# Using wood planks for roof decking.



## yrag52466 (Feb 17, 2011)

I am building a patio roof, not attached to the house. 12’ by 20’. Using 2” 6” Rafters, spacing 24”. I want to use wood planks instead of plywood because I like the look. My question is do the planks have to be tongue & groove. I live in Florida and I have seen some park pavilions that look like they did not use tongue & groove.


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## Ed the Roofer (Jan 27, 2007)

No they do not have to be T & G boards, unless their is some cosmetic code from your building department where you are located.

It does look nicer from the underside with the T & G boards though, but how often will you be looking straight up to notice it.

Ed


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## Roofmaster417 (Jun 9, 2010)

I roofed alot of homes in central Florida in 2003 and unless things have changed(possibly) 95%f the roofs were 1x's.I like that the roof is alot more sturdy when using 1x's.The only thing I really don't like is the warping and bowing that 1x's are notorious for.But that usually won't happen very soon.And depending on your climate it should exceed our lifetimes before doing so.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

2x's are pretty stout. Check with your local B.D. (like Ed said) as you may have to frame for the *high winds* in your State, we have seismic areas.... pp.11; http://www.dca.state.fl.us/fbc/thecode/2007_Supplememts/2007_supplement_res010207.pdf

Gary


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## CDH (Aug 8, 2009)

Roofmaster417 said:


> I roofed alot of homes in central Florida in 2003 and unless things have changed(possibly) 95%f the roofs were 1x's.I like that the roof is alot more sturdy when using 1x's.The only thing I really don't like is the warping and bowing that 1x's are notorious for.But that usually won't happen very soon.And depending on your climate it should be exceed our lifetimes before doing so.


 I live here in Fla and am not a roofer but am on a lot of jobsites and I would say that 95% are decked with 7/16" OSB.


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## Roofmaster417 (Jun 9, 2010)

CDH said:


> I live here in Fla and am not a roofer but am on a lot of jobsites and I would say that 95% are decked with 7/16" OSB.


I came to the 95% conclusion because out of the several hundred in 03' I reroofed, only 15-20 were plywood.The rest were 1x's.I have never roofed a new construction in Florida so I would not know.I did strictly reroofs.(tear offs)


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## CDH (Aug 8, 2009)

Roofmaster417 said:


> I came to the 95% conclusion because out of the several hundred in 03' I reroofed, only 15-20 were plywood.The rest were 1x's.I have never roofed a new construction in Florida so I would not know.I did strictly reroofs.(tear offs)


 10-4 I have seen a lot of older homes as in built in the 1950's that had 1x's for their roof decking, I was strictly speaking of what has pretty much been the standard here for the last 20 years.:thumbsup:


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