Which is better for deck flooring: 2x6 or 1x6 deck boards?

Question

My current deck flooring is done with 2x6x10' boards, however they have degraded to the point now where they need to be replaced.

I'm wondering if there are any specific pros or cons for using the same 2x6x10' boards, vs. 1x6 deck boards? Of course I realize that the 1x6 boards wont support the same amount of weight as the original boards, but I think the 2x6's might have been a bit overkill anyway. Besides price, is there anything else I should be basing my decision on?

yep, plus vote for joist spacing. it makes all the difference — shirlock homes, May 18 '11 at 22:30
If you add joists to make 12" centers, your deck would last longer, paint would stay on and the deck would be stronger. The flexing of the wood starts the deterioration of the wood and paint comes off. — Michael S McMillan, Jan 01 '19 at 13:55

score 18 · Accepted Answer · answered May 18 '11 at 21:02

1X stock is fine if you have 16 inch on center joists, and the joists are themselves sized properly. Using 2X stock over undersized joists does help make the deck feel more solid. If you have 24 OC joists, I'd definitely stay with the 2X decking. An other option if you have wider joist spacing is to add a joist between each one if possible, then you can use 1X wood or even better, composite decking that will last a very long time, low maintenance and you can have your choice of colors and not have to worry about staining etc.

Looks like I'm sticking with the 2x boards, I have 24" joist spacing. The underlying framing is in good shape compared to the floorboards so I don't want to do any extra work under there if I can avoid it. — Wally Lawless, May 19 '11 at 15:48

Which is better for deck flooring: 2x6 or 1x6 deck boards?

1 Answers1