Plan Your Deck,
Board by Solid Board.
Free deck building calculators: decking boards, joist framing, stain coverage, and the full project cost by material.
12" vs 16" Joist Spacing
Account for composite decking's strict 12-inch on-center span rules vs standard 16-inch cedar joists.
Board Gap Spacing
Models wet pressure-treated shrinkage gap vs pre-spaced composite expansion clearances.
Stain & Sealant Coverage
Square footage calculations for wood grain porosity across new rough-sawn vs weathered lumber.
DeckCalc Calculators
Decking Board Calculator
Decking boards needed — deck area, board width, spacing gaps, and the waste factor for realistic cuts.
Deck Joist & Framing Calculator
Joist count and length from deck size and spacing — plus beam and post counts for the skeleton.
Deck Stain Coverage Calculator
Gallons of stain or sealer for deck boards, rails, andundersides — with the two-coat math new wood demands.
Deck Cost Calculator
Full build cost by material — lumber or composite, framing, hardware, railings, and the concrete under the posts.
Building Code & Methodology
The framing decisions that make or break a deck
Ledger flashing, joist spans, and post bases — the invisible 20% that carries 100% of the load.
Wood vs composite: the honest lifetime math
Material costs, maintenance hours, and the year the composite spreadsheet finally wins.
12 mistakes people make with deck building
The recurring errors we see in deck building — what causes each one, and the habit that prevents it.