What is the best wood choice for a painted porch floor?

Answer 1

There are several choices here and a lot may have to do with what your local lumberyard has available. Treated wood is used very often for decks, but is not usually available in T&G. Redwood is available in T&G but is rather expensive and does draw upon our redwood forest reserve. Another choice, and the one I reccomend, is knotty yellow pine. It does come in T&G boards and if it has a lot of sap in it, it is pretty rot resistant. It is not as easy to work with as redwood and the drawbacks are many. The biggest advantages are cost and the woodsy look of knotty pine.

Okay, now we know what we are dealing with and we can start. First, make sure your framework is level and square. A slight slope to the outside is a good thing. From 1/16 to 1/8 in. per foot is good. Since this is T&G there won't be any place for the water to go unless you have a slope and the water will just pond. I hope you have a cover on top or this would not be a good idea. But, I will still assume you know what you are doing, (with the rain and stuff).

Layout your boards and stagger the joints. Use stainless steel screws. Don't paint it! The pitch will just bleed through. Use a good grade polyurethane thinned with turpentine to seal. Don't use thompson's water seal, it's too expensive and it sucks anyway. You will have to do the sealing process a few times over the months and years. You'll know what to do.

The above answer is correct. DON'T USE THOMPSONS WATERSEAL. I put it on my deck and it quit working after 6 months. I complained to the paint dept. at Lowes and they told me they get that all the time. Many many complaints. I was told Olimpic Maximum was much better.

Answer 2

if you are going to paint it anyways just use pine but if you are going to varnish or stain it use oak or maple