Showcase: 450sqft Red Balau multi-level deck

Just wrapped up this Red Balau build in the Carolinas. Used 5/4x6 decking with the Hidden Fastener Pro system. Honestly, I love how the color pops after an oiling, though managing the sapwood on some of these boards was a headache during the layout phase. The client wanted a tight 1/8-inch gap for a seamless look, which made board selection critical given the humidity swings here. I ended up using a dual-spindle shaper for the edge profiles to ensure consistency across the miters. The framing is pressure-treated pine, but I used 6-inch structural screws everywhere to handle the wood movement. It’s sitting at about $42 per square foot for labor and material. Has anyone else experimented with an Australian timber oil vs. a traditional penetrating stain on Balau specifically? Seems like the oil needs way more frequent refreshing in direct southern exposure.