Ive got a 18 x 16 deck, Ive figured the decking already, but my question is does anyone here have a sure fire method of figuring decking when turned on a diagonal.
thanks Eric

Add the scrap for each cut?

Thanks for the input, but what I'm looking for is basically how you'd figure running the decking boards straight, if its 12ft you divide 5.5 into 12ft and that will tell you how many boards you'll need, but if you run them diaginal it changes things up, I was just curious if someone had come up with simple math to figure this.

I'm just about done with the deck and ill just count them up and then figure it out myself I guess. I think I bought about 20 boards extra for no reason.

The square footage shouldn't change.

Adding scrap, etc, should be the only added changes involved in this operation.

A 10' X 20' deck, run on the 20' runs = 21-22 5.5" boards

A 10' X 20' deck,run diagonally should still be 23-24 5.5" boards including scrap for the cut-offs.

Hopefully this makes sense.I have been too close to the forest to the see the trees at times and forget the small details like board feet and linear feet too.

Ken

What did you buy, 5/4"?? And how are you joists spaced? KBC pretty much has it, length X wideth and about 6" for run. I did a diagonal for a guy who wanted it done with 5/4 he had already bought. We could not do the job because the boards deflected too much and we would have had a bounce in the deck.

When you run diagonal you should use 12" centers on floor joist, but most don't do it.
As far as the square ft being the same yes that's true ,but the waste factor is different.

"but the waste factor is different" yep, that's why I added 6" for every course on the deck.