How to Calculate the Quantity of Materials for Your Terrace

The decking calculator helps you estimate the cost of building a deck by calculating the price of boards and fasteners needed. Calculating the quantity of materials is one of the key actions when making a terrace estimate. It includes two main points: the terrace board itself and the components.

Step 1: Terrace Board Calculation

In the terrace design, the most important question for the estimate is how many boards should be ordered for the future decking. To answer this question, determine the area using all known formula: multiply the length of the floor by its width. You will get the number of square meters of space that you need to cover with a terrace board.

For example, the size of the terrace is 3*4 m, and the area will be 12 m2.

Good deck indicates the approximate cost per square meter of board, which is very convenient for preliminary calculation. 

The number of boards that will be needed depends on the type of laying. The most common types of terrace board laying:

- straight, when the board is laid parallel to one or the other side of the terrace. In this case you can order 3 or 4 meter long boards. You do not need to trim the board.

- diagonally when the board is laid at an angle of 45°. Such laying is typical for laminate, parquet or engineering board. Laying at an angle visually extends the space due to the diagonal lines. In this case, lay on a trim about 20% of the flooring, as the boards will have to be cut to get the desired pattern.

- herringbone, when the board is laid as a classic parquet. The trimming can be about 20%.

- triangles, when the board is long in the middle of the terrace and a triangular pattern to the right and left of it diverges. It reminds you of laying a herringbone. The trimming is about 20%.

It is worth noting that the more complex the pattern, the more terrace board will be needed to lay it. If you have a sketch, even hand-drawn, but with the size, send it to the manager. Be sure to specify the type of laying the board and the desired colors.  This will make it easier for the manager to understand your wishes, to calculate them, to recommend combinations of shades and to give recommendations on the laying.

To clarify the calculations and the final cost, please contact the specialists - call and leave on the site application for the calculation.

Step 2: Calculation of Components

Accessories for the terrace - these are all structural elements that will be needed during installation: lags, clips, self-tapping screws, corners, starting fasteners, plugs, profiles.

The most suitable lags for composite decking are made of wPC or aluminium. They are the most durable and can withstand heavy loads. You can read more about lags here.

The number of lags is calculated based on the terrace area and pitch (distance between lags). The step is about 30-35 cm. For a terrace with an area of 12 m2 you will need 9 legs with a length of 4 m. The number of legs is calculated based on the terrace area and the distance between legs. This is a standard length for many manufacturers. On average 3 running metres of lagoons are required per 1m2 terrace.  

If you are interested in how exactly this value was derived, pay attention to the formulas below:

• Board length * step = 3 m * 4 = 12
• 12 * 3 m (terrace length) = 36 (running meters of lag)
• 36 / 4 m (lag length) = 9 pieces of lag length 4 m

Always contact a specialist for further details on the calculation of lags! This is especially important for improperly shaped terraces.

Fixing elements (clips), aluminum or plastic, are used on average 22 pieces per 1 m2. Approximately 240 fasteners are needed for a 12 m2 terrace. The clips are sold in packs of 50 pieces.

Starter fasteners are used on both sides of the terrace. It is recommended to use 4 fasteners per 1 running meter. In our example, you will need starting fasteners on 2 sides of the terrace with a length of 3 meters (that is 6 running meters), which means 6 p.m. * 4 = 24 pieces. Starting fasteners are sold in boxes of 20 pieces.

The number of self-tapping screws is calculated according to the number of fasteners - clip and starting fasteners. Each fastener has 1 hole for the screw, so for the terrace from our example you will need about 264 screws (240 clips +24 starting fasteners). It is better to take the screws with a reserve, as they are needed in the construction of country houses all the time: both in the construction of some garden buildings, and for repair and decoration inside the house. Self-tapping screws are sold in packages of 500 pieces.

The final element will be the outer corners. They have decorative and constructive functions. The corners give a complete view of the entire structure, covering the edges of the terrace, not allowing moisture and dirt to accumulate in the holes. In addition, insects will not be able to settle on the board (this applies to the hollow board). Exterior corners are installed on all sides of the terrace, i.e. on the perimeter. Perimeter of the terrace we consider is (3 + 4) * 2 = 14 running meters. The length of the corner is equal to 3 running meters, and the calculation looks: 14 / 3 = 4.6 (pieces). This number is rounded to a larger whole number (5 pcs.) as the corners are sold in pcs. of 3 meters.

Good deck offers its customers 3 m long corners of any color in the tone of the terrace board and 4 m in the color of Chocolate. End caps or F-shaped profiles are used instead of external corners.  

The final calculation for the terrace is still to be entrusted to a professional, as he will take into account technical parameters such as gaps between the boards and trimming. In addition, you may need adjustable supports to raise the floor level, fence, steps, facade boards for decoration and closure of the side walls of the terrace. Good deck managers can help you decide on the color of the board, the pattern, the type of installation, so that your terrace as long as possible to please you and your loved ones with their appearance.