Natural wood ceilings add rustic charm. Closing in the ceiling helps a covered deck feel more like a room and since it is protected natural wood is unlikely to rot or need replacing.
Here's a way to add a relatively inexpensive pine ceiling.
Do you want to stain overhead making a giant mess and screw up your shoulder for days? No. You do not.
01.
The groove should face the wall on your first course so that you can nail through the tongue on each board.
02.
Can not stress enough how helpful an extra set of hands is here
Cutting the holes across both boards before hanging makes it easier to line things up perfectly (or ... better, at least)
03.
Many clamps let you flip the top jaw around to the bottom and turn it into a spreader.
04.
Getting the ceiling up is pretty straight forward, but it will require some trim to make it look truly finished
Face nailing the last board and the gaps around the edges actually are not something to worry about because of what comes next.
05.
Crown molding helps cover all gaps around the edges and make it look more finished. It also makes you very aware of how not square every corner is.
06.
Make sure lights are hung below the fan to avoid strobe light disco parties, unless those are your jam.
A finished ceiling goes a long way to making a porch feel more like an outdoor living room. A covered one has a chance at lasting.