Decking refers to the planks used as the walking surface on projects, and are also cut up to be used as the treads on the stairway.
Decking, also known as deck boards or planks, usually measure close to 5-1/2" inches wide by 1" thick. The exact dimensions vary, especially when referring to actual wood decking, and not all artificial deck boards are identical either.
Some brands of decking like Azek and Deckorators manufacture other board widths like 4" and 8" wide boards, to allow for more unique decking looks and designs.
Some deck boards, especially budget-friendly boards, come in profiles where the bottom side of the board is partially hollowed out or "scalloped" to save material and production costs. These boards generally pass the same testing standards needed for deck projects and deck code, but there are trade-offs other than just cost. Drink rail/cocktail rail configurations usually require a full-profile (non-scalloped) deck board in order to be installed correctly, so the drink rail bracket fasteners have enough material thickness to fasten into, and also for the bracket to seat the board flat on the rail's top surface.
