Replies

1. 
   jim_l | Oct 17, 2001 05:01pm | #1

   *
   I'd make a real clean square cut and spline or biscuit them. But then, what do I know?
   jim l

1. 
   chanle51 | Oct 17, 2001 05:28pm | #2

   *I did one on my own home and attempted to butt the joints square...it didn't look bad at all, but of course I wanted them to be invisible. It wasn't happening at all, so I ended up taking some 1x4 stock, routed in a stopped cove detail and applied that over the seams. After making matching moulding for the rest of the ceiling with an ogee detailed light block in the center of the ceiling, it made the potentially least attractive part of the ceiling into a nice eye catching detail.

1. 
   Alan_Ray | Oct 17, 2001 06:09pm | #3

   *jim - Man, that's a LOT of joints when I go to hang this 1x4 stock. whew!

1. 
   lonecat | Oct 17, 2001 06:12pm | #4

   *The old guys always butted it, but usually had some kind of pattern to where the joints were. Symmetrical.

1. 
   jim_l | Oct 17, 2001 06:34pm | #5

   *Just out of curiosty, what wood and lengths are you using? I've got a porch ceiling I'll be doing sometime this year and have been wrestling with species and price. I'd like to use something clear and quarter sawn, but it's pricey.A biscuit joiner run into the end of each piece really isn't a big deal. Scarfing the ends of each piece sounds like a bigger deal to me.jim l

2. 
   Jeff_Clarke_ | Oct 17, 2001 06:40pm | #6

   *Why not glue the ends with polyurethane glue? We've done some testing (like boiling butt-glued pieces) and haven't seen any failures. Plus, it expands to fill the joint.Jeff

3. 
   Steve_Zerby | Oct 17, 2001 10:16pm | #7

   *I just square cut and butt them. It's a porch fer cryin' out loud! But I do pay attention to the pattern of the joints--that's what can look crummy if you don't work out a fairly regular pattern.The last one I did was out of SYP about 3/8" thick. I thought it was too thin. If it was my porch I would use at least 5/8 or true 1x stock. Plain old pine would be fine. It'll get zero weather exposure or wear and tear. I like the idea of biscuits on the end joints, but there is always a little slop in a buiscuit joint too, so I'm not sure it would be worth the effort on a well-framed ceiling.Steve

4. 
   kkearney | Oct 17, 2001 11:28pm | #8

   *Alan,Sometimes we strip joist with 1x4 and run beaded cypress the short dimension or add fake beams so no joints show. Finish off with some nice crown.KK

5. 
   Mike_Smith | Oct 18, 2001 12:10am | #9

   *square butt with a caulk space... the ceiling will be painted , right ?so leave an 8d nail space so you can caulk the joints...the wood will move , but the caulk will flex and the paint will stay...

6. 
   GACC_DAllas | Oct 18, 2001 01:42am | #10

   *Steve Zerby has the right idea, but I'd skip the biscuts. You're nailing off the ends on a joist arn't you? Busicuts are good for floating joints but not needed for jointery on a hard substrate. I say forget the pattern. Never have one side to side though.I don't know about Mike's 1/8" caulk idea. Doesn't sound too good to me. I usually like Mike's ideas. But I'm gonna pass on this one.Ed.

7. 
   Mike_Smith | Oct 18, 2001 01:47am | #11

   *if it's a painted surface.. a joint is an unpaintable surface.. no matter how tight you fit it..so you need a caulk joint to paint.. a caulk joint requires a space.. and 8d nail is a good caulk space...last tiem i checked, an 8d nail is NOT a 1/8" space...if you want to see the joint .. don't caulk it, you'll see it.. it will be a fine crack in the paint..ask a painter ..cause..b hey, whadda i no ?

8. 
   piffin_ | Oct 18, 2001 01:55am | #12

   *I'm like Kkearny - what joints?

9. 
   Alan_Ray | Oct 18, 2001 05:29pm | #13

   *I'm using 1x fir T&G. Lengths between 8' and 14'. I wish I could have gotten more of this stuff, but it's all they had. Lumber guy said it had been sitting there for about 2 years. Straight, clean, tight grain.I had thought about paint, but I am leaning towards some sort of stain or poly. It is almost to nice to cover.

10. 
    jim_l | Oct 18, 2001 05:45pm | #14

    *Alan,If you spine or biscuit and float the joints, you save material not having to join over joists.jim l

11. 
    piffin_ | Oct 19, 2001 01:07am | #15

    *porch cielings were always painted a sky blue or robins egg blue because it discourages nesting bugs - wasps, spiders, etc way back when.....

12. 
    Mike_Smith | Oct 19, 2001 01:26am | #16

    *here's a beaded fir we did in '86..this is the front entry..

13. 
    Mike_Smith | Oct 19, 2001 01:29am | #17

    *and the beaded ceiling.. all seams and joints caulked..this pic. was taken today.. 15 years later..

14. 
    Mike_Smith | Oct 19, 2001 01:31am | #18

    *at the other end of the house is a covered porch with skylights in the beaded ceiling to lighten up the living / dining areas....

15. 
    Joe_Melvin | Oct 19, 2001 01:36am | #19

    *I use bead board alot on the porches I restore. I have good luck with 1 by 6 pine which roughly covers 5 inches. I square cut the ends with no biscuts. The tounge and groove do a good job at holding the joint together.

16. 
    Skip_Keith | Oct 19, 2001 06:29am | #20

    *Nice looking job there Mike. Skip

17. 
    L._Siders | Oct 19, 2001 06:46am | #21

    *Mike! That is a very beautiful home. Nice work!

2. 
   Alan_Ray | Oct 19, 2001 06:46am | #22

   *
   Installing my first T&G beadboard ceiling on the new front porch. When butting the pieces, should I square up the ends or scarf them?

   Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

   Thanks to all