How to Determine How Much Lumber for a Deck
A deck can be a addition to a home that improves the convenience, appearance and value of your property and residence. Decks provide additional space for recreation and outdoor socializing, often allowing for a hot tub, dining or barbecue area. However, before you start building a deck you need to design what type of deck you want, how large you want it to be and how much and the dimensions of the wood you are going to need in order to complete the job. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Obtain deck building plans to help you with the construction of your new deck. Plot out the area where your deck is going to go in reference to your home and mark it out with stakes.
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Measure the area where you are planning to put your deck with a measuring tape. Make sure to get a precise length and width measurement in feet and inches.
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Go to your local home improvement or building material supply store and select the width of the lumber you want to use. Most standard decking boards are between 4 to 6 inches wide, with 6 inches considered to be ideal. Boards that are 8 inches wide or larger are more likely to crack and split over time and should be avoided.
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Select the length of the boards you want to use. Buy boards that will run the full length of the deck whenever possible. Most lumber yards sell boards that are 16 feet long or longer, though the cost may be more per board.
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Select the thickness of board you want to use. Most decking is between 1 to 2 inches thick. Radius-edge boards that are 5/4 material typically measure between 1 to 1-1/4 inches thick and are commonly used for decking. If your joists are going to be more than 16 inches apart, you will need to select thicker boards. Avoid boards that are less than an inch thick, as these may not be sturdy enough.
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Calculate how much lumber you will need for your deck by determining how many pieces of lumber you will need to build your deck. You can calculate decking by dividing the size of your boards into the total square footage of your decking (length x width), or by using a deck flooring calculator such as the one provided by Decks.com (see Resources).
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Tips & Warnings
The spacing between your joists and the angle at which you lay the boards on the deck will affect how much lumber you need. Do your research before you start constructing a deck. Most deck plans will tell you approximately how much lumber you will need.
Lumber is available in a wide assortment of sizes, and the size of lumber you choose will affect the price of lumber that you need to purchase in order to complete your deck. Buy lumber that comes as close to the precise size of your deck as possible to minimize waste.The smaller your boards are, the more of them it will take to install. Smaller boards create more gaps and require more fasteners to hold your deck together.
References
Resources
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