Planning a front porch addition and considering the Azek Porch flooring. Has anyone used this product? This specific product came out earlier this year, and I assume it is the same composition as the other Azek materials. I am hesitant to use something that does not have at least a few years track record. In Virginia it sells for about $2.60 / LF. for 1 x 3″ tongue and groove. I like the look of the traditional pine porch floor, but looking at long term maintenance. Any suggestions of other products. Thanks.
Robert
Replies
Don't use Tendura.
Why do you say don't use Tendura?
I had a warranty issue with Tendura. According to their rep. the flooring was installed correctly, so Tendura replaced the flooring without cost for materials.
OK, that's good. Flooring cupped and swelled so they replace it. Guess who ate the labor for removal, disposal, installation and painting ?
I've tired of using these new miracle products with worthless warranties.
At least with wood you know what you're getting.
Rich
I am hesitant to use something that does not have at least a few years track record.
There's this really amazing stuff with a fabulous look and a great track record, and it's a heck of a lot less expensive than Azek. It's available in different grades and can be either stained or painted. Installs easily, too; no special equipment required.
The only trouble with it is that you might have some trouble finding it in the average lumber yard these days. Might have to make a special order; depends on your yard. Some of the big, modern supply yards don't carry it at all any more.
It's called 'wood.'
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
That was my 1st choice, and I may go back to that. Southern Pine Council recommendations are to use a KDAT material, treat with water repellent prior to painting, and then painting all surfaces before installation. At about a $1.00 a LF it is the best deal, even figuring repainting every 3 or 4 years. I think the wood porch floors that don't last were not maintained or improper installation, no ventilation, no slope, etc.
You are right, the local wood treatment plant / lumber yard no longer stocks the Treated T & G flooring, everyone is using the composites. Robert
You are correct, most wood structure failures are due to lack of maintenance or bad design and/or installation.
A properly designed and built natural wood structure will not rot if it is maintained. Even when they are not maintained, they will last longer than most people expect.
In 1995, I built a new dock for myself. Pilings were either red cedar or hemlock 6x6 (I had some of each left over from a house re-build). Everything else was made of plain, untreated KD spruce: stringers, joists, decking, bracing.
Because this dock stands in the lake from which I draw my (unfiltered) drinking water, I will not put any sort of chemical preservative or other coating on the wood. I determined to see exactly how long a completely unprotected spruce structure would last in that nasty environment (full sun; full rain; no protection from ice damage either).
The deck, joists, and cross bracing lasted 12 years. The main frame (pilings and stringers) have not yet shown any signs of decay.
Based on the good performance of the hemlock pilings (sitting in the lake itself), I replaced the decking and joists with natural, untreated hemlock last year. We'll see how long that lasts.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
Many of the houses in southeast Virginia have porches that have survived for 100 + years. You can probably attribute most of the longevity to the material used, the "old growth" pine was denser and naturally more insect and decay resistant, compared to what is available today.
No matter how hard the manufacturers try, the composites & synthetics just look too perfect. I think I would prefer the natural variations and defects of real wood. Robert
You can probably attribute most of the longevity to the material used, the "old growth" pine was denser and naturally more insect and decay resistant
I'm not sure that's the primary reason, actually. I think it had more to do with the attitude of the builders towards their work.
Carpenters of 100+ years ago didn't have a witch's cauldron of nasty chemicals available to enable them to cheat on construction details. They knew if they didn't build things so they shed water properly they wouldn't last.
Carps back then also had the expectation that muliple generations of the same family would inhabit whatever they built, and that their reputation would stand or fall on how well their work stood the test of time. They didn't dare count on new owners coming along shortly afterwards who wouldn't have a clue about who had built the place. HO's 'flipping' a joint after 7 years (the average length of home-ownership in the U.S. today) was a completely unthinkable concept.
No matter how hard the manufacturers try, the composites & synthetics just look too perfect. I think I would prefer the natural variations and defects of real wood.
Here I agree with you 100%. My most useful persuasive tool when attempting to convince a client not to use some plastic substitute on his house is to hold up a sample of the fake from 50 feet away, then slowly walk towards the HO until that perfectly moulded fake wood-grain is two feet from the guy's face.
"Now, sir, if you will," I say, "imagine yourself walking up the steps to stare at that, uh, product. Because that's what you're going to be doing every single time you stand here and fumble for your keys to unlock the front door.
"Is that really what you want to see your home looking like...?"
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
Dino,You and I discussed my porch rebuild in the past, and whereas I went with ACQ framing and mahogany decking, I agree we use to much unnatural stuff now a days. I did the bottom trim on my house with KD 2 x 12 DF, untreated. There's 15 lb felt behind it so I'm not worried about the framing, I'll paint it as well. I, too, will be seeing how long it lasts.When I was digging the footing for the new foundation, I had to cut out a cedar piling driven in 120 years ago. Using a brand new Milwaukee demo blade in the sawzall, still took 10 minutes to go through less than 8 inches. Like cutting petrified wood.
That's a serious piece of trim, Doc.
View Image
Personally, I would have put a 5-10º bevel on the top edge of that 2x, but unless it actually slopes back towards the sheathing it oughta do fine. Caulk the joint with Flextra or Supra, tho, once you finish repairing and painting the board-and-batten.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
It's 2x stock so it ends up flush with the battens meeting it from above. The picture doesn't show it, but there's a 15 degree bevel along the top, which matches the same bevel cut in the siding when I trimmed the rotted stuff away.
"Great minds think alike...."
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
so long as we don't dress alike, saw the pics from peachfest :)
Hey! I actually wore a shirt at Peachfest. (Except when I was test-driving the black walnut shower stall....)
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
"That's a serious piece of trim, Doc. "
I like the grain-wrap at the miter too!
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Yup. He's probably a sturgeon.
"Nurse! Gimme the PL Premium and the worm-drive, will ya? I gotta trim this new ACL just a hair before I glue it in place...."
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
"Grain wrap" That wasn't intentional, 2 seperate boards. I didn't even notice it until you mentioned it.
The joint has since pulled apart at top and bottom. I hope to pull it tight again with clamps and put some long screws in, maybe timberlok type.
I have not yet heard of the Azec product, but have used Tendura, with good success.
I am going to assume that the azec is subject to some of the same design parameters and limitations. All of the composites have a thermal expansion problem to deal with. Instructions are specific about how to install it and where not to use it.
You say porch, which by definition has a roof over it, so Tendura should work fine for you. It is made to have the look of the old SYP or fir porch floors
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
Ignore him. Use Tendura. All I have installed is still doing well.
Forrest
Now, now. Everyone's got a right to an opinion, no matter how wrong-headed anyone else thinks it is.
I've installed a lot of Tempura, too.
But I prefer sushi....
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....