Materials list for a 10x10 deck
This list is for a deck 10 feet long against the house and 10 feet deep, with 5.5 inch wide deck boards, a 1/8 inch gap, joists 16 inches on center and 10 percent waste. Change any of those in the calculator above.
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Deck boards, 5.5 in wide | 25 boards, 10 ft long |
| Joists | 9 boards, 10 ft long |
| Ledger board | 1 board, 10 ft long |
| Rim board | 1 board, 10 ft long |
| Beam boards | 2 boards, 10 ft long |
| Posts and footings | 3 |
| Joist hangers | 9 |
| Deck screws | About 436 |
Prices swing with the lumber market and your region, so take this list to your supplier for a quote.
Framing a 10x10 deck
Joists run the 10 foot direction, out from the house. At 16 inches on center you need 9 of them, each 10 feet long. Each joist spans about 10 feet from the house to the beam. In Southern Pine at 16 inches on center, the American Wood Council span table allows a 2x8 joist to span up to 11 ft 10 in. Other species span less, and an overhang past the beam changes the numbers, so check the table for your lumber.
The ledger board bolts to the house and the rim board caps the outer ends of the joists. Each is 10 feet long. The beam is usually two boards nailed together, so it takes 2 boards 10 feet long. It sits on 3 posts spaced no more than 8 feet apart.
Railing and stairs
The International Residential Code requires a railing when the deck surface is more than 30 inches above the ground. Railing on the three open sides of this deck comes to 30 feet. With railing posts no more than 6 feet apart, that is about 7 railing posts and 66 balusters 1.5 inches wide. An opening for stairs lowers those numbers. Use the baluster spacing calculator for each section and the deck stair calculator for the steps.
Footings and concrete
This deck needs 3 footings. With holes 12 inches wide and 36 inches deep, that takes 13 bags of 80 lb concrete mix. Your frost line may call for a different depth, so check with your building department and run your own numbers in the concrete footing calculator.
Other deck sizes
8x1010x1010x1212x1212x1412x1612x2014x1614x2016x1616x2020x20
Common questions
How many deck boards do I need for a 10x10 deck?
25 boards 10 feet long, using 5.5 inch wide boards with a 1/8 inch gap and 10 percent waste. That is 22 rows across the 10 foot depth.
How many joists do I need for a 10x10 deck?
9 joists 10 feet long at 16 inches on center, counting the two end joists.
How many screws do I need for a 10x10 deck?
About 436. That is two screws wherever a board crosses a joist, plus 10 percent extra.
How many posts and footings does a 10x10 deck need?
3, set no more than 8 feet apart under the beam. Your building department sets the footing size and depth.
How many square feet is a 10x10 deck?
100 square feet.
Sources
- International Residential Code 2021, Chapter 5: decks (R507)
- American Wood Council, DCA 6: Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction Guide
- International Residential Code 2021, Chapter 3: stairs (R311.7) and guards (R312)
Facts on this page were last checked against these sources in October 2026.