I can’t believe we are just a couple of months away from moving into our new home! There has been significant progress this week, one being the installation of our porch tongue and groove ceiling. 

I have been receiving so many questions regarding what wood to use or what stain color, that I thought I would share all the fun details.

CYPRESS

Living in Florida, we experience not only harsh weather but many insects. With this in mind, you want to use a wood that can last a lifetime. Cypress is naturally resistant to decay, harsh weather and insects, which makes it the perfect choice. It’s also cost effective. We shopped around town and purchased our Cypress for $1.15 a linear foot which is an incredible deal. When ordering, you want to purchase boards of different lengths. For our front and back porches we bought a total of 1640 sf or 3838 linear feet. Each Cypress board is 1×6 in width and in random lengths of 8ft, 10ft, 14ft and 16ft.

STAIN

Cypress easily accepts stain. Some areas of the Cypress were more porous than others, making the stain more prominent in a few boards creating gorgeous variation. I desire the organic grain and knots. It creates a warmth and character in our porches. 

TESTING STAINS

I tested 4 different stains on a piece of Cypress board. My goal was not too dark and not too light. I was looking for a warm medium tone. Minwax Early American fit my requirements. Some stains tend to be too orangey on Cypress and that was a color I did not want to pull from our beautiful wood.

I hope these tips are helpful as you build your gorgeous porch ceilings! Thank you for stopping by and stay tuned for more inspiration from our building journey.