How Many Trex Boards Do I Need

To calculate how many Trex deck boards you need for a 10 x 10 deck, you need to consider the total deck area, the width of each board including the gap, and then calculate the number of boards required. Here’s how to do it:

Calculate the Total Deck Area:

    The deck is 10 feet by 10 feet, so the total area is 10×10=100 square feet.

Convert the Board Width and Gap to Feet:

    Each board has a finished width of 5.5 inches and there is a 3/16 inch gap between boards.
    Convert these measurements to feet (since the deck dimensions are in feet). There are 12 inches in a foot, so:

        Board width in feet = 5.5 inches12≈0.4583 feet 
        Gap width in feet = 3/16 inches12≈0.0156 feet 

Calculate the Combined Width of Board and Gap:

    Combined width = Board width + Gap width = 0.4583 + 0.0156 = 0.4739 feet

Calculate the Number of Boards Needed:

    Divide the width of the deck by the combined width of a board and a gap.
    Number of boards = 10 feet (deck width)0.4739 feet (combined board and gap width)0.4739 feet (combined board and gap width)10 feet (deck width)​

Given:

Deck width = 10 feet
Board width = 5.5 inches
Gap width = 3/16 inches

Convert inches to feet for the board and gap widths:

Board width in feet = 5.5 inches ÷ 12 = 0.4583 feet
Gap width in feet = (3/16) inches ÷ 12 ≈ 0.0156 feet

Calculate the combined width of a board and a gap:

Combined width = 0.4583 feet (board) + 0.0156 feet (gap) ≈ 0.4739 feet

Finally, divide the deck width by the combined width to find the number of boards:

Number of boards = 10 feet ÷ 0.4739 feet ≈ 21.09

Since you can’t use a fraction of a board, round up to the nearest whole number:

You would need 22 boards for the deck.

Please note that the numbers are rounded for simplicity, and the actual requirement might slightly vary based on precise measurements and onsite adjustments.