I have installed tongue and groove flooring before, but am about to install my first tongue and groove porch floor. Though it is covered by a roof, it will be exposed to the elements. Are there any steps I should take to insure long-life and no warping? I’m planning to prime all four sides, and also lay down a bead of exterior grade contruction glue (Liquid Nails). Thanks.
– Eric
Replies
Floor sloped away from the house? Can you lay the planks parallel to the slope?
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Yes. There is a slight slope, and the boards follow the slope.
Liquid nails is junk. If you're gonna bother, do it right and use PL Premium.
Just did one two wkds ago. I put a 3/4" slope over 7' draining away from the house, (porch is covered and has 1' eaves. I used 2 1/2" gal spiral finish nails through the tongue with a small PL bead to prevent squeaks. Took a bit of time hand setting those nails, but i didn't trust my 15g nailer for the task. Primed all sides, should last a lifetime.
Thanks. That's about what I had in mind, too. If it's not rude of me to ask, how much did you charge? Mine is an 8 X 18 ft porch area, and I'll have to jack up the roof to get the flooring under the columns.
I live in Toronto, Canada
I did a porch 7x13. I jacked up the roof and demoed the existing porch, took the old column (house is a semi) and cut the rotted part off, and restored the column to its somewhat former beauty. I reframed the floor and installed two sonos to support the middle of the floor, previously it was 2x8s with a 14' span i installed 2x8s 14' long with a beam down the center of the porch making it a 7' span. Installed flooring, three railings (furniture grade, clear cedar) and a cedar stairset with railing. cedar fence boards underneath to close it off. Everything was preprimed 4 sides (except for cedar fence boards underneath) with Cabot exterior oil primer. I charged 6500 and it took us a weekend, (24 hours) I am just starting in this business (pricing, contracting business side) however I have been working as a carp for 4 years now, and my partner has been doing it for 10 years.
This is a bad idea, IMO. Even if you use a rot-resistant species, T&G is not really appropriate for water exposure. (Did you ever wonder why nobody makes T&G exterior siding?)
I also hope you are not planning to lay this porch floor over a subfloor; if you do, you will be creating a rot sandwich....
My suggestion would be to use square-edged boards of some rot-resistant species like cedar or bamboo or one of the tropical hardwoods. Nail them directly on the joists, and make sure you set the heart of each board up so they'll present a convex upper face. Set the boards tight; the butt joint will allow water to drain through and the joints will dry.
One last suggestion; line the top of the joists with a strip of 100# roll roofing or some ice-and-snow membrane. That will protect the joists from rot at the nail penetrations. (Obviously, you're gonna use hot galvanised nails or stainless.)
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
<<...Did you ever wonder why nobody makes T&G exterior siding?..>>Lots used out here. Must be a West Coast item.http://www.cedarland.ca/configs_2.htm#Tongue%20and%20Groove%20Sidinghttp://www.soundcedar.com/lumber/siding/tongue%20and%20groove/
all over out here...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Thanks for those links; I shouldn't have said 'nobody makes...;' what I meant was 'nobody uses....' And apparently, that's only true regionally, so I shouldn't even have said that. My bad.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
T&G porch flooring is a t5raditional thing when done with heart pine or cypress esp in southern states.I have worked on some that was a hundred years old more or less before needing replacement.The problem is that there is no good heart pine left so the new replacements have been CVG Doug fir. which has some resistance but not as good, and the quality of that product on the market has declined over the past twenty years too. Of the ones I have installed, only those that get meticulous care are still doping well. Those that get only an occasional coat of Thompsons or less are showing signs of age and small repairs needed.So the newest ones I do are not T&G or they are Tendura or Ipe`Last winter we replaced a porch floor the size of Rhode Island that had been fir T&G painted over I&W on a plywood deck. It was a water sandwich, full of delightfull smells and strange otherworldly patterns in the growths there. The new surface is IPE` square edge spaced 1/8" on sleepers over EPDM and the owner called it a work of art.
That is a good qway to reconcile the cost in his mind, LOL
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Piffin, you're using Tendura? Just to let you know, I've had product failures with this stuff. Won't use it again.
Rich
Me too.
Ive used a kiln dried PT T&G a few times and all seems well so far. It can be painted or stained.
Haven't seen that around here (NJ). Gotta be sanded after installing?
It should be if it's being stained, but I've left mine alone and it's fine for me. I'm in NC. It's a COX product. Not sure how far they reach?
The local yard carried Cox years ago, but haven't seen the brand here lately. Gonna have to ask, thanks.
Rich
sand it for staining before installation...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Imerc, was just asking about sanding 'cause square edge t&g sometimes has alot of lippage. I like to sand even when painting.
sand before it goes up...
you will do a better job and it's a serious time saver...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I used a floor sander after it was down. You get it real purty that way.
some how I got up off the floor and went to the wall...
I wouldn't sand for an exterior porch floor...
I'd take all the ruff I could get....
paint is slick when wet....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I have not had failures. Used it on two porches but very selective about where I use it according to manufacturers recommendations for location and spacing for thermal expansion. One is 3-4 year sold and makes the owners happy
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
can you T&G ipe for a covered porch app?
Edited 8/1/2008 7:43 am ET by john7g
You can purchase it that way and it looks amazing. Difficult install with all the drilling though.
Do you nail it tight or still have to leave something for expansion?
John7g, I predrill for toe screws, or it will split. Use SS finish head screws. Best to install it in your most humid season, and let the flooring acclimate prior to installation for a week or so.
If you have to install in the dry season, take a piece of poly strapping and cut it up into shims to allow a little room for expansion between each board
I can order it milled T&G
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Dinosaur,You posted, "...some rot-resistant species like cedar or bamboo." My experience with bamboo is that it rots like crazy. Maybe there is bamboo with preservative treatment commercially available, but regular bamboo is on a par with poplar for decay resistance.Bill
What type of foundation does the porch have? Is it brick, slab, or post?
It is mounted on brick columns. The joist work is only ten years old, and seems to be in good shape, though I will know better when I get the floor off.
Does the porch share space with the cellar or basement? Common practice down here many years ago.
the old floor is only 10YO and needs replacement???
what was the material used...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
It was t&G pine, but was shoddily installed, unprimed, poorly nailed. There's no real rot, only lots of warping around the perimeter.
some how this got off into siding....
I suspect you won't be standing yur porch floor on end....
so...
don't waste yur money on the Liquid Nails... use PL Premium...
go one step futher and paint after the full prime...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!