how to repair porch floor

How to Fix a Rotten Wood Porch Floor

1. Set the Cutting Depth. Set the cutting depth of a circular saw to the thickness of one of the porch flooring boards,...
2. Pry Up the Center Piece. Pry up the part of the board between the cut lines up with a pry bar. It may crumble as...
3. Pry the Rest of the Boards. Pry out all the rest of the rotten boards by working away from...

Full Answer

How to fix a rotten wood porch floor?

How to Fix a Rotten Wood Porch Floor 1 Set the cutting depth of a circular saw to the thickness of one of the porch flooring boards. ... 2 Pry up the part of the board between the cut lines up with a pry bar. ... 3 Pry out all the rest of the rotten boards by working away from the space created by the one you removed. More items...

How to repair front porch decking?

Front Porch Fix-up 1 Cut the first board. You will need to saw through one board lengthwise to remove it and any damaged neighbors. ... 2 Cut the damaged board. ... 3 Pry up the old decking. ... 4 Matching new boards to the old. ... 5 Install the new decking. ... 6 Trim the last board. ... 7 Install the last piece. ... 8 Sand the patch flush. ...

How do you finish hardwood flooring on a porch?

Use a rubber mallet or a scrap of the flooring as a protective block when tapping the floor boards together. Blind-nail the flooring in the tongue using galvanized or stainless steel finishing nails. After the flooring has been installed, apply two coats of porch and deck enamel paint to protect the top surface.

Can you use any flooring for a porch?

If you removed all the boards, however, you can use whatever porch flooring boards you like. Install the boards using whatever technique is appropriate for your porch. To match the existing floor, you may have to drive nails or screws through the tops of each board into the joists.

How do you repair rotted wood on a porch floor?

3:437:27How to Repair a Rotted Porch Post | Ask This Old House - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTogether. And i also like the fact that i have a lot more surface right here to glue and screw theMoreTogether. And i also like the fact that i have a lot more surface right here to glue and screw the two pieces together that makes a lot of sense all right so now all i have to do is trace our patch.

How do you redo a front porch floor?

0:546:34DIY: How to Replace Your Front Porch Flooring - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSee those boards have to be notched to create to receive the butt ends of the new. Ones. This is aMoreSee those boards have to be notched to create to receive the butt ends of the new. Ones. This is a traditional old style of porch with the 208 tongue and groove Lords.

How do you repair a rotted porch?

1:325:24Fix and Rebuild a Dry Rot Porch - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIn the cavity you created using gorilla glue and screw moves in that party you make a tight. InsideMoreIn the cavity you created using gorilla glue and screw moves in that party you make a tight. Inside that cavity you created and let that dry overnight.

What is the best material for a porch floor?

While natural fir is the traditional choice for a porch floor, good wood alternatives include cedar, mahogany and Brazilian Ipe. You can add interest and texture to your porch floor by mixing woods or laying boards in a creative pattern.

What kind of wood do you use for a porch?

Softwoods are readily available and inexpensive, and they work well. Depending on the style of the porch, you can use either smooth boards or tongue-and-groove ones. Plywood is another option, but consider it only if the porch is going to be covered, and rain isn't an issue.

How do you repair a wooden front porch?

2:4421:22How to Repair a Wood Front Porch - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd put a lot of pressure on the top. Of. It success why all right. So so if you've never used aMoreAnd put a lot of pressure on the top. Of. It success why all right. So so if you've never used a flat bar. It's pretty easy depending on what you're doing just get it where you need to go.

How do you fix rotten wood without replacing it?

Wood fillers are products such as Bondo and Minwax that are designed to be all-purpose fillers for gaps, holes, and rotted wood. Their application is simple, they cure quickly, and they're not supposed to shrink once dry.

What is a Dutchman patch?

Woodworking. In construction and woodworking, a dutchman can refer to an inset wood patch used to repair wood. Typically a square inset is cut into the damaged area and a new piece of wood is glued into the inset.

How do I keep my porch from rotting?

Boric acid (borate) is one of the most effective fungicides for use in treating wood rot. It can be applied to wood during construction to prevent future rot, or as a treatment to stop an active decay fungus from growing.

What do you put on concrete porch floor?

You can use brick pavers to cover a plain concrete porch. When adding a porch to your home, concrete provides a low-cost, durable building material. However, it does have an unattractive, drab appearance, and over time it may begin to chip, crack and show other signs of wear and tear.

How do you floor a porch?

0:205:50How to Install Porch Floors - Video 4 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAs with all tongue and groove flooring your first board should be installed with the grooved edgeMoreAs with all tongue and groove flooring your first board should be installed with the grooved edge toward a wall or open into the porch.

What can I cover my concrete porch with?

1:152:10Wood Over Concrete Front Porch [Refresh The Look Of ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThere is an easy method however to put a new wood deck directly over the top of your old concreteMoreThere is an easy method however to put a new wood deck directly over the top of your old concrete porch advantage hardwood deck tiles are made from south american hardwoods proven to last up to 75.

What can I cover my concrete porch with?

Covering Choices for Concrete PorchStamped Concrete Overlay. If you want to cover a concrete porch, a stamped concrete overlay is an attractive option. ... Slate. If you prefer the look of natural stone, slate is an ideal option for covering your concrete porch. ... Interlocking Tile.Brick Pavers.

How can I make my concrete porch look better?

6 Concrete Porch Transformation IdeasUnify your porch and steps with stamped concrete. ... Give a plain porch a decorative facelift. ... Engrave it to look like natural stone. ... Mimic brick with stamping or stenciling. ... Do a wood plank fake-out. ... Start over with a new porch design.

What kind of tile do you use for a front porch?

Concrete tiles are durable and colorful and can stand up to high porch traffic. They can be laid out in a multitude of design styles. Porcelain tiles are considerably denser than many other types of ceramic tile and work well in an outdoor area.

How do you replace a concrete porch?

5:3131:15How to Replace Old Patio Cover And Pour a New Concrete PatioYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd then I'll keep that recessed down below the bottom of the slab. And then I'll pour the slab overMoreAnd then I'll keep that recessed down below the bottom of the slab. And then I'll pour the slab over that footing and then around around the brackets. So you have a nice clean edge there.

Can you paint a porch with oil based paint?

You may now apply an oil based deck paint to further protect and beautify the porch. Sagging wood porch flooring is easy to repair with the use of the right tools and techniques. Remember to carefully inspect all parts of the porch at least every six months to help protect it from further damage in the future.

Can sagging wood porch flooring affect the aesthetic appeal of a house?

Written by Doityourself Staff. on Mar 13, 2021. Sagging wood porch flooring can greatly affect the overall aesthetic appeal of a house. Therefore, it is imperative to address such a problem as soon as possible.

How do I replace a rotten wood porch floor?

A wood porch floor can rot and deteriorate over time due to exposure to the elements. When replacing a porch floor, be sure to use pressure treated pine or other rot resistant wood for both the joists and flooring. It’s a good idea to prime all four sides ...

How long does pressure treated flooring need to dry before painting?

Flooring that hasn’t been dried after treatment should be stacked with spacers between the boards, protected from getting wet, and allowed to dry for at least 30 days before painting.

Do you need to trim around the edges of a porch before painting?

Once the porch boards are all down, it’s a good idea to add some trim around the edges before finish painting. For the longest wear, be sure to apply two good coats of porch and deck enamel to protect the surface from future damage.

Can you use pressure treated pine for porch flooring?

When replacing a porch floor, be sure to use pressure treated pine or other rot resistant wood for both the joists and flooring. It’s a good idea to prime all four sides of tongue and groove flooring before installing it to reduce expansion and contraction due to changes in temperature and humidity. Pressure treated flooring that has been kiln ...

Skill

5 Easy The most challenging part: locating and pulling the old face nails.

Pull the Nails

These square-edged deck boards were face-nailed to the joists. To remove a board, Tom looks for a telltale row of nailheads, then uses a cat’s paw to pry out each nail in the board. If a nail is missing a head, he uses nail-pulling pliers, as shown.

Remove the Broken Board

With the nails gone, Tom jams a pry bar under the break, levers up one end of the board, and pulls it out. He does the same at the other end. Scoring the paint along the joint on the board’s edges eases removal.

Make the Cleats

To support the ends of the new board, Tom cuts a pair of cleats out of the cracked board, making each three times longer than its width. He squeezes construction adhesive on the ends of the unpainted face, as shown.

Install the Cleats

Tom snugs a cleat, adhesive side up, under the neighboring boards and drills pilot holes through the deck and into it. He secures it with stainless-steel trim-head screws, as shown. The cleat at the opposite end goes in the same way.

Cut and Fasten the New Board

Tom uses clear Douglas fir because it’s more stable and holds paint better than a cheaper wood. He cuts a single board to length, beds it in adhesive at each joist and cleat, and secures it at those locations with two hot-dip-galvanized 8d nails, placed 1/2-inch from the edges.

Set the Nailheads

Using a nailset, Tom taps the nailheads a hair below the board’s surface. They’ll be invisible after the wood gets a coat of oil-based exterior primer and two coats of deck paint.

Inspect Damage

The first step is to look for damages. Identify what needs to be repaired and make notes. The effects of weather conditions can cause damage to the porch so make sure you look thoroughly. Another important thing to look for is rotting wood. You can figure out easily if the wood is rot by inserting a screwdriver into it.

Clean Up

Washing the porch is an essential part of the repair. If you regularly wash your porch, you might not need to make a lot of effort in repair. However, if your porch had not been washed, you might want to start now. In case you have painted the porch, you will require a paint remover. Make sure that you wear gloves while dealing with paint.

Sanding the Porch

You can sand your porch using a belt sander, palm sander, or a sanding sponge. But before you begin, remember that wood that is used to build a porch is usually soft and can be damaged if you used these tools very roughly. Therefore, be careful while sanding.

Oiling or Staining the Porch

This is the final step to repairing a porch. You need to coat the entire porch with porch oil or wood stain. Porch oil is used to protect the wood from sun damage and deterioration. Apply it generously on the porch and wait for about a week for it to dry. You may reapply it as well for a second coat.

What kind of fir is used for porch decking?

Photo by Kolin Smith. Vertical—grain Douglas fir is widely used for porch decking because it's fairly rot- and dent-resistant, easy to work, and stable, so it holds paint well. When this porch deck was laid, boards of clear, quartersawn Douglas fir were readily available.

How to clean scratches from a belt sander?

Then, switch to a random-orbit sander with 100-grit paper and smooth away the belt sander scratches. Vacuum up the sawdust, wipe the wood with a tack cloth, and brush on a matching oil-based deck paint.

Where is Ken Brown's porch?

More than a century of blowing snow, dripping rain, and the steady tread of foot traffic had finally taken its toll on the flooring of Ken Brown's porch in Montclair, New Jersey. Despite its well-maintained coat of paint, the old fir decking had become soft and splintered along the exposed edge just above the steps.

Set the Cutting Depth

Set the cutting depth of a circular saw to the thickness of one of the porch flooring boards, instructs This Old House. Cut two lengthwise lines through one of the rotten boards so you can pry it out. The lines should be about an inch apart.

Pry Up the Center Piece

Pry up the part of the board between the cut lines up with a pry bar. It may crumble as you're prying, which is good, because that makes it easier to remove. Pry out rest of the board out toward the space you created after the center piece is gone.

Pry the Rest of the Boards

Pry out all the rest of the rotten boards by working away from the space created by the one you removed, says Today's Homeowner. If the joists aren't rotten, you may not have to remove all the floorboards – just the ones that have rotted. If any of the joists are rotted, however, pull up all the floorboards so you can replace the joists.

Remove the Joists

Remove any rotted joists by removing the fasteners holding them to the rim joists. If they are held with metal joist hangers, pull the nails holding them to the hangers with a cat's paw pry bar. Leave the hangers in place.

Cut New Joists

Cut new joists from pressure-treated lumber with the same dimensions as the lumber you removed. Cut each joist to length with a circular saw, drop it into the hangers and fasten it with 1-inch galvanized nails.

Install New Floorboards

Install new floorboards to replace the ones you removed. If you only removed some of them, you have to replace them with the same type of boards as the ones that remain on the porch. You may have to special-order them from a lumberyard or mill them yourself with a table saw.

Add Your Finishing Touches

Finish the floor as necessary. If you paint it, spread a coat of exterior primer first, and then use porch floor enamel for the topcoat. Spread both the primer and the paint with a wide paintbrush.

How long does a porch repair last?

If properly mixed and completed with care, the porch repair should blend in well and last for years to come.

Why is concrete used for porches?

Concrete is one of the most popular materials used to make porches because it is sturdy, and although concrete is naturally very solid it can develop cracks, holes, and broken edges . Concrete can become damaged because of poor installation combined with temperature changes and moisture, and these problems are not always initially apparent ...

What is the most popular material for porches?

To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience. Concrete is one of the most popular materials used to make porches because it is sturdy, and although concrete is naturally very solid it can develop ...

Can you repair a cracked concrete porch?

Repairing broken edges, holes, and cracks in concrete is easier than most people realize, and it is possible to repair the damage and make a porch look almost as good as new.

Can you fix a porch landing that breaks off?

The edges of porch landings and stair steps sometimes break off for no apparent reason, and in many cases, the missing pieces are found on the ground. When the pieces can be located they are very easy to reattach if they have not completely crumbled. With careful preparation and placement, the repair to the porch will be unapparent.

Can you repair a broken edge on a cement porch?

The broken pieces are not required since newly mixed cement will be used to repair the porch. To repair a large broken edge on a cement porch you will need a steel dowel rod several inches in length, a masonry drill bit, an electric drill, a wire brush, and a strong shop vacuum.

Who started the plastic sheeting on the porch?

Ted and his associate, Mike Marini, began the job by spreading 6-mil plastic sheeting all around the porch—a requirement of the recent Lead Safe Work Practices legislation. (Because paint wasn’t being sanded or scraped, the men didn’t need to wear masks for this particular job.)

Can you jack a porch back into position?

When a porch develops a significant lean over the years, it is usually impossible to jack it completely back into position without removing the subsequent layers of accumulated roofing materials. This roof had remained pretty true—there was no perceptible lean in the roof ridge—so the men decided to leave it alone.

Do porches need to be replaced?

Piecemeal repairs often make do for decades, but eventually porches must be replaced. When this happens, homeowners are often shocked to learn ...

Why do porch floors slope?

Knowing the devastating effects that water will have on a wood porch, older homes were built so the porch floors gently sloped from the house to the outside edge of the porch. This was done to allow rainwater to run off the porch and not accumulate in puddles that would eventually rot the flooring.

What happens if a porch post is not plumb?

If the post is not plumb—straight up and down—the resulting angle can cause the post to slip, often violently, off the jack. This can result in bodily injury to whomever is operating the jack or damage to your house when everything crashes back down, or both. The porch columns posed an obstacle.

Can you mill treated lumber wet?

The next step is to let the lumber dry out. Treated lumber is milled while it is wet and is normally still wet when it is received by the lumber yard. Through trial and error, I determined it is much harder to mill a tongue and groove on wet wood.

Tools and Materials Needed

Step 1 – Cut and Remove The Damaged Board

• Cut the damaged board lengthwise using a circular saw. Make sure that the blade of the circular saw extends no further than the bottom face of the board to avoid damaging or cutting through the deck joists. Cut starting from the edge to the porch and stop a few inches from the house wall. Using a crowbar and hammer, pry the old wood from both sides...

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Step 2 – Cut The Floor Boards to Size

Step 3 – Install The New Porch Deck

Step 4 – Sand The New Floor Board