What is a porch, why is it and what functions does it perform?

The porch is an extension to the house, which, through steps, facilitates entry / exit through the doors. Since the porch usually has a canopy, this is an additional protection of the doorway from the sun, rain and snow.

In addition, the porch acts as a decorative element that makes the exterior of the house complete and comfortable to use.

As a rule, the parameters of the porch are thought out even at the stage of building a house, cottage or summer cottage. But often the porch is attached to an existing building.

Traditionally, for the construction of a porch in front of the house, the same material is used from which it was built (for example, a wooden or brick house). The porch can be made of wood, concrete, metal, brick. It is important that the chosen material (for steps, cladding, porch decoration) is in harmony with the overall design of the house.

Due to the fact that wood is the most popular, as well as available and inexpensive material, most often the porch is built from wood. Therefore, we will consider in detail (step by step) how to organize the construction of a wooden porch. Another reason in favor of lumber is the ease of working with wood, which makes it possible to make a wooden porch with your own hands.

Wooden porch to a private house - project

Construction begins with the development of a project that takes into account:

Porch views

Porch structure

• built-in porch - erected together with the house, has a common foundation with it;

• attached (attached porch) - completed during the operation of the house.

Material for porches in a private house

1. wood;
2. concrete;
3. metal (forging, steel, iron);
4. brick (stone).

Methods for constructing a wooden porch

Implementation is possible in two versions:

This method is simpler and consists in the fact that a wooden box (or a porch frame made of a metal profile) is installed on the prepared platform, on which the steps are installed.

This option is also more budgetary, it can be implemented at any stage of construction or operation of a house. A closed wooden porch makes it possible to hide all the flaws that arise during the construction phase;

The peculiarity of this method is that the base frame is prepared only for the lower part of the stringer / teteva, and the upper one rests on beams or a floor slab. This way of building a porch provides more opportunities for the implementation of original solutions.

How to make a porch of wood with your own hands without mistakes

Before telling how to build a wooden porch, we will describe the main mistakes that novice craftsmen may encounter.

• stylistic mistakes. The dimensions, appearance, material of the porch should be in harmony with the general appearance of the building (house design);

• errors in the size of the porch. The porch should be in proportion to the main building;

• errors in measurements. Each parameter is measured several times and applied to the circuit;>

  Note. Professionals advise to apply to the scheme not only the dimensions of the porch, the wooden frame, but also other parameters: the size of the doorway, the distance from the porch to the plants or protruding decorative elements. This information will come in handy if you need to correct the drawing of the porch.

• overspending of material. Eliminated by careful planning.

• ignoring the requirements for structural strength. The porch is the most exploited part of the building. In addition, it is susceptible to external factors, which means that the material must be chosen with a margin of safety and taking into account the dimensions of the porch;

• provide additional protection to the wooden porch. Untreated wood gradually loses its properties, therefore it needs protection and constant care;

  Note. Both open parts of the structure and load-bearing parts need protection, i.e. those that are buried or resting on a foundation.

• the disunity of the foundations of the house and the porch (on different (separate) foundations) will lead to uneven shrinkage of the porch and the appearance of a crack between the elements. This will be avoided by the threshold installed at the junction of the porch to the house. Or installation of a threshold without a march, with the first step 150-170 mm below the threshold. But this is fraught with injuries, because, leaving the door, the user is forced to go down;

• the absence of a foundation leads to the fact that the porch "floats" under the influence of soil displacement (shear);

• jamming of doors (blocking, clamping). Occurs due to geological changes (frozen soil can raise the porch a couple of centimeters).

How to properly build a porch to the house

Porch material

To make a beautiful porch made of wood, you will need building material:

• for supports, a beam with a section of 100x200 mm is suitable. The size depends on the type of porch, the expected load, the number of supports, etc. When choosing wood for supports, it is better to give preference to larch or pine, due to the presence of resins, they withstand well all-season operating conditions;

• for the entrance platform from the steps, you can use a board with a thickness of 30-50 mm;

• ready-made balusters and railings. Or a bar and a lath for their manufacture. The dimensions of the lumber depend on the parameters of the future product.

• solutions, compositions and impregnations for wood protection;

• cement mortar (concrete);

Note. The use of 50 mm boards both on the supports and on the steps will allow you to avoid errors in calculations, reduce waste and, in general, use lumber more efficiently.

Drawing of a wooden porch

Even a simple (typical) drawing, drawn by yourself, will help to avoid difficulties in its construction.

The porch drawing must contain the data:

• porch appearance. It makes it possible to visually present the final view of the structure;

• the width of the porch - should be one and a half times wider than the doorway (you can calculate how wide the porch should be in this way: 1.5 times the width of the door, this will be the minimum allowable width). This width will allow you to open the door while on the porch site;

• the width of the stairs to the porch (flight of stairs) - must be at least 700 mm. Otherwise, there will be difficulties in the movement of people and objects along the steps;

• location of the porch platform (flooring). The porch floor should be 30-50 mm below the threshold (doorway). The lowered porch platform will prevent the doors from blocking due to snow or a raised porch structure;

• the angle of inclination of the porch;

Note. Professionals advise making the slope of the porch and steps area 2-3 ° to avoid water accumulation. An alternative would be to install floorboards with a 2-3 mm gap.

• foundation. Types, depth of laying, characteristics of the soil under it;

• the number and size of porch steps. The standard recommends adhering to the following step dimensions: height - 170-180 mm, step depth (tread) - 300-350 mm. It is desirable that the number of steps be odd. Such dimensions will make the movement on the steps comfortable;

• the presence and location of the fence (balusters and railings).

Note. In construction practice, there are no rules and regulations governing the parameters of the porch. The recommendations apply only to the parameters of the steps.

A drawing of a wooden porch, as an illustrative example:

Wooden porch scheme

It is convenient in work when the diagram of a wooden porch is made on a large sheet of paper and is always in front of your eyes.

A life-size cardboard template is a good alternative. A paper template is indispensable in the manufacture of a flight of stairs on a bowstring.

Foundation under the porch of the house

A correctly selected and poured foundation for a wooden porch is a guarantee of its strength and durability.

A wooden staircase to the porch can be installed without a foundation. But pouring it will avoid the movement of the porch due to seasonal soil movement.

When building a porch, you can choose one of the following types of foundation:

Columnar. Well suited for lightweight construction. The number of support posts depends on the size of the porch.

Plate. Structurally, it is a monolithic concrete slab. Designed for heavy (massive) structures. In most cases, a slab foundation does not need to be tied to the foundation of the main structure (house).

Tape. It has a significant margin of safety, while requiring less material costs. A connection with the foundation of the house is required.

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What is the best foundation for the porch?

Some users recommend equipping a strip foundation for the porch. In this case, the likelihood of a discrepancy between the porch and the house is eliminated, as when using a columnar. And also the consumption of material is reduced, in comparison with the slab. The difficulty of arranging this type of foundation is that it needs to be tied to the house.

How to tie (tie) the foundation of the porch and the house?

First of all, the adjacent foundations of the porch and the house must have the same depth.

It is better not to fill the place of attachment (fastening, connection) of the foundations immediately, but to leave a technical gap (a gap of 20-30 cm), in which there will be connecting elements (pins, reinforcement).

In the old foundation of the house, holes are drilled at a distance of 50-60 mm and studs with expanding anchors are hammered. From the new foundation of the porch, make an outlet for the reinforcement to these pins. Just let down (do not twist or weld).

After the new foundation “settles” (withstands) a year (or at least winter), preferably under load, you can connect the reinforcement (tie, twist, weld). Pour a bunch of concrete mortar.

The diagram below shows how to make a wooden porch with the foundation attached to the house.

What is the depth of the foundation under the porch

The depth of the foundation for the porch must match the depth of the foundation of the house and is below.

A strip foundation is definitely a great solution for building a porch. However, not everyone needs a massive structure. After all, most of the stairs of the porch are built using stringers or bowstrings. In this case, it is not necessary to fill the strip foundation, but to give preference to a pile or columnar foundation. When equipping such a foundation, you need to make concrete "pillows" for the supports and the base of the stringer / bowstring.

The method for constructing a concrete pad is shown in the diagram.

How to build a wooden porch to the house

Consider the technology of erecting porches on pillars (piles, supports, beams) made of wood.

The construction of a porch on a foundation in the form of a support cushion under the pillars (support pedestals) will be justified only if a number of rules are followed:

• the base of the kosour should rest against the waterproofing, laid between the foundation and the wood of the kosour;

• for supports it is better to take coniferous wood, it is preferable in conditions of high humidity;

Advice. When choosing lumber on a support, it is better to give preference not to a 100x100 mm beam, but to two 50x100 boards, fastened together.

• the wood of the supports should be treated with an antiseptic;

Note. The support should be processed to a height of 150-200 mm from the soil level. In this case, it is undesirable to use only. It prevents air from entering, and the process of wood decay starts from the inside. Better to use drying oil or waste engine oil.

• installation depth of supports is at least 800 mm;

• the wider and more massive the structure, the more supports should be;

• after the concrete with which the supports are poured dries up, you need to check their height. Adjust the height difference;

Note. When making a porch from wood, it is necessary to think over waterproofing and drainage system. This will avoid skewing the porch structure.

It should be noted that there is no fundamental difference in how to build a porch to a wooden or brick house. It is important to make an informed choice of the type of foundation and, if necessary, correctly tie it to the foundation of the house.

Porch landing and installation of steps

On this issue, user opinions differ. Some advise to fit the flooring boards as tightly as possible to each other in order to prevent the appearance of cracks inherent in dried wood, as well as to make a slope of 1.5-2 ° allowing water to flow quietly from the flooring.

Others recommend leaving a gap of 2-3 mm so that the water can flow down unhindered. At the same time, they argue that these clearances do not entail the risk of injury when walking on the flooring (except for stiletto heels). Wooden steps for the porch - you can buy ready-made ones or make them yourself. If the latter option is selected, a detailed description is provided below.

How to make wood steps for a porch

The steps are set starting from the bottom edge of the stringer / bowstring. Fastening is carried out using self-tapping screws, which must be sunk into the wood to avoid injury.

First, the riser is mounted, then the step. This is due to the fact that it is easier to maintain the dimensions this way.

When constructing a staircase on a stringer, the steps are attached to it. The options for attaching the steps to the bowstring are shown in the diagram.

Wooden porch railing

It is important to note that if there are more than 3 steps at the staircase, it is advisable to equip it with a fence. A porch fence can be metal (forged, stainless steel), wood, brick, stone (or concrete). Wooden railings for the porch can become not only a guarantor of safe movement, but also an additional decoration.

Recommendation. Provide safety elements - anti-slip coating on the steps of the porch (non-slip, anti-slip, rubber, rubber coating, tiles, rug). After all, frozen moisture (icing) makes movement on them dangerous.

We figured out the question of how to make a wooden porch, now it is important to study how to extend the period of its operation.

How to protect a wooden porch - care

A canopy over the porch will protect the wooden steps and the structure as a whole from external factors (from the sun, snow and rain). A wooden visor over the porch of a wooden house will look especially good. For buildings made of other materials (for example, for a stone house), polycarbonate, corrugated board, tiles or other roofing materials are suitable. The visor can be made with or without racks. The main thing is that the supports of the visor do not interfere with movement.

Wood processing is divided into pre-operational and operational. The first involves the application of special compounds before the construction of the porch begins. The composition of the solutions will reduce the tendency of wood to rot, deform, dry out, etc. And the second will make it possible to preserve the original appearance of the structure. Such processing includes painting, waxing or varnishing.

Painting a porch made of wood

• pine wood must be opened (covered) with paint in several layers and the layer must be renewed periodically;

• before applying paint, you need to open (process, soak) the wood with a primer;

  Advice. The primer will retain the properties of the wood, but the surface will need to be painted every 3-6 years. Without impregnation, the paint will last up to 10 years, but the properties of the wood will deteriorate significantly.

• it is not recommended to cover pine with transparent compounds. Sand and mud are pressed into the soft rock;

• larch or hardwood wood can be opened with transparent compounds. Well proven oil for impregnation Vermeister Deck.Oil;

• when choosing how to paint a wooden porch on the street, you need to know that the compositions for covering wood outside and inside the house may differ. To paint a wooden porch from the street (outside), use the following paints, enamels:

• oily (due to the pungent odor, they are gradually losing popularity);
• water-based (in need of constant updating);
• alkyd (resistant to moisture and mechanical abrasion);
• polyurethane (used mainly in industrial conditions);
• reactive (they consist of two components, their distribution is limited by their high cost and short time for application after mixing the components).

• each renewal of the coating on wood is carried out only after cleaning the surface from the previous layer of old paint.

How to attach a wooden porch - video

Compliance with the above steps will allow you to create a beautiful, reliable and functional wooden porch with your own hands.

It's not a secret for anyone that building a porch in the country is not an easy task, given that it must necessarily fit into the general appearance of the building, and also be truly functional.

In most cases, it is the originally designed porch that can become an unusual visiting card for the house.

There are a huge number of different options for the final stage in building a house. Everything primarily depends on how you see a truly beautiful porch for yourself and what budget you have.

It should be noted that if you are interested in how to make a porch with your own hands, then it is quite simple and all that is needed for this is to read this article and perhaps use some of the builders' advice.

What is a porch?

In fact, a constructive porch built in a private house is the simplest open-type area with a staircase, which is made right in front of the entrance to the building. At the same time, the porch can be of the most varied shape, with or without an additional canopy.

If we talk about the structure itself, which can be chosen for the porch and the design that determines for the most part, then they can be conditionally divided into three main types: simple, attached or built-in.

The porch of the latter type is almost always designed at the stage of building a house.

The most popular simple type of porch is a platform that has additional steps and a canopy above them.

During the construction of this type of porch, the most difficult thing is to fill in the necessary foundation, which in any case will be needed, even if it is a light structure and you have planned to make a porch of wood yourself.

An attached porch looks very similar to a beautiful built-in porch, but at the same time it is very often rebuilt and modified in various ways.

Foundation - foundation

An important point that you should definitely pay attention to when laying the foundation is that its depth during construction work must necessarily coincide with the depth of the foundation itself for the entire building. Otherwise, after the soil has settled, it is quite possible that deformation will occur completely at the entire porch structure.

If, after the soil has settled, the structure is shifted towards the house, then the destruction will begin from the foundation of the porch. In this case, cosmetic repairs will not be possible and you will have to build a porch from the very beginning.

It is imperative that during the construction of the foundation, special attention should be paid to the waterproofing of the foundation being erected.

Varieties of the porch for the future home

First of all, before starting the construction of the porch, it is imperative to decide on what material you like best. Most often it is either concrete, or expensive metal, or stone, classic brick, or wood that is acceptable at a cost.

Having decided to make a porch to a house made of wood, many simply hope that this is the easiest and most affordable option, in fact, without even knowing about a large number of nuances.

It is a photo of a porch made of wood that can be found without problems in various magazines more than others. This is due to the fact that wood is considered by many to be a traditional material.

All that is needed when building such a porch is the minimum building skills, a circular saw, and a construction square.

Note!

If possible, it is best to use either larch or any conifers as a material. They are distinguished by good indicators of strength, and are also quite easy to process on their own.

After specially made impregnation, the material will definitely not be inferior, for example, to material from any other solid rock.

Above the porch, you should definitely take care of the visor. This will not only protect the steps of the stairs and its platforms from various precipitations, but also allow you to design a wooden porch in an interesting way in a short time without serious financial investments.

Photos of a wide variety of awnings can also be found on the Internet and in magazines dedicated to the construction of various country houses.

Do-it-yourself photo of the porch

Note!

The porch is a functionally significant element of the architectural ensemble of a country house, which, in addition to its practical purpose, performs an aesthetic function, emphasizing the beauty of the entire building. Acting as the front part of the building, the porch of a private house can tell a lot about its owner: about his tastes, attitude to his site, material wealth. That is why many of us try to design the facade of the house so that it stands out favorably against the background of others. And even if at the construction stage the owner does not have the opportunity to attach a beautiful wooden porch to the house, he can always realize what he wants after a while.

The porch of a wooden house is an extension in front of the entrance to the building, which serves as a transition from ground level to floor level.

Since the difference in height between the ground and the floor often reaches from 50 to 200 and even more centimeters, the porch is equipped with a staircase laid out from the steps

The practical function of the porch also lies in the fact that the wooden extension is designed to protect the front entrance of the house from snow and rain. Therefore, the area adjacent to the entrance door is also equipped with a canopy. Depending on the shape and purpose, the porch may have one of the design options, we will consider some of them.

Option # 1 - open area on the steps

A compact platform with adjacent steps acts as an excellent addition to the architectural ensemble of a one- and two-storey wooden house of small size

Option # 2 - a site with partially closed walls

When arranging a porch located on a small elevation, low fences perform a protective function, protecting against falls and possible injuries.

On the porch, the height of which does not exceed half a meter, such railings and partially closed walls act rather as a decorative design.

Option # 3 - closed porch

Owners of country houses most often equip a glazed porch if they have the opportunity to build a more spacious area in front of the entrance.

The space of such a porch - a veranda furnished with comfortable garden furniture, allows you to receive guests and enjoy a pleasant stay in the fresh air

Self-construction of a wooden porch

Before starting the construction of the porch to the house, it is important to determine not only the size of the structure, but also to think over the presence of steps, the height of the handrails and the general appearance of the porch.

A detailed project of the future structure or at least a drawing of the porch will allow you to visually form the idea and calculate the required amount of material

When designing a structure, a number of points should be considered:

1. The width of the porch area should be at least one and a half times the width of the front entrance. The porch is located on the same level with the first floor of the building. In this case, a margin of 5 cm from the level of the porch platform for the front door should be provided. This will allow in the future to avoid difficulties in the event of deformation of the surface of the wooden platform under the influence of moisture when opening the front door. Indeed, according to fire safety requirements, the front door should only open outward.
2. The number of steps is calculated with a reference point so that when ascending, a person steps onto the porch platform leading to the front door with the same foot with which he began to move. When arranging a porch in a country house, three, five and seven steps are usually made. The optimal size of the steps: a height of 15-20 cm, and a depth of 30 cm.
3. Wooden steps leading to the porch should be placed at a slight incline of several degrees. This will prevent puddles from stagnating after rain or melting ice in the cold season.
4. It is advisable to provide for the arrangement of a canopy that protects the front entrance from precipitation. The presence of fences and railings will make it easier to climb and descend the stairs, which is especially important in winter, when the surface is covered with a crust of ice. From the point of view of ergonomics, the height of the railings most comfortable for a person is 80-100 cm.
5. When building a porch, it should also be borne in mind that when attaching an extension to a monolithic building, it is highly undesirable to connect building structures "tightly". This is due to the fact that the house and the porch, having different weights, create different shrinkage. This can cause cracks and deformations in the joints.

Stage # 2 - preparation of materials and erection of the foundation

To make a wooden porch, you will need materials:

• A beam with a section of 100x200 mm for the installation of support pillars;
• Boards with a thickness of 30 mm for arranging the site and steps;
• Slats with a section of 50 mm for side posts and handrails;
• Antiseptics for wood surface treatment;
• Cement mortar.

From construction tools, you should prepare:

• Saw or jigsaw;
• Hammer;
• Level;
• Screwdriver;
• Fastening materials (nails, screws);
• Shovel.

The construction of any building structure begins with laying the foundation.

The best option for laying a reliable and durable support for the construction of a wooden porch to the house is the construction of a pile foundation

Unlike traditional concrete types of foundations, pile foundations do not require large financial costs for construction. In addition, it is quite easy to install: any owner with basic construction skills can build a pile foundation.

Wooden beams intended for supports should be treated before installation. This prevents wood rotting and extends the life of the supporting structure. In the places where the supports are installed, we dig holes 80 cm deep, the bottom of which is lined with a sand and gravel "pillow".

Having leveled the base, we install the support pillars vertically, align them in level, check the height, and only then fill it with cement mortar

The height of the piles should be calculated taking into account the fact that even after the platform has laid down on them, the distance to the door remains at least 5 cm.

Filling the vertically installed support pillars with cement mortar, wait for it to dry completely. Only after that we fix the extreme row of support posts to the wall of the house using self-tapping screws. This will significantly increase the strength of the structure. The lags are laid horizontally directly on the support pillars.

Stage # 3 - making a stringer and installing steps

To arrange a flight of stairs, you will need to make a special inclined board - a stringer or bowstring.

The staircase can have two design options: with embedded steps or with cut out ledges

With the help of a special triangular pattern we make recesses for the bowstring. You can make such a template yourself by cutting out a blank from thick cardboard. One of the sides of the pattern corresponds to the horizontal part of the future steps - treads, and the second to the vertical - the riser. The number of steps depends on the size of the porch area and the expected load that they will have to withstand.

Having calculated the required number and size of steps, we mark the profile of the future bowstring on the board. As a basis for making a bowstring, it is better to use unedged lumber, which is an order of magnitude wider than ordinary edged boards.

To secure the lower part of the bowstring, it is necessary to fill in a concrete support platform. To protect the lower step from steam rising from the ground, it is advisable to cover a vapor barrier with a top layer.

At this stage of construction, it is also necessary to provide for a "pillow" device to remove excess moisture.

Having filled the support platform with cement mortar, we wait until the base is completely dry and only after that we proceed with the installation of the bowstring. We fix them on the supports using screws or nails. The distance between the bowstrings should not exceed one and a half meters.

Stage # 4 - assembling a wooden structure

Ready-made kosoura by filing, or using the "thorn-groove" method, we attach to the lags of the site. To do this, we fix the boards with grooves to the areal beam so that subsequently the thorns of the bowstrings are inserted into the grooves of the board.

After that, we proceed to the installation of the wooden floor of the site. When laying boards, it is advisable to fit them together as tightly as possible. This will allow in the future to avoid the formation of large gaps in the process of wood drying.

The final stage in the assembly of a wooden porch is the installation of steps and risers

We start laying from the bottom step, performing fastening using the “thorn-groove” method and additionally fixing them with self-tapping screws. First, we attach the riser, and then the tread on it.

The porch is almost complete. It remains only to make the railing and equip the shed. To give the structure a more attractive and complete look, it is enough to cover the surface with varnish or paint.

Videos with examples of porch devices

The main function of a porch for a country house is to protect the main building from precipitation, wind and the scorching sun. The porch can be built and built at the stage of building a house, or even after, if the need arises.

Since considerable loads are imposed on it, the base is made as reliable as possible.

With the help of the porch, you can revive the appearance of any house, the main thing is to make a harmonious combination. What the appearance of this building will look like depends only on your preferences and financial capabilities.

If we talk about options for a porch for a summer residence, then they are closed and open. The latter materials only have handrails and a fence, there may be no steps at all, or only two or three. These constructions are of primitive types, and in turn are divided into attached and capital ones. The first type can be brought inside the house in winter.

Canopy porches

It is made of any suitable material, it is called closed, and serves to protect the entrance to the house from wind, snow and rain. With this design, you can expand the space and store, for example, the necessary inventory or personal belongings.

Material

Stages of work

It is quite possible to make a wooden porch in the country house with your own hands, if you adhere to the following steps:

• Preparation of a pit half a meter deep;
• Installation of support pillars;
• Preparation of the platform for the porch, stringers and bowstrings.
• Fastening steps with nuts and bolts;
• The installation of the handrails begins with the fastening of the balusters and handrails.
• Installation of the visor.

Porch at the dacha made of concrete

It is not afraid of either heat or cold, if it is built according to all the rules.

This requires:

Brick porch

A beautiful porch in the country can be easily built from bricks. Such material is more suitable for large buildings, against the background of small brick porch it will look too bulky.

To build such a structure, you need:

• Install strong, and fill it with concrete.
• After the concrete dries, a backing brick is placed on the base.
• To install the steps, you need to put the brick inside, and finish the outer part with the front ones.
• At the end, a railing, a visor are installed, and the building is finished.

Advice.

Use ceramic bricks for the construction of the porch, as it is highly durable and durable. Do not take used material for work, because during operation, the brick collapses.

For the classic style, the most suitable option is the design of the porch of a country house with a gable roof and graceful railings. With the help of lights and flower pots, you can freshen up the appearance of the building.

For country style, wood with skillful carvings is suitable. The European style is guessed in laconicism and clear lines.

Give your porch the inviting mood of the Mediterranean or Latin countries by equipping it in the form of a patio. Decorate the walls with ivy, clematis, maiden grapes, lemongrass.

Rustic mood will help to create rattan and wood furniture. Choose bamboo and stone décor for an oriental look.

White and pastel colors will take you mentally to Mediterranean countries, and beautiful mosaics to Morocco.

Pallet porch

Do-it-yourself porch for a summer residence can be made from pallets. It is very simple and does not require a lot of investment.

Pallets must be sanded, primed and painted prior to installation.

The base under the porch must be leveled, geotextiles are placed under them to avoid contact with. The pallets are mounted tightly, fastened with screws and fixed to the base.

Porch for a country house made of stone

Natural stone is a classic, but it does not differ in its cheapness, moreover, it is not suitable for all types of structures. The advantages include durability and practicality. These are able to stand for almost centuries. Such a porch will perfectly fit into the monumental style, which can be distinguished by columns.

A wrought-iron porch for a country house, in addition to external beauty, such structures are distinguished by external strength and reliability. Forged elements will harmoniously fit into the overall look of the building, giving it a special flavor.

A porch with a polycarbonate canopy to the country house is an excellent option for those who want to save money and make the building functional. Polycarbonate transmits the sun's rays by 88%, you can hide under it from the rain, and even park your car.

Also, instead of a canopy, you can install a visor over the porch, if required by the peculiarity of style and design. Of course, he has a purely decorative role, but if another is not required from him, then this is an excellent inexpensive option.

Terrace with a porch for a country house glazed terrace and hide in it from the cold and rain.

The umbrella has not yet been opened, and the downpour has already poured water over the gate, or the wind is throwing sleet in the face. It is very unpleasant, having crossed the threshold, to immediately be in captivity of bad weather. A transition barrier is required between the house and the yard, which will give a couple of minutes to adapt to weather conditions. The porch is such a kind of buffer. Even on a sunny, warm day, stepping outside the living quarters, you automatically stop for a few seconds, assess the state of the weather, and only then go down the steps of the porch.

Varieties of porches

The porch is a small area with steps and a canopy in front of the entrance to the living quarters of the house. According to the material for making the porch, there are wooden, metal, brick, block and concrete. These materials are often combined with each other. For example, a concrete deck is equipped with metal steps and railings, while a metal structure uses wooden steps and handrails.

By the type of structure, the porches are divided into three main groups, within which there are also some differences.

Porch types:

Porches also vary in size and shape. It can be square, rectangular, semicircular, hexagonal and other configurations.

Semicircular porch

The stairs or steps leading to the site are arranged in front, on the side (adjacent to the wall of the house), or on three sides.

Any type of porch should be appropriate for the size of the house. A small, nondescript porch near a richly furnished cottage is lost and looks more like an entrance to a utility room, and not like an entrance portal. Conversely, a large porch near a small country house can overshadow the facade of a building.

The size of the yard also affects the size of the porch. In order not to clutter up a small area in front of the house, the porch is not brought forward too far: its long side adjoins the wall of the building, and the ends are made as short as possible. To save space in a small courtyard, the steps are arranged on the side.

Although porch designs are very different, there are six general principles that apply to their construction.

Features common to all types of porches:

A shallow foundation is poured under the high porch, which is connected to the foundation of the house with reinforcement.

If the height of the porch is small (1-2 steps), it is enough to make a crushed stone pillow under it. The steps are usually poured from concrete (or laid out from blocks) simultaneously with the platform and are one with it.

If a wooden (metal) staircase leads to the site, and not concrete steps, there is free space under it.

It can be used to the advantage of adapting for storing garden tools, lawn mowers, or making an aviary for a dog: it all depends on the size of the space and the needs of the owners of the house. Inside, a low flooring is made, the gap between the bowstring of the stairs and the soil is sewn up with a wooden or metal shield with a door, and the gaps under the steps are closed in order to preserve aesthetics.

What to make a porch from so that it matches the design of the house

The easiest way is to make a porch with a simple design. Its lower part is essentially the foundation, and its vertical surfaces are finished with the same materials as the basement of the house.

Clinker tiles for steps

Usually, the base is poured from concrete or laid out from building blocks, after which it is revetted with clinker tiles, wild stone, or simply plastered. The basement is finished in the same way in the case of other types of porches.

Porch lined with wild stone

If the porch is attached, its upper part is made of the same materials from which the building itself was built. A brick extension looks natural near a brick house.

Accordingly, near the wooden one there is a wooden one, and near the stone one - a stone one. In the case when the walls are faced with siding, imitation timber or other cladding materials, then they should be used in the decoration of the porch.

Combination of block house and decking

Important. The questions of what to make a built-in type porch usually do not arise, since it is being built together with the house. Finishing work is also in progress at the same time.

Porch canopy

The canopy over the entrance door consists of two parts: the frame, which is a frame on which the roofing material is attached, and the cover. The frame is made of lumber (timber, board) or metal corners and pipes. Depending on the size and design of the house, the canopy can be single-pitched, gable or arched. It is attached in two ways: to the wall of the house and rests on supports, or only to the wall of the house.

Roofing materials for the visor:

Planed boards can also be used as a canopy cover, especially if the house is wooden. But you need to take into account that the tree swells from dampness, and water seeps through the cracks between the boards. Therefore, a canopy with a wooden covering is additionally covered with a roofing material similar in color and texture to the roof of a house.

Advice. Water will not drain from the roof in random jets if it is equipped with plastic or tin weirs.

Porch design

Naturally, the porch and the house should have the same design, and this is not only the compatibility of building materials. It is also necessary to maintain all the details in the same architectural style. For example, a building "breathing" with pomp and grandeur is unlikely to decorate a modest porch, and the excess of ornate decorations on the visor and railings is incompatible with the severity of the geometric lines of a cottage built in the Mediterranean style.

Glazed porch

For the exterior of a cottage built in a modern style, a glazed porch is suitable. Especially interesting are projects with a built-in glazed porch.

The internal space with a facade and a glass partition can be used to create a winter garden. In this case, outside the windows of the house (at least one of his rooms), it will always be summer.

Glass doors are made wide enough, and preferably sliding. This makes it possible to keep the porch open most of the time in the summer.

Porch terrace

The wide porch with a canopy is essentially an open terrace. For the summer period, a dining room and a resting place are arranged there.

In the design of the improvised terrace, wood materials are used: decking flooring, a wooden balustrade and a staircase with carved railings. Rattan tables, chairs and armchairs are suitable for furnishing, the presence of which will help create a homely, cozy atmosphere.

Important. Wood is in harmony with almost any wall material, so it can be used not only in the decoration of a bar or a house made of rounded logs. It goes well with bark beetle plaster, bricks, facade panels and other finishing materials.

Wrought iron porch

You can decorate a metal, concrete and any other porch with wrought iron parts. First of all, this is a fence on the stairs with fragments of artistic forging: volutes, curls, grapevine, flowers and trellises.

Beautifully curved balusters, pillars with graceful elements, and a balustrade around the perimeter of the site can serve as the main decoration of the house.

As a harmonious addition, a polycarbonate visor is used, mounted on forged jibs or brackets.

The main thing is that the same forging elements are used on the visor and stairs. If the windows are equipped with bars, they are also made in the same style as the wrought iron railings.

Resting place on the porch

The best relaxation is outdoor recreation. In a private house, it is very easy to take advantage of this advantage; you just need to go out onto the porch. Of course, it must be appropriately equipped. Due to the lack of space, it is not recommended to use many objects in creating a recreation area on the porch; it is enough to put a small table and a wide bench. Bulky chairs and armchairs are hardly suitable for these purposes (the exception is a fairly spacious porch area). It is important that all pieces of furniture are placed compactly, do not clutter the approaches to the door and do not interfere with its opening.

If the porch is wide, more creative items are used in its furnishings: swings, hammocks, sun loungers.

In them you can spend time doing handicrafts, reading, or taking a tan. The advantage of resting at the front door is the proximity to living quarters - in order to take the right thing, you do not need to travel a long way, such as from the gazebo to the house.

Advice. The long and narrow porch area is perfect for creating a bar counter. The narrow table top is mounted along the parapet or instead of it. The space is decorated in the appropriate style: bar stools, shelves for cups and glasses, LED lighting.

How to decorate the porch of a private house

The best way to decorate your porch is with flowerpots. They are placed on the steps and along the parapet. The only condition is that the pots of flowers should not interfere with the movement of the stairs.

Preference when choosing vegetation, as a rule, is given to one and perennials that bloom all summer: petunia, gailardia, tagetes, coreopsis, cosmea, purslane... To create a certain style, conifers, evergreen deciduous shrubs of small habitus, ornamental grasses and succulents are planted in flowerpots.

Petunias in flowerpots

The advantage of mobile landscaping is the ability to swap flowerpots. In early spring, flowerpots with tulips, daffodils, a little later - with lilies.

At the end of the flowering of the bulbous, they are removed, and pots with cannes, salvia, rudbeckia... So you can alternate flowering throughout the season and complete it. sepbrines and colchicum.

Important. On a small porch, flowerpots with pots are hung on hooks outside of it. This technique allows you to green the porch without cluttering the usable space.

Lightweight sheer curtains are an interesting idea for porch decoration. They create diffused partial shade on the sunny side, allowing you to spend time on the porch on a hot day.

If it is necessary to completely shade the interior space, climbing plants are used, braiding vertical posts and forming a dense living curtain. For this purpose, you can plant clematis, maiden grapes, kampsis or climbing roses... Varietal is also suitable table grapes, which, in addition to the shade, will give delicious berries.