Howdy all, this is my first time to FHB web site and online forum, although I have been a long time subscriber. I am a cabinetmaker by trade, but do much more than that around my own home. I recently added a ten by thirty foot porch to my home and laid a OSB sub floor that I painted to get me through the winter. I will soon begin laying a T&G VG Fir floor for that authentic porch floor feel. (I should mention that I have enclosed both ends of the porch with large windows and that I have about a twenty inch overhang in the front with gutter). I have been getting conflicting info. about how I should finish this floor. Do I leave the backs unfinished? Paint first? Paint the tops? Stain and finish the tops? Any ideas? Thanks for the input.
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Replies
Set me straight here....this is an enclosed porch? Like a sunroom?
That haircut, and a time out. All in the same week.
Sucks to be you.
Porch is open on one long side, elevation is about 20", no railing, steps the full length. Face is on leward side of the prevailing wind but does get wet up about 1/2 in a good storm. Located on central coast of Calif. so we don't get a lot of rain, but we do get a bit.
OK...that's what I was picturing....just don't see it all that often in these parts.
First you need to remove the plywood....OSB you said?
Install the flooring directly to the joists. You don't want to be trapping any moisture between the underside of the flooring and a subfloor. Sure to promote rot.
In the past, I have primed all sides prior to installation. However, my Ben Moore rep. suggests applying the Ben Moore Porch Floor Paint directly to the raw wood. So now, I prime bottoms and edges before I install. I have my flooring guy hit it with a sanding and then give it two to three coats of the finished paint.
Don't let the fact that it is well protected and sees little rain deter you from protecting it as the exterior project that it is.
That haircut, and a time out. All in the same week.Sucks to be you.
i was afraid you were going to say that!! I read one article where the contractor primed the bottom side of the porch boards and then indicated that he had to go back because of rot within a few years. He felt that the paint on the back side of the boards trapped the moisture and caused premature rotting. Every old porch that I have seen (about three, each at least 60-70 years old had the wood raw on the bottom, but plenty of ventilation underneath the porch. Anyway, no way to do it with the OSB still on there uh? Would it work if I put 1/2" or 3/4" stringers on top of the OSB and then installed the flooring on that? That way the fir would not be in direct contact with the OSB. What do you think? Thanks for your input.
That sounds like it would work to keep the flooring dry.
I'd be afraid that the OSB would just sit there in the shade as a sponge though.
If you're absolutely adverse to removing the OSB.....I know they make some composite porch floorings that are supposed to mimmick tradition quite well. I've never worked with them myself, so I can't offer any opinions.
Maybe put down some roofing felt on top of the OSB prior to the composite?
That haircut, and a time out. All in the same week.Sucks to be you.
Here's a link to the Tendura site.....heard some good things from some of the guys here on BT:
http://www.tendura.com/
That haircut, and a time out. All in the same week.Sucks to be you.
The flooring should run with fall, and away from the house.
Old flooring being from old trees was much more likely to not fail from rot very quickly. Priming all sides and cuts is a good practice. Ventilation below is also a good idea.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Old flooring being from old trees was much more likely to not fail from rot very quickly.
I've always assumed that was the case. Rarely have I come across an old porch floor that is rotted where direct saturation and/or poor ventilation wasn't an issue.
That haircut, and a time out. All in the same week.Sucks to be you.
The worst thing you can do for you4rself is to leave the OSB in place. Using 3/4" sleepers just gives the mold more space to blossom while it feeds on the OSB.
You need bothe ventialtion and drainage.
Run the decking perpendi8cular to the house and pitched away at least 1/8" to the foot. Normal is 1/4" but under a roof - carefully done at 1/8" works.
preprime all surfaces.
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Sounds like the osb is coming up, sigh!! Oh well, at least we have a porch to enjoy until I get the doug fir p;ut down. Yes, I am running it away from the house and I do have an inch and one half slope in ten feet, so I think that I have enough slope. Thanks for all of your input!!