flooring for front porch

17 years ago

What is the best wood to use for front porch flooring. It will have a roof over it. I here that t@g fir isn't a good choice. Is their another t@g wood choice? I want the boards close together (no gap). I was also thinking of ordering the wood over the internet. What is a reputable site to go to. Also does it have to be t@g? How are regular boards put together close to look like the t@g. I kind of want cedar.

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Comments (9)

john_hyatt
17 years ago
Ipe T&G,call George 800 338 5636 East Teak Lumber.Dont install this dekcing the way you would build an inside floor using T&G material or regular planks. John
deckman22
17 years ago
I agree with John, ipe is the way to go if you want T&G. Cedar does not do well if spaced close together as debris will gather in there & cause the boards to rot.

Al
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TanyaMStew
Original Author
17 years ago
deckman22, Thanks for the quick response. What other options do I have? I do want boards to be close together as it is a front porch. I have gone around my neighborhood and all the porches have boards that are close together. Do I have to go t@g? My inlaws have an old victorian with a cedar floor front porch and it looks great. (I don't know if they had t@g then)
What about mahogany?
srercrcr
17 years ago
Probably the most common method is 1 X 4 butted up against each other. If any water gets on it, it will drain in the crack. Don't try to plug the crack with paint. In fact, I would pre-prime them before installation, then top coat once installed. I guess the only drawback with butted-up boards is sometimes the wood moves a little causing a slight unevenness.....not a biggie.
john_hyatt
17 years ago
I am remembering the old wrap around covered porches giving shaded comfort in sweet ol Eugune Oregon... sigh,,, those old places must have looked great all fresh and all, sitting out in the woods with a view of the dirt road the Loggers having a beer on the rocking chair after a long dangerous day in the woods. Slightley rocking because the pitch on those porches was really heading down hill, done with old growth doug fir Sigh.....

But here we are and the Tany wants to know what is the best wood to use now and is not really giving ear to what we are saying us guys who do this as a living.

Outside areas covered or not should not be built as if they are inside the house them ol boys knew this so they put a lot of fall in when framing those wrap arounds,they were using old growth mateial, most time T&G material layed running away from the house and they most always painted them.Back then a few creeks and rotted places dident bother those Great People, Life had too many pleasures and pain to worry about someting like that.

Ipe is the best hands down material to use for outdoor areas,covered or not. I have done several wrap arounds with ipe T&G material,fasatened thru the tounge with ss screws, every 3' or so I cut a 1/2'' slot in the T just to make sure, I got this idea from TimberTech T&G material.No T&G boards actually touch to alow for movement,this space is an 1/8'' or so the same as us guys alow for drainage with regular plank decking. T&G drains the same way
Using cedar for decking at all is not a long lived choice,old growth cvg doug fir would be really sweet and a little spendy bout twice what I can get Ipe for.
Tany Person I wish you good fortune. J
TanyaMStew
Original Author
17 years ago
O.K, I just found "a superior porch flooring choice" Southern pine pressure treated tongue and groove wood. www.southernpine.com how about that? Has anyone used this product before??
joyce54
17 years ago
Ipe T&G is the best thing for ya if i where you i would give the guys at Advantage Trim and Lumber a call right now there are running a free shipping special on any outdoor T&G product.
john_hyatt
17 years ago
With pt lumber be sure and check the sticker,you want .40 ground contact material. John
t_mcclaughry_yahoo_com
12 years ago
I would never use southern yellow pine, treated or not, because southern white pine has a tendency to twist out after the sun hits for a length of time.
I am in the process of making my own T&G cedar porch flooring for the front porch. I know enough to prime it all over the pieces. I wil let you know how this performs over the winter.