Material
Species is not grade. Heartwood selection, sapwood limits, moisture, dimensions and natural variation all need to be clear.
Innate Materials
Red Beech decking in New Zealand
Clear information about the material, what the cited standard covers, and what still needs project-specific judgement.
Explore Red Beech decking
01
First material focus
Fuscospora fusca
About Red Beech
Red Beech is endemic to New Zealand. Its accepted botanical name is Fuscospora fusca; Nothofagus fusca is a former name you may still see.
A species name is only the beginning. For decking, the useful questions include heartwood and sapwood, grade, drying, board profile, wet-surface context, installation, finish, maintenance, source and the batch actually supplied.
Evidence review in progress
02
A precise starting point
Red Beech decking and NZS 3602
NZS 3602:2003 lists beech—including red beech—in dressing-heart grade, without preservative treatment, for replaceable unroofed decking in its 15-year durability table.
This is not a guarantee for every board or deck. Heartwood selection, the finished product, project design, installation, exposure and maintenance still matter.
Source: NZS 3602:2003, Table 2, reference 2A.7. The standard’s scope, conditions and the requirements applying to the project remain relevant.
See the public sources and their limits
03
Decision context
What matters in a decking decision
Site
Drainage, ventilation, shade, exposure, use and the supporting deck design can change what is appropriate.
Surface
Wet access routes, pools, ramps, stairs and commercial spaces need project-specific review and suitable evidence.
Installation
Board gap, supports, fixings, drilling, cut ends and clearances must come from a current product specification and project design.
Care
Exterior timber changes with sun, rain, shade, dirt, traffic and finish. Appearance and maintenance belong in the decision.
Source
New Zealand regulates indigenous timber harvesting and milling. Product-level source claims still need current records tied to the timber offered.
04
How Innate works
Keep the layers visible
Evidence
Say what a source supports.
Facts and claims keep their scope, limits and review status.
Product
Describe what is actually supplied.
Species, grade, profile, finish and batch records belong to the product—not the story around it.
Context
Leave room for the real project.
Site, use, design, installation and maintenance still require human judgement.
05
Current status
Work in progress
Beginning carefully
We are bringing the Red Beech decking guide, product record, sample route and order process into controlled versions. We will publish them when the information is ready.
Reviewed
Species identity and limited standard context
Contextual
Site, surface, installation and maintenance questions
In progress
Product revision, sample, source record and order process
Innate has a commercial interest in supplying this material. We believe that makes clarity about evidence, product information and open questions more important, not less.
Read how Innate reviews material information