What does “Mixed Length” Mean Exactly?
Brazilian Wood Depot receives hardwood decking and siding from mills in naturally mixed board lengths. We are always happy to provide length-specific materials when needed; however, by supplying material in a similar balanced format, we’re able to provide a practical mix of usable lengths at the most aggressive costs possible while helping customers avoid the waste and limitations often associated with highly restrictive length selections.
While the concept of “Mixed Lengths” is generally similar across product categories, the specific details differ slightly between Decking and Siding products. Please review the section below that applies to your project.
Mixed Length: Decking
In most cases, for Decking orders, “Mixed Lengths” means a relatively even spread of linear footage across the four primary board-length categories below:
If a particular length category becomes temporarily unavailable, that footage is typically shifted into the next longest available category whenever possible.
The three example board tallies below demonstrate how a typical Mixed Length hardwood decking package may be distributed across these categories for different project sizes. The same is true for Siding or Tongue and Groove boards with slightly different math.
| 18 pcs — 4′ Boards | 72 LF |
| 33 pcs — 6′ Boards | 198 LF |
| 35 pcs — 8′ Boards | 280 LF |
| 20 pcs — 14′ Boards | 280 LF |
| 15 pcs — 18′ Boards | 270 LF |
| 16 pcs — 3′ Boards | 48 LF |
| 72 pcs — 7′ Boards | 504 LF |
| 35 pcs — 8′ Boards | 280 LF |
| 27 pcs — 10′ Boards | 270 LF |
| 24 pcs — 12′ Boards | 288 LF |
| 19 pcs — 14′ Boards | 266 LF |
| 27 pcs — 20′ Boards | 540 LF |
| 1 pc — 4′ Board | 4 LF |
| 12 pcs — 4′ Boards | 48 LF |
| 15 pcs — 6′ Boards | 90 LF |
| 17 pcs — 8′ Boards | 136 LF |
| 4 pcs — 12′ Boards | 48 LF |
| 6 pcs — 14′ Boards | 84 LF |
| 9 pcs — 16′ Boards | 144 LF |
Mixed Lengths Create a More Natural Hardwood Appearance: This porch installation is an excellent example of how beautiful a properly planned mixed-length layout can look when working with narrower-profile Ipe 1×4 Decking. Rather than creating long repetitive seams, the staggered layout introduces subtle visual rhythm and variation across the surface — much closer to high-end hardwood flooring than manufactured decking systems.
Notice how the varied board lengths help the porch feel more custom and architectural while still maintaining an extremely clean appearance. Combined with thoughtful spacing, careful alignment, and softened board transitions, the layout avoids the artificial “striped” appearance that continuous long boards can sometimes create.
The hidden fastening layout and border detailing further enhance the natural hardwood aesthetic while allowing the rich variation of real Ipe to remain the visual focal point throughout the porch.
Mixed Length: Siding and Tongue & Groove
In most cases, for Siding and Tongue & Groove orders, “Mixed Lengths” means a relatively even spread of linear footage across the three primary board-length categories below:
If a particular length category becomes temporarily unavailable, that footage is typically shifted into the next longest available category whenever possible.
The three example board tallies below demonstrate how a typical Mixed Length package may be distributed for Siding, 5″ Tongue & Groove, and 3.5″ Tongue & Groove products. Actual board counts will vary based on inventory and project size, but the overall linear footage is generally balanced across the three length categories shown above.
| 30 pcs — 5′ Boards | 150 LF |
| 47 pcs — 6′ Boards | 282 LF |
| 43 pcs — 10′ Boards | 430 LF |
| 18 pcs — 12′ Boards | 216 LF |
| 16 pcs — 14′ Boards | 224 LF |
| 25 pcs — 4′ Boards | 100 LF |
| 40 pcs — 7′ Boards | 280 LF |
| 42 pcs — 10′ Boards | 420 LF |
| 15 pcs — 12′ Boards | 180 LF |
| 16 pcs — 14′ Boards | 224 LF |
| 35 pcs — 5′ Boards | 175 LF |
| 57 pcs — 7′ Boards | 399 LF |
| 57 pcs — 10′ Boards | 570 LF |
| 23 pcs — 12′ Boards | 276 LF |
| 21 pcs — 14′ Boards | 294 LF |
Boards that are 16 ft and longer are available upon request, but are not included in “Mixed Length” order preparations for Siding, T&G, or milled profiles.
Mixed Lengths Create a More Natural Hardwood Facade: This Cumaru RainScreen Siding installation demonstrates how beautiful a mixed-length layout can look on a modern exterior. The staggered board lengths create subtle visual movement while allowing the wood’s natural color variation, grain patterns, and texture to remain the focal point.
The result is a warm, architectural appearance that feels more natural and custom than a highly repetitive, uniform layout.
- Lower replacement shipping costs compared to sourcing exact full-length boards later.
- More flexibility to trim around natural imperfections without sacrificing long boards.
- Better availability from naturally mixed mill production.
- More aggressive pricing compared to forcing uniform full-length packages.
- Creates a more natural hardwood appearance.
- Introduces better visual rhythm and staggered transitions.
- Avoids repetitive continuous seams across the deck surface.
- Feels more architectural and custom than overly uniform layouts.
- Improves layout flexibility around stairs and borders.
- Easier to maneuver and fasten during installation.
- Helps reduce unnecessary cutoff waste on complex layouts.
- Allows more flexibility with breaker boards and transitions.
- Future repairs are generally more manageable.
- Smaller staggered sections are easier to replace if needed.
- Long full-length replacement challenges are reduced.
- Provides better long-term flexibility for real-world deck use.
- Balanced spread across major length categories.
- Not identical quantities of every exact board size.
- Designed around real-world usability and availability.
- Hardwood comes from real trees, not factories.
- Exact lengths vary by species, mill yield, and inventory.
- Unavailable footage may shift to the next longer category.
- More practical for most deck layouts.
- Reduces freight, handling, and replacement challenges.
- Improves flexibility around stairs, borders, and transitions.
Natural Hardwood Character Done Right: One of the most impressive things about this covered porch installation is how natural and architectural the finished hardwood surface feels. The installer avoided the overly repetitive appearance common with many manufactured decking products and instead embraced the subtle movement, color variation, and staggered layout that make real hardwood decking so visually appealing.
This project features beautifully installed Brown Balau Decking, a dense tropical hardwood valued for its warm brown tones, durability, and natural appearance.
Notice how the staggered seams avoid creating long repetitive lines or obvious repeating patterns. Combined with the eased board ends discussed throughout this article, the entire installation feels more custom, more balanced, and much closer to high-end interior hardwood flooring than a typical exterior deck surface.
Mixed Length hardwood decking is not a leftover bundle. It is a deliberate, balanced approach designed to provide better pricing, better layout flexibility, and better real-world installation usability.
For most hardwood decking projects, balanced Mixed Length packages are usually the smartest overall solution.
