Porch ceiling ideas?

[PCustoms]

Finally getting to fixing up the porch this spring, a few structural repairs and then correcting 40yrs of cosmetic neglect.

Current "ceiling" is vented vinyl soffit. Looked like hell, dirty sagging and just installed wavy.

Currently looking at plywood headboard, T&G beadboard and tin.

Any other options I'm missing?

Dimensions are 57'x8'.

 

[larry4406]

At the day job we use 4x8' sheets of primed MDO (similar to smooth Hardy Panel). It is plywood about 3/8" thick and a very smooth primed face (single side). We **** the seams and install a batten strip over the seam and picture frame the exterior.

We adjust the seams (for example center on the front door) and then run wild to the edges.

Paints nicely.

 

[PCustoms]

At the day job we use 4x8' sheets of primed MDO (similar to smooth Hardy Panel). It is plywood about 3/8" thick and a very smooth primed face (single side). We **** the seams and install a batten strip over the seam and picture frame the exterior.

We adjust the seams (for example center on the front door) and then run wild to the edges.

Paints nicely.

I was just at the lumberyard yesterday, should have looked at what they had.

Not sure I want a batten strip every 4', but also not sure I want the depth of liner panel. Ceiling is a tab over 8' tall

 

[larry4406]

I was just at the lumberyard yesterday, should have looked at what they had.

Not sure I want a batten strip every 4', but also not sure I want the depth of liner panel. Ceiling is a tab over 8' tall

Understood.

We have some porches that are slightly longer than 8' as well. When this happens, we center the 8' sheet in the opening. The picture frame perimeter trim then hides the ceiling gap at the perimeter. Sometimes this trim is crown molding, but usually just 1x2 or 1x4.

 

[mikester]

My porch was just redone in November. I had them use PVC bead board. Its made by Certainteed. Its in the restoration millwork section of the website. Not cheap but it looks pretty nice. Trimmed with Azek.

 

[PCustoms]

My porch was just redone in November. I had them use PVC bead board. Its made by Certainteed. Its in the restoration millwork section of the website. Not cheap but it looks pretty nice. Trimmed with Azek.

How smooth is it?

Years back I bought some material at home Depot, very smooth, almost mirror finish. Material was solid core PVC and a breeze to install. I had some scraps I wanted to used up to finish a different project, but was short and when I went to buy more, discontinued.

I bought some Kleer brand material at the yard, it sucked. Cellular, rough surface and looks like **** up close. Not sure if slathered in paint would hide the roughness. The kicker is it cost 2x....

If I could get that smooth material again it would be a VERY strong contender.

 

[mikester]

Its very smooth. Went up pretty quick. I had Certainteed vinyl bead board up there before and it was starting to look pretty tired. Cedar on the walls and fir t&g floors. This time I used boral board and batten on the walls and Azek PVC porch flooring. Hope it lasts for a few years.

 

[CTyankee]

My porch was just redone in November. I had them use PVC bead board. Its made by Certainteed. Its in the restoration millwork section of the website. Not cheap but it looks pretty nice. Trimmed with Azek.

That's a big porch. X 2 on the PVC bead board. X 2 on the "not cheap"..

 

[billconner]

My favorite is edge and center bead 1x4 t&g, finished with spar varnish. Can't be beat for looks IMHO. Also easy to install, even if it takes a while. At least pieces are very light.

 

[Bert_]

T&B beadboard is the old school standard. Best looking in my opinion but probably more cost.

 

[Firebrick43]

exterior fiberglass faced gypsum with a troweled acrylic stucco finish?

 

[Ing3018]

We put up T&G pine on ours when we built 20 years ago. I repainted it about 15 years ago and it still looks good.

 

[rockcrawler]

We used Vesta steel siding from Quality Edge. Should still be around way past my lifetime. We added some flush lighting and black ceiling fans and it looks great. Zero maintenance.

Vesta Plank Steel Siding - Quality Edge

Discover Vesta Plank Steel Siding—engineered for strength, styled for modern homes. Durable, low-maintenance siding with bold woodgrain finishes.

qualityedge.com

 

[gregs]

We used Vesta steel siding from Quality Edge. Should still be around way past my lifetime. We added some flush lighting and black ceiling fans and it looks great. Zero maintenance.

Vesta Plank Steel Siding - Quality Edge

Discover Vesta Plank Steel Siding—engineered for strength, styled for modern homes. Durable, low-maintenance siding with bold woodgrain finishes.

qualityedge.com

How expensive was it? Do you have any exterior pics of the house? I like the combination of light colored brick and dark wood.

 

[earl84]

I did old school tongue and groove pine and painted it "haint" blue. It looks great, IMHO. Sorry, no pics, but you can Google it easily. Of course, this was before prices went crazy and it's only about 25% as big as your ceiling.

 

[rockcrawler]

How expensive was it? Do you have any exterior pics of the house? I like the combination of light colored brick and dark wood.

When we were designing our house, we really wanted cedar siding, but I’m not willing to put in all the work over the years to constantly refinish it, so we decided to go with a siding product that slightly resembled the wood look. That is when we contacted Quality Edge regarding our siding ideas. We wanted a ship-lap siding and all they sold was lap siding. Their Tru Cedar lap siding looks more like wood than the Vesta lap siding, but we really wanted the lap (flat) look. The person I contacted said they were developing a lap siding called Vesta, but was not sure when it would be available. Long story short, the timing worked out perfect and we were able to purchase the Vesta siding just in time for the build. They told us that we were the first in our region of the country to use the product. They actually flew out a rep to show the installers how to install it properly. After the siding was put on the house, we decided to use it on the porch ceiling as well. We really like it. As far as price goes, I don’t remember what we paid for it. They gave us a substantial discount because, at the time, they were not set up to sell individual parts so we had to buy in bulk. We still have several boxes of the siding, some flat stock, mounting strips, etc. since we had to buy more than what we needed. I can say it is not cheap, but it will never need any maintenance and will last longer than I will. Here are more pics of the siding during and after the build.

 

[Bert_]

I did old school tongue and groove pine and painted it "haint" blue. It looks great, IMHO. Sorry, no pics, but you can Google it easily. Of course, this was before prices went crazy and it's only about 25% as big as your ceiling.

I grabbed a picture of mine this afternoon. I painted it a few years ago, probably hadn't been done in 40+ years.

 

[PCustoms]

I grabbed a picture of mine this afternoon. I painted it a few years ago, probably hadn't been done in 40+ years.

Good 'ole edge and center beadboard....

House has a LOT of this inside. This is most likely what I'll use outside too.

Now the real question, lengthwise or sideways? Only 1 answer is correct

 

[billconner]

Usually parallel with eaves. If it's a hip roof, possibly mitered.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Ribbed metal siding ?

 

[mike93lx]

Now the real question, lengthwise or sideways? Only 1 answer is correct

The one your wife wants

 

[Ran58]

Here’s mine. I went with T & G and put it up myself. Im happy with it.

 

[Bert_]

Good 'ole edge and center beadboard....

House has a LOT of this inside. This is most likely what I'll use outside too.

Now the real question, lengthwise or sideways? Only 1 answer is correct

That's something I never liked about metal or vinyl soffit. It's so often run the wrong way.

 

[PCustoms]

That's something I never liked about metal or vinyl soffit. It's so often run the wrong way.

The deck boards run lengthwise, and the current vinyl runs crosswise.

 

[Bert_]

The deck boards run lengthwise, and the current vinyl runs crosswise.

Wow that's rough.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Now the real question, lengthwise or sideways? Only 1 answer is correct

Lengthwise is 'correct' but sideways avoids having any visible seams, particularly if he uses 4x8 sheets of beadboard.

 

[PCustoms]

Lengthwise is 'correct' but sideways avoids having any visible seams, particularly if he uses 4x8 sheets of beadboard.

See above, current vinyl soffit is run sideways for this reason. Drove me nuts originally, but it's grown on me.

If I do ply or liner panel this is the way it will go.

 

[kwb]

5/8" no groove T1-11, actual plywood, not OSB with a skin.
Rigid enough to support itself.
Paints well.
Doesn't look "fake"
Has an overlap edge so you don't have to do battens.

Or go old school with T&G.

 

[mike93lx]

5/8" no groove T1-11, actual plywood, not OSB with a skin.
Rigid enough to support itself.
Paints well.
Doesn't look "fake"
Has an overlap edge so you don't have to do battens.

Or go old school with T&G.

LP smartside is smoother and comes preprimed. Plus it's wildly durable and water resistant. If you aren't staining, I can't see an advantage to t1-11

 

[kwb]

Personally I don't like smooth and products like smart side look fake to me. I have a similar disappointment with the Hardie Lap siding on my shop.

I also question myself about having a house wrapped in kindling, but at least it looks good to me.

 

[PCustoms]

T-111 has its place, but not on my porch ceiling.

Too rough and the profile is.... unique.

 

[geneg]

E&CB
edge and center beaded ceiling material
Been used well over a hundred years. Should be painted sky blue for exterior. Some say to minimize flies. Big box shores have 8 & 12 ft lenghts. Real lumber yards 16 & 18 even.

Azek has composite 3-1/2 x 1/2 x 18' for $95 a piece. KLEER has 3-1/4 x 1/2 x 16' not available in my area although they sent me samples. Hardie has fc board in 4x8 sheets. If they had 4x 9, I'd use it. I won't do 4' **** joints.

Getting my porch ceiling & perimeter soffit replaced is one of the early Spring projects this year

 

[jar944]

I'm firmly in the t&g beadboard camp. Solid Wood if you want it to run lengthwise.

 

[duneslider]

I did T&G on my porch. I did a sort of whitewash stain and sealed it before installing it. That let me do all the staining and sealing in the garage. Even though it is outside, the underside of porch gets virtually no uv exposure and weather so the finish is appearing to hold up extremely well. My wood door that gets hit with moisture and UV is going to need some tlc after just a couple years.

 

[paredown]

My porch was just redone in November. I had them use PVC bead board. Its made by Certainteed. Its in the restoration millwork section of the website. Not cheap but it looks pretty nice. Trimmed with Azek.

Last one I did, this is what we used. The home owner was fighting to seal up the house against racoons after a momma racoon moved in and had her babies in the attic.

 

[ddurrett896]

Vinyl soffit

 

[shoot summ]

We went with "car siding", T+G pine, 16' lengths.

 

[kj_mustang]

T&G pine on my house porches finished with Cabot Australian Timber Oil.

 

[PCustoms]

KLEER has 3-1/4 x 1/2 x 16' not available in my area although they sent me samples.

Kleer had 6", see my description of it up thread. It *****.

Vinyl soffit

No.


Seems the consensus is E&C BB. Classic and ultimately where I was leaning.

 

[ddurrett896]

Seems the consensus is E&C BB. Classic and ultimately where I was leaning.

Do what you want. Looks the exact same with 0 maintenance.