Do-it-yourself decks are among the most popular of home improvement projects. One of the primary concerns when a homeowner considers undertaking a project is cost, and to figure that one needs to calculate the material needs. Lumber is a big portion of a deck's cost, and it is important to know figure the lumber that will be required to finish a deck.
Instructions
1. Calculate the lumber needed for the deck's double rim and end joists by taking the planned length of each side of the deck and multiplying that by two to get the number of board feet of lumber needed for each side. Add the board feet for each side together to get the total.
2. Add the length of all the sides together to get the number of board feet of lumber that you will need for the deck's facing board.
3. Calculate the number of board feet needed for the interior joists of the deck by taking the deck's dimensions and the fact that these joists will be spaced 16 inches apart on center, and run between the pairs of rim joists.
4. Calculate the total surface area of the deck in square feet. Take this number and divide it by .291, which is the actual width of a 2-by-4 expressed in feet. The resulting value will give you the number of board feet of lumber you will need for the decking.
5. Add any lumber needs for any special features that you are planning on adding to the deck such as benches or railings.
Tips Warnings
To take these lumber needs and get estimated costs from them, consider that rim joists and end joists are often made from 2-by-8 lumber, interior joists from 2-by-6 lumber, and decking from 2-by-4 lumber.
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