Repair old porch

[just4ladejane]

I want to redo my front porch. House is 89 yrs old. It is a beach house, the porch is approx 6' x 20'. Porch is covered, from the looks of it, it has t & G then some kind of thin material, then indoor outdoor carpet. ....can I just lay the wood over the carpet and all? What is the best wood to use? What is your suggestion? I am a single woman...and will probably attempt to do this myself, so all suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Step by step suggestions would really help!!

THANKS!!

[majakdragon]

just4ladejane, Welcome to the DIY Forums.
Not sure what the "thin material" between the T&G and the carpet is. I would not build over the carpeting. Pull it up for a good foundation to start on.Also check that all the T&G is in good shape. You may find that all you need is a little cleaning on it and reseal. You can purchase deck boards at lumber supply stores. You want a weatherproof wood or if you want to get pricey they have the new plastic decking. In any case, find out what you HAVE to do before buying a bunch of material you don't need. Good luck and post back.

[awesomedell]

The "thin material" you described is most likely a product called luan underlayment, generally about 1/4" thick. Most likely it's not in too good of shape, the carpet should definitely come up, if the underlayment is in poor condition I'd pull it up as well. You need to use CCA (treated lumber) you can use 1"x6" or 2"x6" treated material, a better option is to use what are commonly referred to 5/4 board or deck boards, these are approx. 7/8" thick and come with the corners rounded, which will give you a much smoother surface. If it's within your budget, the vinyl decking would be an even better option for this porch since you've indicated it's on a beach house. It'll last virtually forever, never needs sealing, sanding or painting. The cost is about double for the material vs. the cost of regular treated lumber, but in the long run you'll save labor and maintance expense. Hope that helps and good luck. Feel free to post back if you've still got questions.