Deck Board Footage Calculator
Lumber yards price decking three different ways — per board, per linear foot and per board foot — and a quote in one unit is hard to compare against a quote in another. This converts between all of them for your deck, so you can price the same material at two suppliers without doing the arithmetic twice.
Built and maintained by DixonAppStudio LLC · How the figures are worked out · Report an error
What you'll need
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CAMO EDGEClip Universal Hidden Deck Fastener Clip (900 ct) | (0344356), 305 Stainless Gusset and Screw, Clip Creates 3/16 in (4.7 mm) Spacing, For Use With Composite Decking Boards
$349.40
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8 Pcs ABS Deck Spacer Tool, 4 Thicknesses Orange Deck Board Spacers | Deck Spacers Assorted (1/16", 1/8", 3/16", 1/4") for Pressure Treated Composite Decking
$9.99
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SVLING 340Pcs Multi-Purpose Wood Deck Screw Kit,#8#9 Bugle Head for Interior and Exterior Use,Star Drive Torx Golden Coated with T15/T25 Bit
$23.99
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ShunHong Outdoor Solid Composite Decking Boards Color Samples Pack | Polymer Composite Decking for All Weather Use,Poolside,Backyard,Patio(3 Pcs, 0.5ft Color Samples)
$15.99
Check price on AmazonPrices as of Oct 25, 2026, 4:32 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is a board foot?
- A board foot is a volume: one square foot of lumber one inch thick, or 144 cubic inches. It is calculated from nominal dimensions, so a 2x6 that is really 1 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches still counts as 2 by 6. Yards use it for framing lumber and rough stock; decking is more often sold by the linear foot or the piece.
- How do I convert linear feet to board feet?
- Multiply the nominal thickness in inches by the nominal width in inches by the length in feet, then divide by 12. A 16 ft 2x8 is 2 × 8 × 16 ÷ 12, which is 21.3 board feet. For 5/4 decking, use 1.25 as the thickness.
- Is decking sold by the square foot?
- Rarely by the yard, though composite brands often quote a price per square foot for comparison. What you buy is pieces of a given length. Converting square feet to pieces needs the actual board width and the gap — which is exactly where an estimate based on area alone comes up short, because the gap is real coverage you are not buying board for.
- Why does my lumber quote not match my square footage?
- Because coverage and purchase are different things. A 5/4x6 board covers 5 1/2 inches of width, and with a 1/8 inch gap each row covers 5 5/8. Over a 12 ft width that is 25.6 rows, so 26 boards — about 8 percent more material than a straight area calculation suggests, before any waste allowance.
