Table of Contents
Comparing 5/4 Decking With 2×6 Deck Boards, Pros and Cons 2×6 Deck Boards 5/4 Decking Thickness 1 ½” (38mm) 1″ (25mm) Joist Spanning 24″ (600mm) 16″ (400mm) Weight 2.36 lbs (1.07kg) lnft* 1.59 lbs (0.72 kg) lnft* Profile cut Square Cut Rounded Radius Edge.
How thick are typical deck boards?
NOTE: Standard boards are often called a 5/4 board when referring to traditional lumber, which means the actual thickness is typically somewhere between 1” and 1 ¼”. Thicker boards are often called a 2 x 6 when referring to traditional lumber, which means the actual thickness is somewhere between 1.2” and 1.5”.
Is it better to use 2×6 or 5 4 decking?
5/4 x 6 is produced specifically for decking and is milled with a radius edge or bull nose. 2×6 is thicker and is stronger, but is also more expensive. For lumber decking, both the moisture content of the lumber and the environment its installed in matter.
What is a 5 4 inch board?
5/4 means approximately 1-1/4″ thick. 6/4 means approximately 1-1/2″ thick. 8/4 means approximately 2″ thick.
What is the most common deck board size?
The most common or standard deck board width is 6-inch wide planks based on square-foot coverage, labor, and material cost.
How far can you span 5 4 deck boards?
Decking Board Considerations If you use 5/4 decking, joists must be no farther apart than 16 inches. Decking made of 2x4s or 2x6s can span up to 24 inches.
Can you use 1×6 for deck boards?
Width of material: We recommend only 1×4, 5/4×4 or narrower boards. Never use 1×6 or 5/4×6 material in close to ground applications. Spacing between boards: You must allow space for your deck boards to expand when they take on moisture, as they will inevitably do when exposed to wet weather, rain or high humidity.
Should deck boards have a gap?
When using wood decking, you want a gap of at least 1/8 of an inch after your decking has dried out. If you’re using decking that’s already been dried out, you can leave a 1/8-inch gap when you install. Many decks will use “green” wood, or wood that hasn’t been dried down or kiln dried.
What type of wood is 5 4?
It simply refers to how many 1/4-inches thick the rough stock is. For example, 4/4 (read out loud as four-quarters) is 1-in. thick in the rough. 5/4 is 1-1/4-in.
Why do they call it 5 4 decking?
Quarters refer to the thickness of rough-sawn lumber measured in ¼-inch increments. Instead of reading it as a fraction, it should be read as a number of quarters: 5/4 is five quarters, 4/4 is four quarters, etc.
How many deck boards do I need for a 10×10 deck?
For a 10×10 square deck, you would therefore need twenty-two 10′ deck boards. Dimensions for deck boards can vary depending on the look you want and the deck board type you use. However, the most common is a 5/4” thick by 6” wide deck board of any length.
How wide is a 5 4 board?
Hardwood Lumber Dimensions Nominal Size Rough Size Actual Size: Surfaced 1 Side 5/4 inch 1 1/4 inch 1 1/8 inch (29 mm) 6/4 inch 1 1/2 inch 1 3/8 inch (35 mm) 8/4 inch 2 inches 1 13/16 inch (46 mm) 12/4 inch 3 inches 2 13/16 inch (71 mm).
Should I use 2×6 or 2×8 for deck?
For upper-level decks, 2×10 is recommended as the minimum size to use for strong guard post connections. 2×6 joists should only be used on ground-level decks that do not require, and will not provide for, any guards. Most decking is not strong enough to support longer spans than 16″.
What size board should I use for a deck?
Width: Six-inch wide boards are ideal in most cases. Four inch wide material takes longer to install, creates more gaps and requires a lot more fasteners—but you can use it. Eight inch wide boards, because of their greater width, have more of a tendency to crack and cup; avoid using them.
How much overhang should a 5 4 deck board have?
The edge of decking should never overhang more than one-third of the decking material. For your standard 5.5” decking, that is 1 ¾” overhang.
Should I Space 5 4 decking?
For 5/4 pressure treated decking, it should be installed tight and allowed to shrink to provide water drainage. 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. Providing both deckings’ plenty of spacing for drainage.
How thick is a 1×6 deck board?
1×4 and 1×6 boards lose 1/4 inch in thickness and 1/2 inch in width before leaving the mill. That means a 1 x 4 board is actually 3/4 inches by 3 1/2 inches. The larger 1x boards (1×8, 1×10, etc.).
How wide is a 1×6 deck board?
The same is true of pine. A 1×6, for example, actually measures 3/4″ x 5 1/2″.
Should you nail or screw deck boards?
The Consensus: For a deck build it’s best to use a combination of nails and screws. Screws are superior for laying down the decking. They hold things flush better and have a better fastener/tensile strength, which keeps boards from popping up over time.
What is the correct way to lay decking boards?
What is the correct way to lay decking? Any decking board manufacturer or professional will tell you: “The proper way to install a decking board is ridge side down.” The ridges are designed to allow for airflow, to stop moisture sitting in the ridge, and allow for a stronger structure.
How do you stagger deck boards?
A common method for staggering a deck is to start the first row with a full plank, then cut one-third of the next row’s first board off the end. The row after that has an additional one-third cut off and then repeat when you get back to a full board.
