Plan your perfect outdoor space. Estimate boards, fasteners, and costs efficiently.
Adds ~15% waste for cuts and requires closer joist spacing.
The most common and affordable choice (Southern Yellow Pine).
Pros: Low cost, easy to work with, structural strength.
Cons:Requires annual staining/sealing, prone to warping/cracking, can be hot on bare feet.
Made from recycled wood fibers and plastic.
Pros: Low maintenance (no staining), consistent color, no splinters, long warranty (25+ years).
Cons: significantly higher upfront cost (3-5x PT lumber), can get very hot in direct sun, heavier boards.
Most deck boards are "5/4" (five-quarter) nominal thickness, which is actually 1 inch thick. The width is nominally 6 inches but actually 5.5 inches. When calculating coverage, you must also account for the gap between boards (usually 1/8" to 1/4"), meaning each run covers about 5.625 to 5.75 inches of width.
A standard '5/4 x 6' deck board is nominally 6 inches wide but actually measures 5.5 inches wide. The thickness is usually 1 inch (standard) or slightly more.
For pressure-treated wood, an 1/8-inch gap (about the width of a 16d nail) is standard to utilize for drainage but allow for shrinkage. Wet treated lumber will shrink, so gaps will widen. Composite decking often requires specific gaps (often 3/16 or 1/4 inch) which doesn't shrink much.
Diagonal decking increases structural rigidity and looks great, but it requires joists to be spaced closer together (usually 12 inches O.C. instead of 16) and increases material waste by about 15%.
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