How Thick Is Wood Decking for 24 on Center Joists?

Deck Flooring

• Choose the width of the wood decking boards based on preference and the area of the deck. For instance, large decks work well with 2-by-6 inch boards in 10-, 12- or 16-inch lengths staggered so that decking seams between parallel boards never match. When you lay the flooring, start one course against the house and work parallel to the house toward the opposite end of the deck. Start the next decking course where you ended the previous course. That way the board seams never line up with each other.

Standard Thickness

• Standard deck flooring usually consists of boards 2 inches thick for strength whether the spacing is 16- or 24-inches on center. Many people use 2-by-4 deck flooring, but 2-by-6 inch boards provide a wider area for the foot and have more visual appeal and expansiveness. Though standard dimensions say the board is 2-by-4, if you measured it, you will find that it is not. The 2-by-4 dimension is based upon the rough sawn lumber before drying. A standard 2-by-4 today typically measures 1 1/2 by 3 1/2. This is true for all board and lumber dimensions.

Joists

• Joists serve as the support for the deck flooring and can be 2-by-8, 2-by-10 or 2-by-12, though standard deck construction calls for a combination of 2-by-8 and 2-by-10s per engineering specifications. Joists hang between two ledgers. The first ledger is attached to the house at its exterior with carriage and lag bolts through to the rim with the other supported on deck posts set on firm footings and foundations.

Permits

• Each local building code department has different requirements for deck construction – pull your permit before building your deck or you could face fines and penalties later. Depending on the region in which you live and local building requirements, if you build a nonstandard deck, you may be required to have it engineered for safety. Not having the permits in place could impede the sale of your house later.