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Elite Edition

How far apart should 5 4 deck boards be?

Author

Andrew Henderson

Published Apr 03, 2026

How far apart should 5 4 deck boards be?

With cedar 5/4 decking installation should be with 1/16″-1/8″ gap (2-3mm), which will expand to 1/8-1/4″ (3-6mm) once the wood has dried. The reason for the difference spacing installation for the decking is due to shrinkage. Not all wood shrinks the same amount.

How many decking boards do I need for a 12×12 deck?

For example, a 12-foot x 12-foot deck of 5/4 x 6 pressure treated wood decking on 16 inches on center spacing of joists will require: A 12-foot long deck with joists 16 inches on center will require 10 joists. 20 fasteners x 26 (number of rows of decking) = 520 fasteners. Add 10 percent to be safe.

How many deck boards do I need for a 12×16 deck?

The Deck Floor As a guide, if you choose to use 20-foot boards, you will need to purchase 22 of these boards. Similarly, 18-foot boards will require 24 boards, 16-foot boards will require 27 boards, 14-foot boards will require 31 boards, 12-foot boards will require 37 boards and 10-foot boards will require 44 boards.

How far apart should posts be on a deck?

8 feet apart
When building your deck frame, the maximum spacing of Deck Posts for should be no further than 8 feet apart.

What should the spacing be between deck boards?

Proper wood deck board spacing should have at least a 1/8 inch gap after the decking has dried out. If you install your wood or treated deck boards while they are still wet boards, then they should be attached without a gap between them.

How big of a deck do I Need?

The simplest way to determine the number of deck boards for your deck is to use a decking calculator . But you can calculate it knowing that deck boards are actually 5 ½” wide. You’ll need a space of ⅛” between each board. For a 10×10 square deck, you would therefore need twenty-two 10’ deck boards.

What do you need to know about decking boards?

Choosing boards to form your deck flooring is one part aesthetics and one part mechanics. Beyond selecting the type of wood or composite decking materials, you’ll also need to know how many boards — and what size — you’ll need to create the flooring for your deck.

How big should the joists be on a deck?

Another factor in deck board spacing is your joists. Typically they are either 16” or 24” apart, but some people opt for 12” if they intend on sustaining heavy loads on their structure. Joist spacing comes into play when you stagger your wood planks.

What’s the average cost per square foot to build a deck?

Cedar wood decking costs $4 per square foot on average. Cedar is also cost effective, beautiful, long-lasting, and naturally insect resistant. They do require additional maintenance and frequent staining, but do not need galvanized fasteners. Redwood wood decking costs around $7 per square foot.

The simplest way to determine the number of deck boards for your deck is to use a decking calculator . But you can calculate it knowing that deck boards are actually 5 ½” wide. You’ll need a space of ⅛” between each board. For a 10×10 square deck, you would therefore need twenty-two 10’ deck boards.

Choosing boards to form your deck flooring is one part aesthetics and one part mechanics. Beyond selecting the type of wood or composite decking materials, you’ll also need to know how many boards — and what size — you’ll need to create the flooring for your deck.

How to calculate the lumber for a new deck?

Decking Calculator. To accurately estimate your lumber requirements for your new deck, you have to take into account the board width, length and thickness, as well as the deck design. Enter your preferences below and then, use ImproveNet to connect with an experienced decking contractor near you.

What should the spacing be for 4 ” wide decking?

Calculations assume 1/8″ spacing edge to edge between boards. 4″ wide material is calculated at 3-5/8″ and 6″ at 5-5/8″ net coverage. Typical spacing for KD / Kiln Dried Decking is 1/4″ for 6″ boards and 3/16″ for 4″ boards. Air dried material is typically spaced at 1/8″ edge to edge.