Thread: Timber species best suited for verandahs

Originally Posted by hatemondays

Hi Folks,
............. advice from far more learned people than I is greatly anticipated and appreciated
..........

I'll ignore that, and say go with the jarrah. Already has a good red colour, and should stand up to the conditions. Both are class 2 (S.G. and Jarrah). If under cover, should last 50-60 years. Both are readily available.
TM

Brush Box has been a favoured verandah timber due to its fine grain and thus not prone to splinters in the feet. Wears well, is low in tannins and is a good base for paints and stains. However, it is class 3 and can decay if not under cover.

when fixing it leave 1.5mm gap between each baord as the flooring is KD to 9=12.5% MC outside will need to be around 14-16%

Iron bark, Grey gum. Both class1 and red in colour. I'd be thinking twice about T&G boards for a deck.

Originally Posted by Gaza

when fixing it leave 1.5mm gap between each baord as the flooring is KD to 9=12.5% MC outside will need to be around 14-16%

I'd fo further and say forget the tongue and groove. For an outdoors verandah plain boards with 5mm gap between them works well.

I too would hesitate in using t&g boards especially in melbourne and its climate, however i have replaced these decks before and used what the suppliers called "verandah grade jarrah" which was std grade flooring with a much higher moisture content than regular flooring

Originally Posted by rustynail

................ I'd be thinking twice about T&G boards for a deck.

If it was the back deck I agree whole heartedly but I am after a more formal look out the front to blend with the character of the house and the surrounding neighbourhood

Originally Posted by TermiMonster

I'll ignore that, .........
TM

Class1, class2......class3 etc. See? so much to learn so little time to google. The reason I come to forums such as this and pose my questions is to get a range of ideas as varied as they may be and then determine if they are along the lines of my thoughts or whether I need to drastically rethink things.
Many thanks to all members who take the time to read and reply. Hopefully this thread helps others contemplating front verandahs also

Originally Posted by Gaza

when fixing it leave 1.5mm gap between each baord as the flooring is KD to 9=12.5% MC outside will need to be around 14-16%

1.5mm gap between boards? I thought the expansion gap of 10mm at either end of the floor run was to allow for expansion/ contraction of the timber. Don't know if I'm too keen to lay floorboards that aren't tight to begin with.
On a side note the shape of the deck is like a Capital "T" on its side clockwise with the bulk of the flooring to be no more than 2.2mtres across so 10 mm either side to allow for expansion would suffice I think. Anybody care to weigh in?
Regards
Joe

Is the verandah under cover?

Originally Posted by hatemondays

1.5mm gap between boards? I thought the expansion gap of 10mm at either end of the floor run was to allow for expansion/ contraction of the timber. Don't know if I'm too keen to lay floorboards that aren't tight to begin with.
On a side note the shape of the deck is like a Capital "T" on its side clockwise with the bulk of the flooring to be no more than 2.2mtres across so 10 mm either side to allow for expansion would suffice I think. Anybody care to weigh in?
Regards
Joe

10mm at the end is not enough need room for each baord to expand, we have done this a few times before and within a few weeks the gaps are gone, i have also seen when laid tight it ends up with speed humps

Originally Posted by TermiMonster

Is the verandah under cover?

Completely undercover, yes, but for sunshine and wind driven rains, the latter only likely to affect the first metre or so at a west north westerly aspect
Would a picture help? Is this the appropriate thread to submit a pic?

Are the boards to be nailed down? If so, I don't see how an outer edge 10mm expansion gap can take up the expansion of any but the outside board.

Originally Posted by JB

Are the boards to be nailed down? If so, I don't see how an outer edge 10mm expansion gap can take up the expansion of any but the outside board.

I think the nails move laterally with the boards as they woulld in an internal floor lay