How Many Boards for a 16x24 Deck?
Deck boards to buy
51 16 ft boards
384 square feet, 816 linear feet of decking, joists 16 inches on center.
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How that number is worked out
These are the figures this page was built with and every line the calculator produces from them. Change anything above and all of it moves.
- Deck length24 ft
- Deck width16 ft
- Board face width5.5 in
- Gap between boards0.25 in
- Board length you buy16 ft
- Joist spacing on center16 in
Deck boards to buy51 16 ft boards
| Deck area | 384 sq ft |
|---|---|
| Board rows across the width | 34 |
| Linear feet of decking | 816 lf |
| Boards at 16 ft | 51 |
| Joists at 16 in on center | 19 |
The material list this produces
| Deck boards, 16 ft | 51 |
|---|---|
| Joists, 16 ft | 19 |
| Joist hangers, each | 38 |
| Deck screws, lb | 12 |
Board length compared
Same deck, four board lengths. Longer boards mean fewer end joints and more offcut risk.
| Board length | Deck boards to buy |
|---|---|
| 8 ft boards | 102 8 ft boards |
| 12 ft boards | 68 12 ft boards |
| 16 ft boards | 51 16 ft boards |
| 20 ft boards | 41 20 ft boards |
What else matters here
Three hundred and eighty four square feet is bigger than a lot of first apartments, and it is firmly in engineered territory. At this size the permit set usually wants a framing plan, footing sizes and a ledger detail, and the inspector will look at all three.
The ledger is where decks fail. Almost every catastrophic deck collapse traces to a ledger nailed rather than bolted, or lagged into siding rather than into the rim joist, or flashed badly enough that the rim rotted. Bolt it, flash it, and photograph it before the decking goes on.
Fifty one boards is around a ton and a half of pressure treated lumber arriving wet. Stack it flat with stickers between layers and let it dry a week before laying, or the gaps you set at a quarter inch will open to half an inch by August.
What this calculator assumes
- A nominal 2x6 board is 5.5 inches of actual face. Nominal sizes are not real sizes, which is where most deck orders go wrong.
- Joist count is the span across the deck width at the spacing given, plus one for the last joist.
- Waste is not added. Add 5 to 10 percent if the deck is not a plain rectangle.
Questions people ask
How many deck boards for a 16x24 deck?
About 51 boards of 5/4 by 6 at 16 feet, covering 816 linear feet across 34 rows.
How should a deck ledger be attached?
Through bolts or approved structural screws into the house rim joist, with proper flashing above. Nails and lag screws into siding are the single most common cause of deck collapse.
Should I let pressure treated decking dry first?
Yes. It arrives saturated and shrinks as it dries, so boards laid tight while wet end up with wide gaps. A week stickered and flat makes a visible difference.
The deck calculator takes any dimensions you like and hands back the same list.