What should I do about my porch?

[neophyte]

The previous owner of my house made the... interesting decision to cover the porch with bright green astroturf. I've finally gotten around to tearing it up and based on what I can tell, it looks like I have old wood subfloor in good condition, old wood decking in poor condition, and then plywood on top of that. 

I'd like to DIY the replacement but other than one day installing interior hardwood and one day grouting for Habitat for Humanity I don't have any flooring experience.  It turns out I'm also pretty shit at knowing what will look good. I'm trying to decide between hardwood decking, composit decking, and regular non-decking tile (either the wood looking stuff or not).

Based primarily on curb appeal and ease of installation for a beginner, what kind of decking would you recommend? I'm also looking for something that won't be so slippery it kills us if it gets damp when it rains. Cost is secondary since I imagine my biggest savings will be on the labor side of things.  For reference, it's a brick twin built around 1915-1918 with a stone foundation painted purplish (another interesting choice, fortunately the paint is slowly wearing off). The porch is probably about 200 ft^2 give or take.  Most other houses in the area have some what worn down dark colored wooden decks.

Second question: I'm thinking I should probably remove the plywood, remove the old decking, see what is underneath and then consider replacing the plywood beneath the new decking. Is that what makes the most sense?

Thanks!

Edit: I guess an alternative option is just paint the plywood and call it good enough for now. That would be both cheap and easy, but I probably want something less janky.

[Greystache]

From what I can see in the pictures, I would recommend keeping the joists (assuming they are in good condition and properly supported and attached to the house) and replace the plywood and deck boards with composite decking.  The composite material will cost more up front but will require little or no maintenance in the future. Replace any damaged joists and the sleepers that are in contact with the concrete stairs with treated lumber. If you choose to use composite decking, make sure the maximum recommended span (usually 12 to 16 inches ) is consistent with the joist spacing.

[ChpBstrd]

I second Greystache’s recommendation to rip it down to the joists. Plywood might last only a few years in that application, where it it subject to moisture. I’d probably just install treated 1x6 deck boards rather than composite because you save a buck and with the porch covered anyway you’ll probably get at least 25 years out of them.

Focus on protecting the untreated joists underneath by wrapping tar paper (I.e. roofing underlay) over the top of each joist to deflect water, leaving the underside open to vent. Staple the tar paper to the sides of the joists. Make it so the joists stay dry all the time.

[neophyte]

Thanks for the responses. I'm very slowly getting around to dealing with this. My concerns about stripping down to the joists and then putting the decking directly on top of that are that is would make my basement very cold in the winter and potentially let water into the basement if it gets really wet.

Whatever subfloor is on top of the joists now seems to be in pretty good condtion from what I can see from below. Can I remove the plywood and the old decking and then assuming whatever is under that still looks good, put a waterproofing layer on top of that and then do decking on top of that?

[J Boogie]

Thanks for the responses. I'm very slowly getting around to dealing with this. My concerns about stripping down to the joists and then putting the decking directly on top of that are that is would make my basement very cold in the winter and potentially let water into the basement if it gets really wet.

Whatever subfloor is on top of the joists now seems to be in pretty good condtion from what I can see from below. Can I remove the plywood and the old decking and then assuming whatever is under that still looks good, put a waterproofing layer on top of that and then do decking on top of that?

I don't think your subfloor is going to make a difference in terms of keeping your basement warmer and drier. A porch should be able to shed moisture, otherwise the moisture will sit and cause rotting.  Maybe you need to strip down to the joists so you can do some grading so that water will drain away from the building? It's also not a bad idea to put some gravel down which drains well and allows for better drying of the joists.

I'd go with cedar decking, which is more expensive than treated but you can be less worried about being barefoot and getting splinters (you can get infections from treated wood). Cedar is also more attractive.

[neophyte]

I guess to be clear, my basement extends under my porch. The foundation isn't at the exterior wall of the house, but rather where the steps going up to my front porch are.

[Papa bear]

Where are you located?  You have plumbing in an unconditioned area. 

The subfloor provides little to no insulating value, maybe .75 R value.  So it’s not doing anything to keep your basement warm. 

I would tear it off back to the joists and build it back to local building standards for an exterior porch. 


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[lthenderson]

I would tear it down to the joists, sheath it with plywood, add a layer of house wrap and then put tongue and groove flooring down, not deck material. Putting deck material over your basement is just going to guarantee that you are going to get water down on whatever layer is over the joists. Once the flooring is down, it should be finished with some sort of waterproofing layer of paint, stain, etc. While you are doing that, make sure it is sloped correctly to shed water away from the house and make sure any water drains through the front railings are unclogged.

[Lulee]

After doing everything @lthenderson says, I'd insulate the blazes from the underside to save your plumbing and prevent heat loss.  There have been threads here about DYI sprayfoam work which made it seem relatively easy to do in what looks to be your situation of wide open access.  The only takeaway beyond that I remember is people insisting that you wear those jumpsuits including the hoodie because once the insulation dries, especially in your hair, it's a witch to get out again!