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Woodshop Math

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Deck, Fence and Shelving Project Planner

Plan free deck, fence, and shelving material estimates with printable and exportable lists.

Deck, fence and shelving project planner

Free V1 planning workflow for quick lumber/timber material estimates. Choose a project type, enter the key dimensions, then print or export the browser-generated material list.

After you calculate, print and download options will appear.

Result

Choose a project type, enter dimensions and optional prices, then calculate.

These results are estimates only. Verify measurements, material specifications, structural requirements, safety requirements, and local building rules before buying materials or building.

How this calculator works

This free V1 project planner combines simple deck, fence, and shelving material estimates into one browser-based workflow. It is built for early lumber/timber planning, not final structural design.

Choose a project type, enter the relevant dimensions and optional prices, then print, copy, or download the material list. Currency symbols are displayed as entered and no exchange-rate conversion is performed.

Formula

  • Deck: deck area = deck_length x deck_width; board pitch = board_width + gap; board rows = ceiling(deck_width / board_pitch); deck boards = ceiling((board_rows x deck_length) / board_stock_length).
  • Deck: joist count = floor(deck_width / joist_spacing) + 1; joist total length = joist_count x deck_length; optional posts = (ceiling(deck_length / post_spacing) + 1) x 2.
  • Fence: boards = ceiling((fence_length + gap) / (board_width + gap)); posts = ceiling(fence_length / post_spacing) + 1; rail pieces = ceiling((fence_length x rail_rows) / rail_stock_length).
  • Shelving board mode: total shelf length = shelf_width x number_of_shelves; board pieces = ceiling(total_shelf_length / board_stock_length).
  • Shelving sheet mode: total shelf area = shelf_width x shelf_depth x number_of_shelves; sheets needed = ceiling(total_shelf_area / sheet_area).
  • Waste is applied by multiplying the relevant piece count by 1 + waste_percent / 100 and rounding up.

Worked example

Deck example: a 4.8 m by 3.6 m deck using 140 mm boards and 5 mm gaps gives 25 board rows. With 4.8 m stock boards, that is 25 boards before waste.

Fence example: a 20 m straight fence with 140 mm pickets and 10 mm gaps needs ceiling((20 + 0.01) / 0.15) = 134 pickets before waste.

Shelving example: four 0.8 m shelves in board mode need 3.2 m of shelf length. With 2.4 m board stock, that rounds to 2 boards before waste.

Common mistakes

  • Treating a simple planning estimate as a final building plan.
  • Forgetting that gates, stairs, railings, brackets, anchors, fasteners, edging, finishing, and cut layouts may need separate planning.
  • Using nominal material sizes instead of actual board, timber, sheet, or panel dimensions.
  • Entering prices in different currencies and expecting conversion. The planner only displays the symbol you enter.

FAQs

Is this project planner free?

Yes. This V1 project planner is free to use and does not include payments, subscriptions, accounts, or premium gating.

Does this replace the individual calculators?

No. It is a quick planning workflow. Use the individual calculators when you want a more focused deck, fence, sheet goods, cut-list, cost, or weight estimate.

Can I use this for metric and imperial projects?

Yes. The planner supports metric and imperial inputs where relevant and converts internally before calculating.

Does this include local building code requirements?

No. It is not a structural or code-compliance calculator. Verify structural requirements, safety requirements, and local building rules before building.

Does this optimise cut layouts?

No. Shelving sheet and board estimates are quantity estimates only. Use the cut-list optimizer for a basic straight-cut layout.

Can I print or export the material list?

Yes. After calculating, you can print the material list, copy it, download CSV, or download a plain text list in your browser.

Calculator disclaimer

These results are estimates only. Verify measurements, material specifications, structural requirements, safety requirements, and local building rules before buying materials or building.