Victorian porch floor boards

[Casey]

Hi Ken,

Ken Williams <kwil...@sh-gpl.ti.com> wrote in article
<5ptls3$p3t$1...@superb.csc.ti.com>...
> I have a Queen Anne Victorian built in 1894. I need to replace
> some of the boards on the porch floors. I would like to keep
> things as original as possible. I've had some luck obtaining
> used lumber from condemned houses near by, but not for this
> flooring. The dimenstions of the wood are a full 1" x 3-1/2".
> I have a few questions.
> What type of wood would these likely be made from?

In your part of the country, heart pine, cypress, etc.(a locally obtainable
softwood) Show somebody at the lumber yard a sample, maybe they can I.D.
> Does anyone know of a source of this wood in or near north TX?
> If the original wood is not available, what are the alternatives?

1" t&g isn't a standard lumber item. It'll have to be milled to your order.
If you're not a total purist, and if your joist spacing allows, you might
go with a 3/4 inch thick t&g. This obviously won't work for spot repairs.
If the original flooring lasted 103 years in your climate, modern slash-cut
yellow pine will probably last 25 or more years. If you need better
service, better paint-holding, use vertical/edge-grain fir. It's lots more
costly, but holds paint really well.
I can't advocate pressure-treated porch flooring. It's really warp-prone,
and subject to "shake" - having the grain separate along the growth rings.
> What't the procedure for painting treated pine?

If you must ;-) -
Rough it up with 80 grit sandpaper, across the grain, prime with equal
parts of CWF, linseed oil, and oil-base primer, with some japan drier
added. Then paint with an oil or poly deck enamel. This soft primer allows
the hard finish coat to "float" on the wood, so it doesn't crack, which is
the beginning of the weathering cycle. This applies to any yellow pine
porch flooring.
Casey
>
> Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
>
> Ken Williams
> Sherman, TX.
>
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