2x6 kiln dried T&G Select Deck

[Yurtmeister]

Anyone have experience installing 2x6 T&G for their yurt’s finished floor? What is the best method to fasten it to beams/blocking? Does it need to be sanded prior to sealing? Stain type? Polyurethane? Any other tips would be great! Thanks!

[Jafo]

I hired out the platform on mine. All I recall is them nailing it through the tongue into the beams. My yurt is a camp. The floor looks like a herd of buffalo track through it daily, but it has held up nice.

[Bob Rowlands]

For single tongue decking with no visible fasteners in the face I use plated screws installed on an angle through the tongue into the framing, so the screw heads are covered by the groove of the next course. Always drive the groove of the new course onto the tongue of the last course, that keeps the tongue of the new course exposed for fasteners and for prying against to close gaps. Always try to work so you avoid damaging the tongues and grooves.

To close the gaps between courses drive a sharp wide bladed chisel (like 1.5") or wonder bar into the framing and apply leverage against the tongue, or if really gapped a sacrificial piece of decking, and pry the gap closed. Don't try and install really bowed pieces until you get coffee in you and your chops warmed up.

Don't apply any finish on flooring that is so wet it squirts yuh when you hit it with yer hammer. lol Ideally you'll keep it under the covering it was delivered with, or if it's delivered uncovered, get a tarp and keep it covered before and during the install. With decking the drier the better.

Poly finish is the industry standard. I like oil based myself. Three coats is better than two. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your work.

[Bob Rowlands]

As an alternative, with my old skool rustic platform, that was gonna have a woodstove and all the associated debris of

heating

with wood, I skipped the t&g and used 2x6 framing lumber for decking. Primed faces and edges with with paint before install. Used two screws through the face to fasten to framing. Caulked a month or so later after the gaps dpretty much developed and repainted the floor. Years later still no gaps but the floor could use a repaint. Straight unfinished boards would have been OK with me but the drafts would have sucked, and thats why I painted the floor. Whatever you do don't use pressure treated wood for decking. Just thought I'd toss this in here as alternative -read CHEAP- floor.

[Bob Rowlands]

Herd of buffalo lol Mine as well.

[Ivan]

Hi,
A couple of things:
Before T&G goes on lay your foil

insulation

board on top of the beams, than underneath mark the

insulation

at the edge of the beams and cut. This is the best way you can get the insulation nice and tight.

1. As far as T&G, make sure the cut ends are staggered on the beams.
2. Snap a chalk line at first and than ever 3-4 lengths.. follow the line not the board. You can start in the middle, but you will need to put a tongue in the first 2x6 , so you can work out from both directions.

3. as everyone said toe nail or screw the tongue in, but it will make it hard to fit the female side in, so cut a 12" block of T&G and use that to mallet in the offending sections.

4. T&G can be bowed quite a bit, so as was said before , you can temporarily screw a block on top of your beams and either use a pry bar or car jack to straighten the bows out.

5.This is the summer, so make you T&G as tight as you can, as in the winter there will be some shrinking/ spaces.

6. This is a camp for us as well, but you can still rent an industrial sander and sand it in an hour.

7. We poly'ed the floor with a natural coat,and did 3 coats, light sanding in-between.

The floor still looks awesome, and it has been 3 years, which we use as a camp and an Air Bnb.. as long as I can keep folks from putting on their snowshoes or micro spikes on inside we will be okay.

[Yurtmeister]

Thanks everyone for the replies. The info will be very helpful. A few last questions... Type of screws and size/length. Do I need to pre drill? Foundation is in the ground! Deck work starts next week!