When you are planning a deck, one of the most useful questions is how much board length you actually need. People often ask it in different ways: how many linear feet per square foot, or how many linear meters per square meter. The principle is the same.
What does linear length mean?
Linear length refers to the total length of the material regardless of width. Once you know the linear quantity needed for a certain deck area, it becomes much easier to plan the purchase.
So how much board length do you need?
It depends on the board width and the gap between the boards. For example:
- a board around 120 mm wide with a 5 mm gap works out to roughly 8.3 linear meters per square meter
- narrower boards increase the required linear quantity for the same area
Use a calculator instead of guessing
The fastest way to get a practical estimate is to use the deck calculator. Enter the deck area and the board width, and it gives you a more useful quantity baseline right away.