Deck Porch and Enclosures
 Porches allow you the flexibility to enjoy the outdoors rain or shine. Porch roofs usually fall into 3 categories: gable, hip, or shed style. You can add screens or windows to keep insects away. Screen frame can be installed in between the porch supports to provide a clean appearance and easy replacement if the screen becomes damaged. Most porches include a fan/light combination and electrical outlets. Porches must be built to support both roof and floor loads. This means that your footings will have to be larger than for a typical deck. Never add a porch roof to an existing deck without verifying that the existing structure is capable of supporting the additional roof and snow loads. The roof is supported by headers that are usually cut into the house wall. Some roofs are hand framed while others use engineered trusses. Scissor trusses allow you to take advantage of a pitched interior ceiling. Some builders install tongue and groove cedar along the house wall and ceiling. You can have a truss package designed for your porch at your local lumber yard. Be sure to properly flash all house and roof connections to prevent water damage. Roofing a porch involves installing a layer of roofing felt over the plywood sub-roof. You can then apply 3-tab asphalt shingles with roofing nails. Working on top of a roof can be dangerous. Always take precautions such as fall protection. Roofing is dirty and hard labor. Try to match the color and style of the house shingles if possible. To finish the porch install soffits and fascia. |
