Are deck boards and fence boards the same?

[swimmer_spe]

Are deck boards and fence boards the same? I need to replace some rotten deck boards, can I use fence boards, or are they different types?

 

[Snoonyb]

Fence boards, other than the supporting structure, are primarily rough sawn 1X, and the structural members can vary from S4S too rough sawn.

 

[bud16415]

I would use 5/4 PT deck boards for a fence but I wouldn’t use fence boards for a deck as a general rule. What I mainly see here as fence boards as mentioned above are rough sawed and are not a full 1” thick (5/4) they are closer to .5” thick. The quality of the wood is not as good and they look to only be surface treated.

That is not to say some fence boards can be something else.

 

[Sparky617]

My first house built in 1984 had smooth 1x6 PT for the decking. Since then 5x4" decking is standard. There were so many things wrong with that deck by today's standards. But in the last 37 years codes have changed because decks like that have collapsed.

 

[bud16415]

I was building a little wheel chair ramp this spring and I went for some 5/4 deck boards and the didn’t have any in the whole country. I asked him what he had and he said he had a whole bunch of PT 2x6 x 16’. I said whats the price difference and he said they were the same price. I couldn’t haul the 16s so he made 8’s and I decked it with them.

Check prices!