[MontecarloZ38]

Hello Every One!

Long time reader, first time poster.

My wife and I are planning on building an A Frame cabin next spring, in Maine. We currently live in a millinery tent. Our plan is to use 2x6 T&G boards for roof decking, and for the floors. The issue is, it's super expensive. Compared to a regular 2x6.

I am exploring all my options, and would like to see if I can make my own tongue and groove boards. From regular 2x6 or 2x8 lumber.

My first question is: Could this be done with one pass on the router (one pass for T and one pass for G)? If so, would a Bosch 1617 be sufficient enough, or do I need a bigger router?
Also, could you please recommend the bits for those size boards? I am only finding bits that do up to 1 1/4" boards (standard 2x6 is actually 1.5").

Thank you in advance for your time and your responses. I appreciate it!

 

[jdonhowe]

I've never made 2x T&G, so take my advice for what it's worth! I think you're asking a lot from your router, as well as your time to make T&G for a whole cabin; that's a lot of material you're hogging out. Instead, I'd recommend using a table saw and a dado set to make both the tongues and grooves. Also, rather than making all those tongues, consider using splines in grooves. Also, if all you need is decent alignment of your boards, do I dare suggest using a biscuit joiner? Good luck!

 

[CharleyL]

A table saw and DADO blade with feather boards and a stock feeder would allow you to do this, but why not groove both edges and use a spline, also made with a table saw. It's easy to make a groove, but requires two passes to make a tongue, and still more trouble to make the tongue the right thickness on boards that vary in thickness and straightness from the mill.

That's a lot of work for a router and you would likely wear out several 3 1/4 hp routers trying to do this much. It would likely take several passes at increasing depths too. If set on using a router method, get a shaper and a stock feeder instead. It's designed to handle large volumes of heavy work and it would likely survive the volume of work that you are planning, but it will likely need several sets of bits for the whole job too.

They charge more for tongue and groove boards for a reason. I doubt you can justify the time and expenses of doing this yourself over just buying the ready made boards.

Charley

 

[jw2170]

G'day @MontecarloZ38 , welcome to the forum.

 

[old55]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[MontecarloZ38]

Thank you very much for your advice everyone!!! Yeah, last night I looked at Shapers. The one I was looking at was only 2hp (110/220v), and I don't think that's powerful enough. I think I am going to try the Dado blade method on my table saw. I just need to get a dado blade. I counted yesterday, I will save $6500 if I do it my self. Even if it takes me a month, I'd say it's worth the savings. The only thing I didn't consider, is varied thickness of boards. Do you think this will give me trouble? I am planning to buy all my lumber from a mill, but it will be planned already.

Thank you again!

 

[Barry747]

I'm far from an expert on this but as long as you mark the face side of your boards, and always keep that side against the fence when cutting the dado, once installed, they should all be even. Any unevenness will be on the back side and, most likely, will be minimal.

 

[MontecarloZ38]

I'm far from an expert on this but as long as you mark the face side of your boards, and always keep that side against the fence when cutting the dado, once installed, they should all be even. Any unevenness will be on the back side and, most likely, will be minimal.

That makes sense. Thank you Barry!

 

[mgmine]

I assume that you want to be able to see the roof boards from the inside. If so then you could simply use T&G boards and cover them with foam insulation and then plywood. You will need insulation so this will be a way of doing both. As far as the floor you will have to get quality 2x6's with very few if any knots in them and perfectly straight edges. But why bother when you can get hardwood flooring that will almost certainly look better and depending on the grade would probably be cheaper. If you go the mill route make certain that all the lumber is kiln dried. If not it will shrink as it dries.

 

[MontecarloZ38]

I assume that you want to be able to see the roof boards from the inside. If so then you could simply use T&G boards and cover them with foam insulation and then plywood. You will need insulation so this will be a way of doing both. As far as the floor you will have to get quality 2x6's with very few if any knots in them and perfectly straight edges. But why bother when you can get hardwood flooring that will almost certainly look better and depending on the grade would probably be cheaper. If you go the mill route make certain that all the lumber is kiln dried. If not it will shrink as it dries.

The roof boards will actually be visible on the inside. It will be like a timber frame construction in a way, with exposed 2x6's stacked in 3's for the A's on the A Frame. They will be spaced every 3 feet. On the exterior, tar paper will go on top of t&g boards, followed by r10 insulation board stacked double layer (so r20 in total), then roof purlins (I believe is what they are called), followed by a metal roof. The plan actually calls to space the A's in 4ft intervals, but I don't know if that will handle the snow loads of Maine, so I decided to space them 3 ft apart.

That's a good point about the boards needing to be dried. Thank you for bringing that up. I haven't really considered hardwood flooring. I was under assumption that's it's a lot more money. Plus flooring is typically 3/4" right? I don't know if that would make a significant difference? Versus having 1.5" thick flooring.

 

[mgmine]

I'm not sure what you mean by the stacked in 3's but since you only want to see the bottoms of the boards the thickness doesn't matter. Think of plywood. You only see the surface so it doesn't matter if it's 1/4" thick or 3/4". For hardwood flooring you need a sub floor so you will still end up 1 1/2 inches thick. There are different grades of hardwood flooring some like cottage or cabin grade are very cheap. Then there is engineered hardwood. as well.

 

[MontecarloZ38]

I'm not sure what you mean by the stacked in 3's but since you only want to see the bottoms of the boards the thickness doesn't matter. Think of plywood. You only see the surface so it doesn't matter if it's 1/4" thick or 3/4". For hardwood flooring you need a sub floor so you will still end up 1 1/2 inches thick. There are different grades of hardwood flooring some like cottage or cabin grade are very cheap. Then there is engineered hardwood. as well.

So if I put three 2x6x12' together (4.5"x5.5"x12'), for the A's, then sandwich the first floor joist, and 2nd floor joist in between them, cutting out the middle board to accommodate a 2x10 as the joist (not sure if joist is the appropriate term for that, there will be actual joists every 16" in between the 2x10's). That will serve as the entire structure and should make it very strong. Also a 2x4 at the top to help tie the triangle together.

I was going to lay 3/4 pressure treated plywood as the subfloor, then 1 layer of r10 insulation board, then take my router and cut out a 3/4" grove on top of the insulation board, to lay 1/2" pex piping for radiant heating (will be powered by wood burning stove, and pump will be powered by the stove as well with thermal heating), then the actual floor boards. I will take a look at already made hardwood flooring. Maybe this will save me some time. If there's no significant cost increase.

 

[mgmine]

Sounds like a good plan. Be sure that the pex is rated for radiant flooring which means it has an oxygen barrier in it.

 

[MontecarloZ38]

Sounds like a good plan. Be sure that the pex is rated for radiant flooring which means it has an oxygen barrier in it.

Thank you for the tip! I did not know that...

 

[freetmile]

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[old55]

Welcome to the forum @freetmile

 

[jw2170]

Welcome to the forum @freetmile

Would you like to introduce yourself in the New Members section and tell us a bit about yourself?