DIY T&G or half lap for floor

[alex trent]

I have found a great source of good wood...Cedro Macho, which is what I used on my house.  No cutting or any finishing, you take what they have.  It is decently sawn, so for my use can use as is.

I am building a deck for a tent...20x16. For the floor I will use 1x10..actually 1 1/8 as cut.  Joists are at 16".


What is the "do-ability" of doing my own T&G or half lap on the boards?

[Don_P]

Will the floor get wet? In other words, will it be expanding and shrinking?

[Native_NM]

http://www.3mlumber.com/lumber/cedromacho.htm

[Native_NM]

There is an article on deer camps floating around.  The tent platform designs were reviewed.  I assume you mean a wall tent.  Alot of those deer camps are pretty impressive. They leave the foundation and set the tents up as needed during hunting and camping seasons.

I'll try locating it.

[alex trent]

The foot print of the tent matches the deck...but will still get wet around the edges and back...like a foot.

Its a safari wall tent.

[Don_P]

I guess to answer the original question, sure you can T&G or shiplap fairly well on site, I'm making T&G panelling at the job out of the oak we got while clearing. longer is tougher but can be done.
To flesh out my question, if the wood is installed dry and tight and then gets wet it stands a good chance of taking the frame apart as it swells, I've pushed the rim off a deck that way before. But, that was pine. I did a mahogany wrap around T&G porch floor on a house, installed dry and tight, well finished and as far as I know it performed well. The potential is there. Maybe take some accurate width measurements on a chunk, soak it in a pail for a day and remeasure, then decide if it is reasonable to try.

[UK4X4]

Alex - all the platform tents I've seen usually run with a tarp roof that extends out and away from the sides, if used semi permenantly

Ridge pole and frame similar to this to take the tarp edges


I would imagine you want closed for the bugs
but will bring water in under the tent.

make the deck exactly the width and length of the tent, then you get a local chap to sew on a skirt to the bottom edge of the tent, which will allow you to run down past the edges of the deck, and tie-clip or staple on.

That way you won't have water on the top of the deck

Or just shorten your poles, here's a pic from camp america