I live in hot, humid South Carolina and I’ve got a covered front porch with fully grouted 8″ CMU blocks. No vents or openings except a 2’x2′ access door on one side. I’m thinking of putting down T&G Ipe for the porch floor but now I’m wondering if I should put down a sealed vapor barrier to prevent any moisture problems with the Tongue & Groove, like buckling or warping etc..
The other option I guess would be to not use Tongue & Groove and instead just use regular 5/4″ x 6″ decking with a 1/8″ gap and no vapor barrier.
Any Thoughts?
Replies
I would not worry about IPE moving on you much. It is extremly stable. Either t&g or decking should work out just fine and look great.
IMO, installing a few vents would go a long way to retarding moisture buildup under the porch if it really is that tite. My concerns would be with your framing lumber. Treat lumber "moves" in unpredictable ways and no nail/screw will stop it.
Well, it's too late for vents unless I want to bore some holes through the block. I guess at this stage I should just plan on using 5/4" x 6 decking so that at least the area under the porch has a way to breathe.
Have you designed in weep holes or is there a slope down to the first step?? If it is as tight as you are leading me to believe, what are you going to do about hard rain and pooling?
Punching holes through block isn't to tough.
Post some Pics, I'd like to see the finished product.
good luck
Hey Lou, I think your misunderstanding what I'm doing so here's a photo of the porch. I haven't built it all yet (other than the concrete blocks). The 4' tall block are filled with concrete and will be parged when we're finished. We wanted it solid block to match the rest of the house, but I forgot to put any vents in when the block was layed. I do have a 2'x2' access door on one side that I could put louvered vents in but I won't have any vents on the other sides, unless I punch some holes through like you suggested. Or I could just seal it all up real good and treat it like a crawlspace.
"I live in hot, humid South Carolina"
I live in hot, humid South Carolina, too. Did you build the model house yourself?
Michael
Darlington, SCNew knowledge is priceless.
Used knowledge is even more valuable.
I'm trying, the foundation is done and the framer is coming in a couple of weeks.
Nice! If the finished product looks as good as your mockup, it'll be a great little porch. Very elegant and a good tie into the house visually. IMO, you have a very good sence of astedics.
Are you Trimming the decking with a perimiter boarder or letting the decking runout past the skirt an inch or so? Is the decking perpendicular to the home or are you running it at an angle?
I can't take credit for the model. An architect friend of mine designed the house and I think he had an intern build the model over the summer.What I'd really like to do is run IPE T&G boards perpendicular to the house and just let the boards run out past the skirt a little bit. But the reason for this whole thread is that I forgot to put vents in the block. I'm not sure how to cut them in now, or if it really even matters. What do you think?
T&G would be great IMO for the main deck. Venting options are only limited to your imagination(punched out holes in inconspicuous or visually balenced spots in the block and then trimed with IPE frames and bug screening).
What are you planning as far as the treads are concerned? Duobled up 6" wide decking is probably best. Spaced out properly, they would provide or assist in venting the area of interest.