite Decking | Timber | |
|---|---|---|---|
Durability | ✅ Resistant to rot, mold, and pests | ❌ Prone to rot, mold, and pest damage | |
Moisture Resistance | ✅ Won't warp, twist, or move with moisture | ❌ Prone to moisture damage and warping | |
UV Resistance | ✅ UV tested and resistant | ❌ Can degrade over time from UV exposure | |
Fire Rating | ✅ Fire-tested for added safety | ❌ Not typically fire-rated | |
Family Safe | ✅ Slip-resistant, splinter-free, and no nails popping up | ❌ Can become slippery and may splinter over time; nails can pop up | |
BRANZ Appraisal | ✅ BRANZ Appraised | ❌ Not BRANZ Appraised | |
Antifungal | ✅ Contains antifungal agent | ❌ No resistance to fungal growth | |
Low Maintenance | ✅ No staining, oiling, or painting required | ❌ Requires regular staining, oiling, or painting | |
Longevity | ✅ Long-lasting; typically over 25 years | ❌ Shorter lifespan; usually 10-15 years | |
Sustainability | ✅ Made from recycled materials; uses FSC-certified timber | ❌Often sourced from deforestation | |
Installation | ✅ Hidden fixing clip makes installation quicker and easier | ❌ More complex installation | |
Cost-Effectiveness | ✅ Lower long-term cost due to minimal upkeep | ❌ Higher long-term cost due to maintenance | |
Aesthetic Variety | ✅ Available in a range of colours and finishes | ❌ Limited to natural wood tones | |
Toxic Chemicals | ✅ Red-list free (contains no harmful chemicals) | ❌ May contain harmful chemicals from treatments | |
Warranty | ✅ 25-year warranty | ❌ Typically shorter periods or no warranty given |
Unlike timber, BiForm is resistant to pest and wont rot or decay, rewarding you with termite free durability for decades.
Our product stands strong in the wet! It doesn’t swell, warp or twist with moisture.
Timber absorbs moisture and swells/moves. This leads to structural weakness and issues with warping, twisting and cracking.
In New Zealand, UV resistance is especially important. Our boards have been UV tested for durability and proven to be resistant to fading and deterioration.
Through exposure to UV, timber decking will experience fading, deterioration and warping.
BiForm Composite is Fire Rated for the NZ Building Code and has been chosen for projects specifically based on fire test results.
As for timber, on cold winters night, what are you putting into your fireplace?
Enjoy your deck with peace of mind knowing that BiForm wont put your little ones (and bigger ones) at risk. Our boards have an R11 slip resistance rating, wont splinter and there are no nails popping up.
We all have childhood memories of sliding along a wet timber deck or getting the tweezers out to remove a pesky splinter!
We make some pretty bold claims about how amazing our product is and that is because we have the rigorous product testing from BRANZ to prove it.
Tested to the building code, our WPC composite decking is the only of its kind to hold a BRANZ Appraisal.
BiForm doesn’t require any oiling, staining or painting meaning that you can spend your weekends enjoying your composite deck, instead of working on maintaining a timber one.
Our boards are made from 60% FSC Certified timber and 30% recycled plastic. This composition, along with our company-wide ccommitment to sustainability makes us leaders in our market.
Learn more on our Sustainability page
Our high quality concealed fixing clips allow for a quick and easy installation.
We have quizzed builders who estimate that they can install a BiForm deck in half the time that it would take for a timber deck of the same size!
Not only does this get your job finished faster but also makes the labour portion a lot easier on the wallet!
Install instructions
Though the initial cost of a BiForm deck will likely cost more that a timber deck, the cost difference is negated very quickly simply by not having to oil or stain your deck. Within just a few years you will likely already be saving on what would otherwise be an ongoing yearly cost.
We are proud of the fact that our composite doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals and we are the only ones to hold a Red-List Free Declare label that proves it.
Unfortunately, with timber there is every possibility that there will be toxic chemicals present from treatments.
Declare Label
BiForm Solid Composite Decking comes with a 25 year limited warranty- one of the best available on the market. It isn’t common, but if you’re lucky enough find a timber decking board with a warranty, it will be for a much shorter period.
