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Species of wood for front porch on 1870's Victorian?

sarahandbray
11 years ago

We are about to completely redo our front porch on our old house. My husband is convinced you can just run to Home Depot or Lowe's to get something similar to the original wood on the front porch.

It's painted tounge & groove. Where do you buy this stuff?

Thanks!!

Sarah from Albany

Comments (7)

  • millworkman
    11 years ago

    A real lumberyard

  • millworkman
    11 years ago

    And I should add that more than likely it is Douglas Fir T&G Flooring. You may have trouble matching the thickness but that can be easily remedied with plywood. It would be currently available and should be in stock at a quality local lumberyard in your area in 3/4" (1x) and 1 1/6" (5/4X) thicknesses.

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    11 years ago

    How is plywood going to remedy a lack of thickness?
    You aren't suggesting a plywood underlayment with T&G porch flooring on top? That is a moisture sandwich, rot ensured.
    Porch flooring could have been heart cypress or heart pine originally. Or just about any softwood. I have seen 1x4 white oak as porch decking slats, not T&G'ed.
    On better houses ($$$) it would have been thicker stock, typically it would have been at least 7/8", but as much as 1 1/8".
    Casey

  • millworkman
    11 years ago

    Your right Casey my suggesting plywood was not a good idea in retrospect but what my thoughts were to shim the top of the floor joists mainly as a sleeper if she were matching and trying to blend in new flooring which would not be as thick as the original wood. And the reason I immediately thought of Doug Fir is the fact that she is in the Albany area and in the Northeast DF is the most common product used for that material. Cypress or Heart Pine would not have been as readily available in NE especially in the 1800's.

  • sarahandbray
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Well, the interior floors of this house are southern yellow heartpine and quartersawn oak, so it is possible that they are a variation on this?

    We have a few reputable lumber yards in the area, so I'm sure they'll be able to direct us as well. They are tounge and groove but not terribly thick. Porch will be painted as well, not stained, so you won't see much of the grain anyway.

    We still have a section of the original railing with spindles that we are hoping to have re-created. We'll see!
    Thanks for the help!

    Sarah

  • sarahandbray
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Curtis lumber is suggesting mahogany.
    What do you think?
    We will be painting it...so what would be most authentic, thick enough, and durable enough?
    Thanks again, everyone!
    Sarah

  • millworkman
    11 years ago

    If he is suggesting 5/4" x 4" (1 1/16" x 3 1/2") T&G Mahogany Flooring I do believe that will be fine since it is being painted. You may also inquire about Finger Joint T&G Fir Flooring as this will be a less expensive product.