The originally designed entrance to the house is capable of giving even the same type of buildings a peculiar look. What kind of porch will be made of wood depends on the wishes of the owner of the house - the choice of options is unlimited. Consider the main stages of the construction of a wooden porch, the nuances of performing technological operations and a number of construction features. Having carefully read the recommendations outlined in the article, the reader will be able to do all the work with his own hands, regardless of the drawn (selected) drawing, and build an excellent porch made of wood with a canopy.
If we consider in detail the pros and cons of sawn timber, and also focus on their acceptable cost, then, despite the variety of wood, there are not so many options. Basically, there are 3 recommendations, and all of them are for coniferous species. Why is clear. They are less prone to rotting than larch trees. What exactly should you choose?
Spruce
Despite the fact that the wood is resinous, it is clearly not suitable for the porch. The fact is that the structure of this tree is characterized by increased porosity. The strength of the material depends on this characteristic, and the relationship between the parameters is the opposite. Since most of the structural elements will be subjected to intense loads (human weight, snow cover over the canopy), including dynamic ones (gusts of wind), this is not an option. First, there is no need to talk about the reliability of fastening the elements. Nails, self-tapping screws, screws will not hold firmly in such a tree.
Secondly, the hygroscopicity of the spruce. Since no one will paint a wooden porch with moisture-resistant compounds (all the charm of wood is lost), you will have to process it with antiseptics. But the effect will be only short-lived, given the specific location of the structure (outside the building).
The longevity of the spruce porch is nothing more than a "myth" launched by firms specializing in this area. The main reason is the ease of workpieces processing. Consequently - the minimum time for the production of work. And few of the clients look at the estimates, especially since not everyone will understand all the details, and they will not distinguish one breed from another.
Pine
An excellent choice of wood for both price and durability. If not for one moment - there is a better option.
Larch
The peculiarity of any porch is that all its parts, even despite the canopy, are constantly in conditions of relative dampness. Oblique rain (or snow with a crosswind) will definitely fall on the steps, not to mention the railings and other parts. We should not forget about the fumes rising from the ground. Invisible microscopic droplets of moisture will penetrate deep into the structure of the tree even in dry, calm weather.
The main difference between larch and other conifers is in its specific resin. Without going into details, it is enough to note that when wet, it only gains strength. It is not for nothing that this particular wood is always used for the manufacture of support frames and the laying of the lower rims of log cabins.
If you think about the long-term maintenance-free operation of the porch, then the best choice is larch.
Design
You should start by choosing the dimensions of the porch. It can be built not only from wood, but also from other materials. However, there are some generally accepted guidelines to be aware of. To adhere to them or not is the decision of the owner of the house, but the parameters listed below are optimal both for the convenience and safety of moving up the stairs.
All specified linear characteristics are in cm.
- The span width is 90 ± 10. More is possible, less is undesirable.
- The steepness of the stairs is within the range from 30º to 45º.
- The number of steps is odd. This is due to the fact that with which foot the person began to move up the stairs, that must be placed on the porch platform (when climbing). Height - about 17 ± 2.5; width of the board (tread) - 26 - 30. Narrow steps are traumatic, and wider steps are inconvenient to climb.
When drawing up a drawing, it is necessary to take into account that all steps must have some forward bias. Otherwise, rainwater will stagnate on them.
Railings
In principle, you don't have to put them on a wooden porch. But only if there are only 2 - 3 steps. With a sufficiently large span for safety reasons, the stair rail is mounted. The optimal height of the railings is 85 - 95. Sometimes they are placed on a low porch, but their main function in this case is purely decorative.
Area
There are no specific regulations on this issue. But logic dictates that the size of this part of the porch should be sufficient for several people to be on it at the same time. Since a canopy is provided, then in relation to a private house, the dimensions of the site can be chosen more. This will allow you to install 1 - 2 benches, a table on it and get a kind of mini-veranda. Not a bad solution for rural areas.
The porch area should be about 5 cm below the front door to the house. The explanation is simple. Decking boards under the influence of temperature, dampness will begin to deform (play). If they are laid flush with the threshold, then it is not a fact that there will be no problems with opening the front door.
Foundation
For a wooden porch, if it is erected after the completion of the construction of the building as an extension, there are only two options - a pile or columnar base. You cannot "tie" the tape to the foundation of the house. Due to the discrepancy in weight, the structures will give different shrinkage. As a result, cracks appear not only in the heat and waterproofing insulation, but also in the concrete itself. This is one reason. The second is that, taking into account the small dimensions of the wooden porch and the mass, as well as significant financial investments, the construction of a monolithic foundation is not justified.
Pile foundation
It can be equipped in a day, since no more than 4 - 6 supports are needed. It takes two people to install the screw piles in place. It remains only to mount the support frame, on which the wooden porch will be erected.
Columnar foundation
The main disadvantage of this solution is that you will have to drill the ground (therefore, you will need a special vehicle), or dig holes. In the first case, you need to pay for the service, in the second, you need to spend much more time. And the consumption of concrete solution will increase slightly.
What to use for supports:
- Pipes. Metal or asbestos-cement products, into which a solution is poured after installation. But for a wooden porch, you can limit yourself to the last type of products. After the artificial stone has hardened, they will provide the required base strength. To minimize the risks of destruction of the supports (as a result of corrosion), it is advisable to paint them with moisture-repellent compounds.
- Beam, log. To prevent rotting, the workpieces should be processed. In order to save money, you can use folk technologies. For example, impregnate wood with machine oil (working off). Even better - additionally coat with liquid tar, including the end parts of the blanks. There is also a technology for smoking coniferous wood. When exposed to heat, the resin in its structure forms a moisture-impermeable, durable layer. After such processing, the tree does not give in to rotting for many years.
- When installing the pillars, it is necessary to place metal elements (vertically oriented) in them, to which the supporting frame of the wooden porch will be attached. Options - reinforcing bar, iron pin. The meaning is clear - to eliminate the risk of displacement of the structure in the horizontal plane.
- Regardless of the type of supports selected for the foundation, the general rule for their installation should be followed. They are deepened so that the ends are below the level of soil freezing. Otherwise, the seasonal heaving of the soil will begin to push them to the surface. As a result - a skewed porch, deformation of individual elements, violation of their connections.
Stairs
Its design features have already been said. It remains to add that the minimum recommended board thickness is 25. Attempting to save money with thinner samples will have consequences. For example, when moving heavy loads (household appliances, furnishings), the steps may simply not withstand the load. Therefore, you need to focus on the location of the porch.
If it is at the main entrance to the house, then the boards should be massive. If it is erected in front of the door leading to the site (to the courtyard), the "twenty" will be enough. The diagrams show options for the stairs of a wooden porch. Although the slab foundation in the second picture is not the best choice.
When fixing steps on stringers, it is advisable to use self-tapping screws (screws), not nails. This will have a positive effect on the maintainability of the porch stairs. And the likelihood of cracks in the wood is reduced to zero. But the nails can split it. Plus - additional fasteners in the form of metal corners, strips, and so on. They will increase the strength of the joints.
Canopy
The choice is significant. But we are still talking about a porch made of wood. Therefore, such a factor as the compatibility of materials comes to the fore. What does this mean?
- Aesthetic component. It is necessary to determine how the awning will look against the background of the house.
- Characteristics of materials. First of all, their thermal expansion is meant. For example, a combination of wood + concrete (or metal) is not the best.
From this point of view, for houses made of stone (brick), concrete goods, aerated concrete, a wooden shed should not be made. Optimally - a metal frame covered with polycarbonate, profiled sheets or soft tiles. For example, like this.
If the structure is wooden (or sheathed with this material), then it is better to mount a rafter system of bars. Covering - roof tiles, slate or sheet metal.
- You can choose any type of roof - hipped roof, arched, double or single slope. In the case of a flat one, it must be mounted necessarily with a slope, to ensure the spontaneous descent of snow crust or rainwater.
- When installing wooden rafters, the distance between the supporting elements should not exceed 30 cm.
What to consider:
- Wood preparation. It is quite difficult to do this qualitatively on the site. And it will take a lot of time. Therefore, it is advisable to purchase industrial drying lumber for a wooden porch. They are more expensive, but there will be a guarantee that over time the tree "will not lead."
- Surface treatment of workpieces. To do this manually, only with a plane and a sandpaper, is both long and pointless, since high quality cannot be achieved. Better to use a sander. If not buy, then rent.
- External decoration of a wooden porch. It is hardly worth using paints. The beauty of wood is that its naturalness in itself is an interior decoration. If, after grinding the front (side) surfaces of the samples, varnish is applied to them, then the view of the porch will be magnificent.
Good luck with your home improvement!
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. The appearance of this structure 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 with 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 items.
Material
Work stages
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 of steps with nuts and bolts;
- The installation of the handrails begins with fastening 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 will look too bulky.
To build such a structure, you need:
- Install strong, and fill it with concrete.
- After the concrete has dried, 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, the building is finished.
Council.
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 as a patio. Decorate the walls with ivy, clematis, maiden grapes, lemongrass.
A rural mood will help 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's very simple and doesn't 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 is not cheap, moreover, it is not suitable for all types of structures. The pluses 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 zest.
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 feature 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
If there is enough space on the territory in front of the house, then you can equip a terrace for relaxation.
Rattan furniture, plant pots, lanterns are placed here, creating an atmosphere of comfort. If the foundation of the house is high, then you need to make steps.
If there is a high foundation near the structure, it is necessary to arrange a porch using steps. They can be from, or. Also, you can build with glazing and hide in it from the cold and rain.
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The porch marks the entrance to the house, adds integrity to the building, and serves as a spectacular decor. It is made from different materials, including wood. We will talk about making a simple wooden porch to the house with our own hands, consider various projects and photos of wooden structures.
Low porch without railings with a canopy.
General arrangement and norms
This design is an extension to the house (directly at the front door) in the form of a platform of various sizes, equipped with steps and a canopy. This design has several important functions:
- Convenience of moving between the house and the territory. Often the entrance to the house (respectively, the foundation) is located at a certain height from the ground level. To make it convenient to move between the territory and the dwelling, a transition platform with steps is created. If the elevation difference is small, 1-3 steps are enough, but sometimes the porch can consist of one or two flights of stairs.
- Weather protection of the space near the front door. The entrance to the house will be protected by a porch from rain, snow and hail, as well as the scorching sun and sometimes even wind, in the case of a special porch design.
- The architectural design of the dwelling. It is the porch that gives the house a complete, harmonious and holistic look and can serve as an important decorative element not only of the building, but also of the site as a whole.
Definitely, it is advisable to think about the construction of a porch (in particular, its size, shape, form) at the stage of designing a house. But also the porch can be attached to an already finished building. A porch made of wood looks as harmonious as possible with wooden houses, but there are often cases when a porch made of wood is attached to houses made of bricks and other materials.
Spacious wooden porch.
If you are planning to build a porch, it is important to familiarize yourself with some of the rules and requirements:
- The level of the annex should be 5 cm lower than the level of the front door. Since the wood in frost can change its size somewhat, the consequence may be raising the porch and blocking the entrance to the dwelling.
- The area must be wide enough so that two people can pass each other. Optimally - 1.5 m.
- When choosing dimensions, also keep in mind that the front door should open in such a way that people standing on the porch do not collide with it.
- It is important to choose the right size of steps and staircase. The optimal step height is 16-20 cm, a comfortable width is 25-30 cm. The width of the staircase itself should be at least 1 m. Remember that the parameters of the steps determine the slope of the staircase - the smaller it is, the easier it is to walk on it.
- It is imperative to build a foundation under the porch. It can be columnar or monolithic. It can be placed separately without being attached to the building. We will talk about the foundation in more detail later.
The photo below shows a porch in a private house with a visor:
A porch with a visor.
Sizes, shapes, types
By design, all outbuildings can be divided into open and closed. In the first case, the porch is much easier and cheaper to make. It consists of a platform with steps, it can be supplemented with a handrail and a canopy. Often this option is implemented in the country - since such a structure cannot fully protect from precipitation, wind and sun, it is built near buildings that are not used in the cold season.
A closed porch is a more complex and reliable design. Such an extension is able to protect well from precipitation, wind, sun. In winter, she will not let the snow block the front door. It consists of a canopy that completely covers the site, steps and a canopy above them, side fences that partially or completely cover the structure. Obviously, this option is more expensive and more complicated.
A small open porch.
Vestibule and terrace are options for closed structures. A tambour is a large or small buffer room. The veranda is usually quite spacious, it is possible to place furniture for summer relaxation in it. It can also be open.
Most often the porch has one exit. But sometimes they make an exit on two sides - this is convenient if there is a building in front of the entrance and there is no way to choose another porch design. This option is difficult to implement and more expensive than others.
An elaborate two-level porch.
Porch sizes may vary. Basically, it is worth starting from the dimensions of the building itself - for a spacious country mansion it is better to choose an appropriate design, and for small country houses there will be enough compact cozy porch.
There are also no strict rules when choosing a shape. It should be based on the general geometry and type of the building. So, the porch can be:
- rectangular;
- angular;
- trapezoidal;
- rounded - oval, round, rounded rectangle;
- asymmetrical.
The shape of the porch should harmoniously complement the look of the building and be combined with the rest of the building.
Open terrace porch.
Wood selection
The look of the porch is highly dependent on the material from which it is made. So, for the construction of a wooden extension, pine or larch is usually chosen. As for the form itself, you can use both a log and a bar. For combined structures, you can use a metal frame and a board to decorate the platform and steps.
The porch made of logs looks very picturesque and colorful. But it will not suit every building - such a structure will look harmonious near a house in the Russian style, a hut, a manor or a building made of timber or trimmed with such material. For the construction of the porch, whole logs of different diameters are used, as well as specimens cut along the length (for example, for steps).
Log porch.
If the dwelling is lined with siding, built of brick or timber, it is better to make the porch from timber. Its strict geometric lines will harmoniously overlap with the lines of the building. For this, a coniferous timber of 15 * 15 cm is used. It should be noted that timber structures are much easier to implement.
Important! All wood must be pre-treated with special protective compounds - anti-operatives, which protect against fire, and antiseptics, which prevent rotting and damage by insects. Wood in contact with the soil should be treated with bitumen or covered with roofing material.
Manufacturing
When the shape, type and dimensions of the structure are determined, you can proceed to the main stage - construction. We will tell you how to quickly and cheaply make a porch to the house with your own hands. The process consists of several stages, each of which we will consider separately and in detail.
Necessary materials:
- A beam for supporting pillars with a section of 10 * 20 cm.
- Board 3 cm thick.
- Reiki 5 cm wide.
- Sand, gravel and cement.
- Antiseptic coatings.
- Bitumen (roofing material).
The choice of design depends on your wishes and the characteristics of the facade of the house. But as an example, we will give the following drawing:
Porch drawing.
Foundation
As we have already indicated, it is necessary to make a foundation under a wooden porch even of small sizes. When building a house, it is advisable to lay the foundation together with the main one. But if the house already exists, the foundation is created separately.
Depending on the complexity of the structure, the foundation does it differently. So, the porches can be divided into the following groups:
- Simplified - this is an open-type porch with a couple of steps, often without a canopy and railings. As a foundation, you can use wide flat stones, posts made of brick or concrete and reinforcement.
- Built-in - the base of such structures is poured along with the base of the house.
- Attached - this type of foundation is very common. It is poured after the construction of the house. It must be strong and reliable to support the weight of the massive porch. We will consider this option in detail.
Important! The attached foundation must not be connected to the base of the house in order to avoid splitting the seam when the soil heaves. Consider this point when deciding how to attach a porch to the house.
Expansion joint device.
For the arrangement of the porch is a pile or columnar foundation types. They are optimal in terms of implementation complexity and reliability. In the diagram below you can see the principle of construction of these and other types of foundation. However, if a spacious, heavy, complex structure is planned, it is required to build tape or plate types under it.
Foundation device options.
How to make a foundation step by step:
- All wood is treated with antiseptics and dried.
- In the places where the bars are installed, recesses are dug up to 0.8 m deep. A layer of sand and gravel, 10 cm each, is laid at the bottom.
- The bars are deepened in the center of the holes, leveled, and filled with concrete. The concrete is expected to dry completely.
- In the upper part, the timber can be fixed to the walls of the house.
Ladder, railing and visor
As we have already indicated, the staircase should be easy to use, therefore it is necessary to correctly calculate the width, height and, accordingly, the number of steps. The ladder can be on kosoura (see photo below) or a bowstring.
Ladder device.
For the manufacture of kosour, it is necessary to choose a long wide board, cut it along the length of the stairs, make recesses for attaching the treads. Further, the stringers are fixed to the lags of the porch platform. And also to the support posts. Next, you need to lay the floor of the platform from the board. Then, starting from the bottom, risers and steps are attached.
Stacking steps.
If the porch is low and small, the railings are optional. For tall structures, handrails are highly desirable, including for safety reasons. To install them, it is necessary to attach the support posts to the lower step and platform, attach the railing from above, and then supplement the structure with balusters.
Railing fixing.
The original solution will be a lattice canopy roof. It can be used as a support for climbing plants, thus creating a floral façade.
Spacious low porch with lattice roof.
For finishing the porch-terrace, the same materials were selected as for finishing the house in compliance with the color scheme.
Spacious attached porch.
In the example below, we see that bright shades were used to decorate the porch - white, brick and brown, which contrast favorably with the soft green tint of the walls of the house.
Open porch.
So, making a simple wooden porch to the house with your own hands is not a difficult task if you correctly approach the planning, as well as use ready-made photos and projects made of wood. Even a small porch can transform the facade and radically change the perception of the house for the better.
Video: do-it-yourself wooden porch.
The construction of a country or country house, a cottage and even a summer cottage cannot do without building a porch. It is considered to be an external annex to the building, through which people enter and leave the internal premises. Other functions are also assigned to the porch - preventing the appearance of drifts in winter and the ingress of dirt into the room, as well as thermal insulation. The aesthetic component of this design also plays a significant role. This architectural element must necessarily be in harmony with the appearance of the house, correspond to its general style direction.
Constructive variety
What exactly should be a porch in a modern house? It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously. And much here depends not only on the appearance of the building, but also on the availability of free space, as well as on the materials used in the construction of the house, financial capabilities, needs and wishes of residents. There can be many options for interesting ideas, but in any case, when constructing this building, they are usually guided by the rules:
- practicality;
- security;
- comfort;
- ergonomics;
- aesthetics.
The porch for both the house and the summer cottage can be of any shape - rectangular, square, round, or generally non-standard. The main thing is that it corresponds to the entire structure, is convenient to use and fulfills its other functions. All of them can be divided into 2 large groups. These extensions are:
- open;
- closed.
Open-type structures have only handrails and railings, but they can be without them if there are less than three steps on the stairs. An open porch is most often used in summer cottages and in houses that are not year-round.
They are of a major nature and add-on, which can be removed inside the premises at the time of departure or for the winter. If the porch has walls on one or more sides, it is classified as closed. They are usually connected to a vestibule, terrace or glazed veranda and are their continuation. Indoor areas better protect from bad weather, allow you to equip them with additional space for rest or storage. It is these structures that can be found in most country houses and cottages, where they live throughout the year.
When equipping a porch, you need to think about a canopy or canopy to protect from rain and sun. Polycarbonate awnings are quite popular today. They look good in combination with complex structures of outbuildings both in country houses and in summer cottages. For an open porch of a small country house or an extension with a vestibule, a visor, which can be made of a wide variety of materials, is better suited.
What material is suitable for building a porch?
When constructing a porch, various materials can be used, usually linking them to the overall design of the house. Otherwise, such an extension will look aloof from the building, not fitting into its exterior. However, making it from the same material as the main structure is completely optional, the main thing is that they are combined with each other, in harmony.
The most popular building materials used in the construction of a porch include:
- tree;
- concrete;
- brick.
Any of these materials can be used both as the main one and in combination with others. Metal outbuildings are not very well suited to residential buildings, they freeze rather quickly and look somewhat sparse against the general background. And if we consider a stone as a material for a porch, then it has a rather high cost and is difficult to install.
Council. When combining various materials during the construction of a porch, it is necessary to observe the measure and carefully select them so that they are in harmony with each other. Otherwise, such a design will look tasteless.
Wooden or brick porch: which is better?
Wood is an affordable and practical material. It is an almost ideal option not only for simple country houses, but also for more solid wooden structures. You can build such a porch quickly and inexpensively with design for any color and taste.
Wooden extensions are easy and can be adjusted if necessary. At any time, if desired, they can be given a different shape or color. However, this material also has disadvantages. Structures made of it do not have durability; over time, they require repair and replacement of individual parts or the entire porch.
Attention! When building a wooden porch, the surface of the material must be protected from adverse external influences - from rotting and damage by insects or rodents. For a wooden structure to last longer, it is necessary to cover it with varnish or paint.
Concrete is also a practical and economical material. Extensions with its use are strong and durable. Combines well with other materials. And brick porches are much less common today than before, but still remain quite popular. They have good strength and attractive appearance. Of course, a brick extension would be out of place in a small country house. But for solid buildings, such a porch is perfect. They look especially good in a brick house. In addition, during their construction, surplus bricks, purchased with a reserve, often remain. Therefore, the remaining material can be used to decorate the entrance to the house.
A beautifully designed porch can add a special charm to even the most modest country house. And the correct selection of materials and competent planning of the extension will make it strong, durable, practical and easy to use.
Porch design: video
Porch for a private house: photo
Probably everyone knows that a porch in any house must necessarily have functionality, as well as harmoniously fit into the very exterior of the building, because it is it that is considered a visiting card. There are many different options for how best to implement the construction of a porch for a private house. All this directly depends on your taste, the chosen material and the overall budget. With all this, we can easily say that building a strong and durable porch with your own hands is quite realistic.
The front porch itself consists of a completely open area, often with a staircase in front of the entrance to the inside of the house. It can be absolutely any shape, optionally with a canopy or even without, as well as made of different materials.
In principle, the entire structure of the porch to the house can be divided into three types:
1. Affiliated;
2. Built-in;
3. Simple.
How are they different?
Simple is an ordinary platform with steps and a canopy. During the assembly of this type of porch with your own hands, the most difficult thing is to fill the foundation, since it is necessary even for a simple construction of a wooden porch.
The do-it-yourself built-in porch is initially designed in conjunction with the house, therefore it is being built thoroughly.
The attached type does not externally have any differences from the built-in version, the only thing is that it is slightly modified and slightly rebuilt. The plus is that such a porch with your own hands can be easily attached by a minor alteration.
Remember! For any porch, a foundation is required, it is he who prevents the slightest deformation of the steps during seasonal temperature changes.
Foundation construction for all types of porch
The most important thing is that the main foundation of the porch to the house should be similar to the foundation of the house. If this is not the case, then during the sedimentation of the soil, winter frosts, your structure is simply not simply deformed. It is also possible that during the settling of the soil, your structure will move towards the house and then the porch foundation will suffer first, since it is less massive. To remedy this situation, minor repairs will not be enough and you will have to rebuild everything.
Since the glazed porch is not intended for living, and there is not any huge furniture, there is an opportunity to use an ordinary concrete pillow, which will be the foundation itself.
However, when choosing concrete, any brick (white, red) or facing stone, the foundation must be reinforced. The fact is that this structure exerts a much greater load on the base itself than a wooden porch to a house.
To build the foundation for the porch with your own hands, you must start directly with the markup. First, define a rectangular area of \u200b\u200bthe desired size, the main thing is not to forget that the porch itself must fit in here. Then, piles should be driven into each corner of the rectangle and then, along the contour, begin to dig a pit. Its depth should be no less than the main foundation.
Advice! You don't need to lay the foundation very deeply. Of course, the load during the displacement of the foundation will become slightly less, but it is simply impossible to avoid them completely, with the slightest soil settlement or sudden changes in temperature.
If you decide to install a visor above the porch, then you will need to install supports, the very same rectangle for the pit should be increased by another 20-30 cm on all sides, and the piles can be driven in after the end of the porch construction.
To accomplish our plan, it will be necessary to leave small rectangles of un-dug area (approximately 20x20, possibly 30x30 cm) at the points where the support will be installed a little later. Then you need to drill wells at each site, it is good to install the support, drive it in as much as possible and be sure to thoroughly fill it with concrete.
In this case, formwork is very suitable, although if the soil is rocky, then in principle it is possible without it. To make it, you can use absolutely everything - chipboard, wood-laminated board and ordinary boards, which turned out to be superfluous after construction. The main thing is to remember that plywood (wood-laminated board) and chipboard are quite hygroscopic, therefore, during rains, rising groundwater, they will begin to creep quickly, which is why, after the concrete has hardened, it is recommended to remove the formwork.
Do not discard the remaining trims of boards, which are conifers, because the lumber of this tree has only positive features: after being completely saturated with water, they become much stronger and retain their elasticity.
Advice! If there is a strong deformation in the soil, for example, if your house is located on a slope or on a mountain, then the coniferous formwork works as a damper.
The most important and main element when building a porch foundation with your own hands is waterproofing. In order to equip it, you need to lay the bottom in the pit with roofing material, and then the entire surface inside the formwork. Reinforcement is carried out using high quality bricks, on which it is necessary to put a mesh and fix the lattice with pre-prepared pieces of reinforcement.
Similarly to this principle, the pit is filled with several layers, which include bricks along with the mesh, and then this structure is completely poured with concrete. To avoid the formation of a void, after each poured layer, tamp it carefully with a shovel.
Advice! In order to compact concrete well, it is better to purchase an electric vibration compactor, if you do not have one, then rent it.
Due to the fact that the concrete dries for about a week, you will need to immediately level the surface of the foundation and be sure to cover it with roofing material with an overlap of about 50-60 cm from each edge, you can also take a regular construction film. They will help protect the surface layer from any rain, since a large amount of water can make it quite brittle in the future, and then your foundation will simply be damaged.
If the need arises, you can cut the top off in the finished timber, then the piles will be at the same level. But try to calculate the height of the supports taking into account the front door, so the height difference should be about 5 cm. The lags are attached using self-tapping screws or dowels - it depends on the material of your wall.
Do-it-yourself porch to the house. Projects. A photo
Often traditional materials are used for construction:
- tree;
- white, red brick;
- facing stone;
- metal;
- high quality concrete.
Do-it-yourself wooden porch
How to make a wooden porch with your own hands? Today it is the most common building material. This is due to the fact that the tree is quite simple to manufacture and therefore it is quite easy and quick to build a porch from it with your own hands. To do this, it is enough just to have a circular saw available (you can use the most common one, but it must be with the smallest teeth - this will help a lot in cutting exactly), a special construction square and skillful hands.
Larch has long been considered the ideal material, followed by spruce and other conifers. Each of them is very durable and easy to handle. The most interesting thing is that at the end of the impregnation, the material that is made from them is practically in no way inferior to oak or some other species, which are several times harder.
It is important to remember! To work with solid elements, you need good skill, the right tools and, most importantly, specific knowledge in this area. For example, only an experienced carpenter can determine the quality of drying oak material.
First of all, you need to make a kosougor (kosour). Since it is very impractical to make a porch to a wooden house with your own hands less than 120 cm wide, then you will need at least three beams. Best of all, if the distance between them is about half a meter, it will be much easier for you.
This approach will help to provide your porch with the strength, and most importantly, the durability of the self-made structure, regardless of how often the stairs will be used and with what weight load.
You need to know this! The kosour is called the supporting beam, in which the teeth are sawn out, it is she who plays an important role inside the support. It is advisable to lay the steps only on the horizontal edges of these same teeth.
The bowstring (it is also called an inclined beam) must necessarily be several times thicker than the stringer itself. They are connected using cross beams. At the end, the required number of stringers is fixed between them.
You will definitely need a square to cut the edges and make even steps. The gap between the prongs, even if it is 5-6 mm, will quickly provide the steps with slight subsidence on one side and swelling on the other. Sudden changes in temperature will significantly increase the difference in the level of the steps.
It is customary to make the width of the steps to fit the size of an adult's foot, but it is better to take it with a margin, it is about 40 cm. The height between each step (riser) does not need to be more than 20 cm.
It should be remembered that the number of steps must necessarily be odd and for this one additional rib must be provided. With four steps or more, you will need to make a railing for the porch to the house.
With a glazed porch and a reliably covered staircase from moisture, you can do without the overhang of the steps. However, if the staircase is outside, then the overhang is simply necessary, since thanks to it, water will drip to the lower step, and not between them into the riser.
Advice! An already finished ladder should be installed according to a special principle so that the plane of the steps is slightly inclined (about 1-2 cm). This will help the water flow down instead of accumulating and forming ice.
The structure is installed directly on a previously prepared site, which is the foundation. To make your porch to the house as strong as possible, you should install the ladder exactly in the place in the foundation where the lower beam was previously laid along with the stringers. You can also use it to push through a small depression if the concrete is not completely frozen. Thus, you will get a fairly strong stop.
For the decking in the upper landing, you can take the material that was used for the stairs. In this case, there is only one requirement: it is recommended to use the widest and longest boards that are available, and make the joints as accurate as possible. When the boards are ground to each other as much as possible, you can not be afraid of deformation, even if the whole tree begins to dry out over time.
It will take about 3 to 7 days of work to equip a wooden porch with your own hands. It all depends on the size of your site, on the stairs and, of course, on the skills of working directly with a tree, but a beginner can handle it all. The most important thing is to divide the work into stages and do everything one by one, following the recommendations and instructions.
Metal porch
How to make a metal porch? The porch, which is made of metal, has a very big plus - it is mounted in about a few hours, if you know how to use electric welding in your work. In addition, the metal structure will cost several times less if you do not buy forged elements. However, there are also disadvantages - you have to assemble a standard porch with your own hands, and therefore it will not look very beautiful and original, unlike others. If you want to make a beautiful porch with your own hands, then you can buy forged products, but they will need to wait up to 4 weeks (it all depends on the volume of your order).
Do not be upset if the budget is limited, because even a primitive metal staircase can be made very impressive and beautiful, the main thing for this is desire and imagination. For the lightest option, channels, corners and necessarily filling material are used. They can be: porcelain stoneware, wood or chipboard.
For an ordinary metal porch, you will definitely need two channels of the same length. They are attached parallel to each other at a distance equal to the size of the steps. After that, the corners are marked and cut to the same length as the steps, but at the same time adding a few centimeters around the edges to apply a weld.
In the same way, small pieces are cut off from the corners and these two segments are welded with the letter “G” (the frame edge must be cut). The number of such details should be equal to the number of steps on your porch. Then they are closely welded to the channel, and in the end you get a high-quality metal skew. Similarly to this principle, another skew-angle is made using a second channel.
After all these actions, the resulting elements must be connected in pairs on the side where the corners are cut for the width of the future staircase. In this case, the contour of the steps is created, and the corner under the riser should turn over its head (thus creating a side).
Your ladder is almost complete. Now it all depends on your taste. A wooden step, attached in any way to the resulting frame, will look most beautiful. Even if you do not have a lot of experience in working with welding, assembling such a porch with your own hands, in general, will take 2-3 hours.
Concrete porch
How to make a concrete porch? This option is considered a continuation of the laid foundation, but only with the reinforcement of all the steps. This is done so that after a couple of months no chips form due to constant heavy loads. Due to the fact that it is customary to cover a porch made of concrete with special facing tiles, gradually collapsing concrete immediately forms chips, and then cracks in the facing itself.
On a prefabricated foundation, you can assemble the formwork, which will be the bottom step. In this case, it should be borne in mind that the height of the step, due to the weight load, must necessarily be 2 cm more than that of the others. Further, a similar procedure is carried out as when building a reinforced foundation for a porch. The only difference is that in this case there is no need to spare the armature.
Advice! It is recommended to close the gap formed between the two foundations with mineral wool. This will create a good expansion joint.
The formwork for the steps can be prepared in advance - this will help save time. However, it is much safer and easier to pour concrete on each step in turn, and even better if, before pouring a new step, the solution of the previous one will have time to set.
At the end, it is necessary to level the already completely frozen structure, and then cover it with any tile intended for a metal porch or with a stone.
The time spent on work directly depends on the use of the full formwork, as well as on the formation of each step in turn or all at once. On average, you will need a week to work if you do everything at once, or a week on each step to completely cure the concrete.
Brick or stone porch
How to make a brick or stone porch? This is probably the most difficult porch option. This is because it is much easier to work with a brick foundation, where you do not need precision, than to lay out the stone as evenly as possible.
The brick should be laid only if there are several assistants who will thoroughly stir the concrete all this time. With a stone, everything is much more complicated, because chipped edges cannot be perfectly matched to each other. In general, if there is at least some experience in this activity and at least two people for help, then this type of porch should be abandoned right away, otherwise you will simply waste your time and all the material.
It will be much easier to make a concrete staircase, and then match it with material for the steps that will be of a similar size. After that, they should be put in one layer on a "frame" of concrete, which is pre-leveled. This method has a huge advantage, since, by making a mistake, you can easily knock off the facing of the desired area and re-finish the finish.
Building a visor
The visor is, first of all, the protection of the site and steps from various natural precipitations, as well as the ability to independently arrange the porch with your own hands in the house or in the country, beautifully and in a short time. Often it is made from durable metal pipes, coniferous trees or, in extreme cases, metal are used for the frame itself, but any tree or plexiglass is taken for sheathing.
Visors made of wood will need to be tinted at least 2 times annually or treated with special agents instead, otherwise it will gradually dry out and then split longitudinally. When using plexiglass, it is better to make spans between them about 0.7 m2. It is strongly not recommended to use glass, as it can easily crack in winter during snow or due to deformation of frames.
The total area of \u200b\u200bthe visor must necessarily be more than the porch itself by half a meter, otherwise it will not be able to perform its main function - protection.
The easiest and quickest option is to make something that looks like a metal ladder. Then the distance between each step can be made about 0.5 m. In this case, you will no longer need L-shaped elements and a channel, because the load on the visor itself will be several times less and only the corners in the outer frame will be enough. But filling with wood or porcelain stoneware can be easily replaced with any other material.
When pouring the foundation, during the formation of the base, piles are necessarily installed, it is on them that the visor should be laid. In addition, this will help in the future to completely glaze the veranda in just a couple of days, if you wish.
For covering, it is better to take a metal sheet along with a tile, but it will be much more spectacular and more beautiful if you use plexiglass and polycarbonate.
Advice! To avoid the appearance of rust on the worn metal sheet, you can easily paint it with paint in several layers.
Be sure to make the visor sloped, and in the place where the lower rib will be, carefully weld a metal gutter with a slight slope. Attach an ordinary chain at the very end, which will reach the ground so that water will not splash during rain. Due to the fact that water has excellent viscosity and easy fluidity, it will begin to slowly flow down this chain. If you want to somehow get rid of the appearance of puddles near the porch, drain it.
How to glaze a porch yourself
The most common option is a closed porch. In this case, a concrete and stone foundation, together with a canopy and a staircase, is very popular, while always attached to the piles.
With the help of corners, which must match the height of the piles in the visor, a frame is formed. They are welded well to the piles, and then double frames of wood with glass are inserted.
Advice! The glass sheet can be absolutely any height, but the width should not be more than 120 cm, because the windage of this glass is high and even a light wind can severely damage it.
If the void between the piles is more than one meter, then break them with pseudo piles. To do this, a corner is welded at the top and bottom to the end of the piles with a step inward, and then between them - a double corner, which will form a pseudo pile. Similarly, you need to divide the height, which forms a horizontal beam from several double corners. This will significantly reduce the load on the glass, and the structure itself will look light and beautiful.
The most common mistakes that are made during the construction of a porch
1. Build a porch with your own hands using low-quality concrete (below grade 200). This concrete itself is quite loose, which is why it will be difficult to perform the facing, since other mixtures have much higher strength after complete drying. In this case, temperature changes can seriously damage the lining. The very foundation, which will subsequently remain open, will begin to collapse in the summer, and brick steps will collapse even faster.
2. Lack of good waterproofing. If waterproofing is not done in a timely manner in the porch to the house, this will lead to a huge accumulation of moisture below, as a result of which, during frosts, the structure will gradually collapse. The steps will suffer the most, since they are the ones that get wet in the first place.
3. Leveling of steps and plastering was done only a few days after the end of concreting. If there is a long break in time, then all layers will cease to hold without additional smears in the structure itself, or at best they will be, but very weakly. Do not forget that the place where the plaster adheres together with the screeds is considered the most vulnerable.
4. The foundation was erected without reinforcement at the base. If you do not have fittings, then the porch to the house will simply not be divided into two separate parts at the slightest subsidence. This will be impossible to repair.
5. The porch was attached with our own hands to the foundation of the house itself without special expansion joints. You can securely attach the porch only if the house with the porch has a joint foundation. If this is not done, then a sedimentary crack will appear right at the border of the two foundations. To avoid this, the seam of the facing brick or tile must be stirred at one border, and the gaps must be filled with silicone sealant and in no case with grout.
So, you do not need any specific skills to build a porch with your own hands. Each operation is considered basic in construction and therefore everything is within the power of even a beginner with skillful hands.
Do-it-yourself porch to the house. Video