Treated pine, blackbutt or spotted gum: which timber suits your door?

Treated pine: the budget-friendly painted option

Our standard screen-door range uses LOSP treated pine. It is the practical starting point when you want a decorative design at the lowest timber cost in our range, especially when the finished door will be painted. Standard-size SD2 starts at 0 AUD; other listed screen-door designs range from 8 to 8. Beading is included; wire mesh is not included.

Pine’s treatment matters. WoodSolutions describes radiata pine as a relatively soft, low-density timber that can be used in exposed applications when appropriately preservative treated. Treatment and a suitable maintained finish should be considered together.

Blackbutt: a lighter hardwood appearance

Blackbutt is worth discussing if you want an Australian hardwood appearance rather than choosing timber only as a substrate for paint. Its natural colours generally range from golden yellow to pale brown, according to WoodSolutions’ blackbutt profile. Grain and colour vary, so ask to see representative material before expecting a uniform match to a small photograph.

Allow for a higher price than our treated-pine option. Ask the workshop to confirm availability and whether your selected decorative pattern, thickness and dimensions suit the proposed material. A hardwood choice is a specification discussion, not simply a colour change in the standard door.

Spotted gum: strong grain and a denser hardwood choice

WoodSolutions identifies spotted gum as a naturally durable, strong Australian hardwood with colours from lighter brown to deeper red-brown. Its denser character and visible grain can make it an appealing option when the timber itself is part of the entrance design.

Spotted gum is also more expensive than our treated-pine starting point. Discuss machining, the door’s weight, hardware and coating requirements as part of the quote. Fine decorative details should be assessed for the chosen timber rather than assumed to be identical across species.

Hardness, durability and lifespan are different questions

A harder surface is not the same thing as a guaranteed service life. Natural durability descriptions concern particular material and exposure conditions; they do not promise how long a completed door will last. Treated pine gains protection through its preservative treatment, while hardwood selection brings its own material properties. Joint design, end-grain protection, coating maintenance and water exposure all remain relevant.

A durable hardwood does not become maintenance-free, and treated pine is not automatically a poor choice because it costs less. Choose for the actual entrance and the finish you are prepared to maintain.

What to send for a timber quote

• The door design and finished dimensions.
• A photograph showing whether the entrance is sheltered or exposed.
• Your preference for a painted or visible-grain finish.
• The timber species you want priced and any matching requirement.

Blackbutt and spotted gum are quoted options subject to confirmation. Use the calculator for the standard screen-door range, then ask us to quote any hardwood change separately.