Deck Board Calculator
Boards & linear feet for a deck surface
Building a deck surface? Enter the deck dimensions to estimate the linear feet of decking and the number of boards to buy.
Estimating decking
For standard 5½-inch deck boards (with a small gap), one square foot needs about 2.2 linear feet of board. We translate your deck area into linear feet and into 16-foot boards, plus 10% for cuts and the occasional bad board.
Frequently asked questions
How many deck boards do I need?
Divide your deck area by the area each board covers — a 16 ft × 5½ in board covers about 7.3 ft² — then add ~10% for cuts.
What gap between deck boards?
About ⅛–¼ inch for drainage and expansion; the gap is already factored into typical coverage figures.