Have you ever wondered if you have what it takes to DIY? As individuals our talents vary, and it may be that you should hire an experienced installer, but if your carpentry skill level is not that shabby and you want to install some, or all of your deck, people like Jeffe Aronsen in Anglers Rest, Victoria might just be the inspiration you need.

Jeffe Aronson and his wife Carrie decided to replace their existing deck with NewTechWood’s US49 Terrace decking, in colour Silver Grey. They live remotely, in beautiful and rugged Anglers Rest in rural Victoria, which is a two-and-a-half-hours drive from their nearest NewTechWood supplier, Dahlsens, in Lakes Entrance.

Dahlsens had to deliver very large and heavy loads down a steep gravel driveway to the Aronsen’s home, and there were a few scary moments watching the winch unloading the flatbed, but the delivery team did a great job, and everything was delivered safely.

To make matters more interesting, Jeffe was in the USA whilst the joists and decking were being installed back home, so he had to make sure the order was precise (which it was) and used a satellite messenger from the bottom of the Grand Canyon to discuss issues as they came up with his DIY friend/installer.

Jeffe said having to use his satellite messenger, InReach, whilst floating down the Colorado river in the Grand Canyon for two and a half weeks was “kinda fun”, especially since his wife was the “middleman” in the process. Although sometimes it was a little complicated, he said it worked like a charm.

Jeffe then installed the railings himself when he returned home. The whole project lasted 4 months, also involving a lot of painting and oiling of the natural wooden joists and posts, because those are not protected like the NewTechWood composite decking.

Jeffe designed and built his home, including the original deck, from scratch, but his wife had had enough of having to oil the wooden deck every year. This is why, this time, they chose NewTechWood composite decking. Their original natural timber deck lasted 14 years; NewTechWood’s warranty covers 25 years and the deck will never need oiling. We can see the attraction.

Jeffe’s background is not in building. He was a river guide all over the world for 47 years, mostly rowing dories in the Grand Canyon. Now retired, Jeffe and Carrie love to hike and float down their local whitewater rivers in their spare time.

He is also the man behind Friends of the Mitta, a volunteer-run, not-for-profit organisation with the intention of protecting the Upper Mitta Mitta River corridor though advocacy and environmental projects.

Wild and scenic places like the Mitta Mitta River have a tendency to disappear and suffer from neglect by overtaxed or understaffed agencies, or the environmental impacts of extraction industries like mining and logging.

So, the Aronson family chose well with NewTechWood, because it is environment-friendly, using sustainably sourced, recycled hard and softwood fibres and recycled quality HDPE plastics – no trees are cut down for NewTechWood! In fact, every year, NewTechWood saves over 30,000 tons of plastic from being buried in landfills forever.

When you feel the urge to replace your deck, whether you DIY (we have free installation guidelines) or hire a recommended installer, you will find your nearest NewTechWood reseller on our website.

Architects/designers and builders/installers can contact our team for professional advice and information.

Project details

Project: DIY Deck Replacement

Location: Anglers Rest, VIC

Installer/Builder: Homeowner DIY – Jeffe Aronson

Supplier: Dahlsens, Lakes Entrance, VIC

Product: NewTechWood’s US49 Terrace Decking in Silver Grey – approx. 100m²

Originally published on NewTechWood.