Rough Pine Patio Ceiling

[Justin Jump]

Hello all,

Questions on a pine patio roof I plan on starting here in the next couple of weeks.

I picked up @ 700 board foot of rough cut pine, and my plan was to machine it all down into 6” or 8” wide boards with a shiplap joint.

However, after seeing the boards, the wife is now thinking she likes the rough look, and just wants to put them up finish as is, many boards over 12” and 16” wide.

At minimum, I would straight line rip everything so I have square joints, but I would expect to still get shrinkage. Does anyone have experience with a rough pine ceiling with wide boards?

The dilemma I have is do you still cut a shiplap onto the boards, if you are installing a rough look, i.e. just a butt joint? I would worry that I would get some shrinkage which I am OK with that look, but then I don’t want to give wasps, bees and stink bugs a winter home sneaking into the gaps that might occur.

BTW,

If you are in the New Stanton/Norvelt area of PA, or within driving distance, I found this guy who has a boat load of wood, fairly reasonable, all air dried though.

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/for/6109380784.html

[Justin Jump]

359805359806359807

[Wayne Lomman]

How much do you like cleaning spider webs off roughsawn timber? Apart from that, straight line it and shiplap joint it to cover shrinkage. Cheers

[Bill Space]

If you are OK with some gaps between the boards you could staple landscape cloth to the bottom of the rafters before installing the pine boards. It is cheap in 4' wide rolls at Sam's club or Costco. Maybe both places. I forget where I get mine at the moment but it is cheap.

I am am out of town so I cannot check the length of the roll I have at home but it is quite long, I want to think 200 or 300 feet long, but not sure exactly. About $30 for a roll last time I bought it.

4' x 225'. This stuff (hope the link works):

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/preen-contractor-s-grade-landscape-fabric-4ft-x-225ft/193953.ip?mobiledetect=false

Bill

[Sam Murdoch]

I would encourage you to ship lap your stock. Face nail it or use finish screws as the boards are quite wide. I think you will end up with a very nice ceiling. You will need to vacuum once in a while but IMHO worth the effort.

[Justin Jump]

Ive decided last night that I am going to shiplap them. However, what about the ends, is that a butt joint or do I plan a shiplap into that end also? I know that wood moves more across the grain than against the length of the board. I was also thinking a scarf joint.

Another question is about finish. I have been messing with a few clears but not getting the "warm tone" results. What would be a good exterior finish that would give me a warm tone finish, not just a white clear?

Thanks all for the help!!

[lowell holmes]

I would go for ship lap ends. But that is just me. :)