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Deck Material & Board Calculator (Free Online Tool)
Quick Answer For a standard rectangular deck, you’ll need roughly 1 linear foot of decking board for every (board width + gap) inches of deck width, multiplied by your deck’s length, plus 10–15% extra for cuts and waste. A 12×16 ft deck using 5.5-inch boards typically needs about 215–235 linear feet of decking, which works…
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Is My Deck Rotting or Just Weathered? 5 Simple Tests to Tell
Last spring, I was standing on my deck on a warm Saturday, coffee in hand, and I noticed a dark, crackly spot near the back corner. My first thought was, “Is that just old wood, or is my deck about to cave in?” I bet you have had that same thought. A deck can look…
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Deck Repair vs Replace: The Simple Screwdriver Test
I want to tell you a quick story before we get into the details. A few years back, I got a call about a deck that looked like it was ready for the dump. The pine boards were gray. Some were cracked. It looked sad from the street. But when I got up close with…
Meet Sam Wood Worker
Sam has spent years working with wood — from furniture building to fine finishing. The Wood Carpenter was built to share real, practical woodworking knowledge you can actually use in your workshop.