| Porches and decks add beauty and value to a house, and also make it easy to enjoy being outdoors. But these spaces have to be properly designed and built to stand up to the weather. Experienced builders rely on a combination of weather-resistant details and innovative new materials to guarantee long life for the porches and decks they build.
Written by the pros who actually do the work, these articles will help you to:
- Install flashing that will prevent water damage.
- Build both open and screened porches.
- Choose between solid wood and synthetic decking.
- Install exterior trim that resists weather damage.
- Design and build curved decks and porches.
- Extend the life of a deck with proper maintenance.
- Design and build railings for decks and porches.
From the Introduction
My memories began in a grand Italianate house that had a front porch, a back porch, and a screen porch. But in 1961 we moved into a new ranch-style house with a front stoop and a rear patio about the size of a blanket. The whole neighborhood was like that. Eventually people took to setting up their aluminum lawn furniture just inside the garage and relaxing under the canopy of its overhead door. It was a pathetic substitute for a porch, but it was better than nothing. You were sheltered from the sun and rain, and the garages all faced the street, so you could see what was going on and wave to people walking by.
So I learned early in life that it is better to have a porch (or three porches) than not to have one. But it wasn't until later, after I became a carpenter, that I learned how vulnerable porches are. I was always being asked to replace a rotten floorboard, tighten up a railing, or repair a torn screen. Exposed to sun, rain, and children, porches and decks take a beating. The right materials are critical, as are construction details that will shed water.
In this book, which is a collection of articles from Fine Homebuilding magazine, you'll find advice on materials and details, along with design ideas for all sorts of porches and decks. Written by builders and architects, who are discussing their own projects, these articles are the voice of experience.
-Kevin Ireton
Editor-in-Chief, Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Table of Contents
Introduction—Part 1: OPEN PORCHES: Two Lessons from a Porch Addition, Porches That Won't Rot, Building a Grand Veranda; Part 2: SCREENED PORCHES: A Screened-Porch Addition, A Builder's Screen Porch, A Screen Porch Dresses Up a Ranch, Adding a Seasonal Porch; Part 3: DECKS, CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS: Deck Design, Choosing Materials for Exterior Decks, Controlling Moisture in Deck Lumber, Details for a Lasting Deck, Getting a Deck Off to a Good Start, The Care and Feeding of Wooden Decks, Building a Curved Deck with Synthetic Decking, Railing against the Elements; Part 4: DECKS, DETAILS AND DESIGN: Exterior-Trim Details That Last, Learning Curves for Decks, A Comfortable Outdoor Bench, Innovative Deck Railings, A Furniture-Grade Deck, Fantail Deck Stairs; Credits; Index. |
