FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

Finishes for a wood porch deck

| Posted in General Discussion on August 15, 2000 01:09am

*
Hi,

I’m having the front porch rebuilt on my 1905 farmhouse in Seattle, due to rot and poor original construction. It’s a porch that fits into the house, under the second floor, and over the basement, rather than sticking out in front if the house. Although is is under a roof, it is open to the south side, where it gets the brunt of the weather, both sun and rain.

The original deck on the porch was T&G fir, and it was in pretty good shape, except for the front edge, which was rotted out. My contrtactor is concerned that wood is not a good surface for something that needs to be walked on, and is essentially acting as a roof as well. He suggests replacing it with tile, or a paint-on membrane designed for outdoor floors.

While tile would look nice, I don’t think it really fits in very well with the character of an otherwise all wood house. As for the membrane option, it looks entirely too industrial for us.

If we did go with replacing the deck with T&G fir, there are two problems. 1) it’s expensive! 2) The only finish that my contractor recommends is a deck paint, and it seems a shame to cover up the nice wood that we just paid so much money for (see 1). He also feels that even though deck paint would work, it would require a fair bit of maintainance in the future.

My questions are:

If I’m going to paint it anyway, are there cheaper materials that would work just as well? In keeping with the house, I do wnat to see the lines of the individual planks.

Is there a clear finish that would adequately seal the deck, and stand up to both foot traffic and the weather, both sun and rain?

What other options are there?

NOTE: As I look around, I see that most older houses have wood floors on their porches, is it really such a bad idea? This one lasted 95 years, I’d be satisfied with that lifespan.

-thanks, Chris

Reply
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Replies

  1. Johnny_Johnson | Jul 27, 2000 04:11am | #1

    *
    Chris,

    We just re-did a porch. Put down 5oo SF of clear White Oak. We brushed on 3 coats of Helmsman marine spar urethane. We will give it a couple more before the summer is over. This finish is soft and flexible enough to stretch and shrink with the sun and the rain, yet hard enough to take foot traffic and wooden furniture. So far so good.

    1. Clive_Egan | Jul 31, 2000 05:31am | #2

      *I've been refinishing decks here in Canada for years and whenever possible use a clear finish. Spar urethane, recoated every 2 1/2 years is the norm. Starting with 3 coats, the first primer coat should be diluted with 15% varsol to soak into the deck put the next coat on with 5% varsol and the last full strength and generous (flood on coats 2&3) make sure their is lots of drying time to avoid alligatoring, sand between coats lightly. A stain of three parts Minwax puritan pine and one part ipswich pine makes a beautiful heritage color, test a scrap till you get it right. The underside of your deck material should be primed if you want good results to stop the damp and dryness from affecting the flooring. Flash the connection to the house walls and under the lip of the porch floor to stop water from invading the frame of the house. Also form a kerf under the front edge of the flooring material to act as a dripedge. Recoat the floor within 3 months of wear beginning to show to stop discoloration. Sikkens finishes are also excellent to keep the beauty of your floor up and you can purchase these with coloration, cedar works well.Maintenance, if you get snow, make sure you broom off the deck before it starts to get wet and make sure their is slope built into the deck for drainage. Your farmhouse should have a T&G deck historically and I suggest you stay with that material for aesthetic reasons. White oak stands up to weather well but red pine with it's increased resins works well up north, yellow should also work well and they avoid indentation by foot traffic better than softer pines. Make sure your wood has finished drying first or you will have large seams where you had laid it tight. Keep the historical elements alive.Cheers from a Canadian historical renovation/paint Contractor

      1. Tim_Cashel | Jul 31, 2000 06:22am | #3

        *Your comments regarding porch finishes was very helpful, I'd like to ask you opinion on additional flooring materials. Here in New Jersey it seems that porches are floored with either vertical-grain T&G fir or T&G mahogony. Do you have an opinion or preference? Would you use something else altogether?

  2. Guest_ | Jul 31, 2000 01:53pm | #4

    *
    Chris - If you paint, prime all surfaces first (buttprime) along with any cut ends.

    Jeff

  3. Clive_Egan | Aug 03, 2000 06:56am | #5

    *
    Tim,
    We don't have access to either fir or mahogany decking here. The Mahogany should stand up the best against rot. Any material will last if coated properly and if that coating is maintained. Each of the materials discussed have different amounts of resins or salts (mahogany, I believe) that make them less susceptible to rot or capillary reaction to moisture (swelling). The other factor to gauge is hardness to avoid indentation in areas of use.
    Good Luck

  4. Guest_ | Aug 10, 2000 07:58am | #6

    *
    Last time I shopped for cvg fir flooring, Olsen Lumber on Aurora had the best price. Blackstock and Limback were 25% higher.

    Clive, I'll show my ignorance, but would a pre-primer of CCA before prime/paint be bad?

    1. Guest_ | Aug 10, 2000 06:38pm | #7

      *You may want to look over an "Ask the Builder" column on sealing decks. The author is pushing his own deck cleaner, and I could not find any information on the internet about the analytical lab whose results he gives, but he makes some good points on deck finishes.http://www.askthebuilder.com/cgi-bin/bulletin?180:00175

      1. Guest_ | Aug 12, 2000 09:44pm | #8

        *Sikkens products are expensive but worth every penny. Had the same problem on a deck that was constantly exposed to the weather. I sloped the deck so it dropped one-quarter inch per foot. We are talking ran, snow, and ice that was rotting the wood prematurely. When the homeowner will not do proper maintenance on a home you have to do what you have to do.

        1. Guest_ | Aug 15, 2000 01:09am | #10

          *Whoops, forget to double check my link. Looks like I need to do a full HTML link reference instead of my usual shortcut... Ask The Builder on Deck Finishes

  5. Chris_Barker | Aug 15, 2000 01:09am | #9

    *
    Hi,

    I'm having the front porch rebuilt on my 1905 farmhouse in Seattle, due to rot and poor original construction. It's a porch that fits into the house, under the second floor, and over the basement, rather than sticking out in front if the house. Although is is under a roof, it is open to the south side, where it gets the brunt of the weather, both sun and rain.

    The original deck on the porch was T&G fir, and it was in pretty good shape, except for the front edge, which was rotted out. My contrtactor is concerned that wood is not a good surface for something that needs to be walked on, and is essentially acting as a roof as well. He suggests replacing it with tile, or a paint-on membrane designed for outdoor floors.

    While tile would look nice, I don't think it really fits in very well with the character of an otherwise all wood house. As for the membrane option, it looks entirely too industrial for us.

    If we did go with replacing the deck with T&G fir, there are two problems. 1) it's expensive! 2) The only finish that my contractor recommends is a deck paint, and it seems a shame to cover up the nice wood that we just paid so much money for (see 1). He also feels that even though deck paint would work, it would require a fair bit of maintainance in the future.

    My questions are:

    If I'm going to paint it anyway, are there cheaper materials that would work just as well? In keeping with the house, I do wnat to see the lines of the individual planks.

    Is there a clear finish that would adequately seal the deck, and stand up to both foot traffic and the weather, both sun and rain?

    What other options are there?

    NOTE: As I look around, I see that most older houses have wood floors on their porches, is it really such a bad idea? This one lasted 95 years, I'd be satisfied with that lifespan.

    -thanks, Chris

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Video Shorts

Categories

  • Business
  • Code Questions
  • Construction Techniques
  • Energy, Heating & Insulation
  • General Discussion
  • Help/Work Wanted
  • Photo Gallery
  • Reader Classified
  • Tools for Home Building

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

FHB Summit 2025 — Design, Build, Business

Join some of the most experienced and recognized building professionals for two days of presentations, panel discussions, networking, and more.

Featured Video

Builder’s Advocate: An Interview With Viewrail

Learn more about affordable, modern floating stairs, from design to manufacturing to installation.

Related Stories

  • Podcast Episode 686: Brick Steps, Ground-Source Heat Pumps, and Greenhouses in Nova Scotia
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Efficient HVAC for a New Build
  • Affordable Scans, Accurate Plans
  • FHB Summit 2025 — Design, Build, Business

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2024
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers
  • Issue 327 - November 2024
    • Repairing Damaged Walls and Ceilings
    • Plumbing Protection
    • Talking Shop

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

Enjoy unlimited access to Fine Homebuilding. Join Now

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data