A porch that is correctly chosen in style and constructed gives the house a completed look. You can build a porch for a wooden house with your own hands only when it is taken into account external design and correspondence in appearance with the exterior of the house itself.

Naturally, no matter how beautiful the porch is, it is important that it is functional and easy to use. Therefore, we will consider the options available to each private developer for a porch for a wooden house, what the design should be in a particular case, and also what the main stages of its construction consist of.

Before starting construction, it is logical to first consider the most suitable porch samples for a wooden house. And only after careful consideration and weighing of all their pros and cons, can you proceed directly to the construction of the chosen structure.

Note! If the house is built from timber, solid logs or has a wooden frame structure, then it is better to choose wood as the main material. This will preserve the general style of the entire architectural composition, and will not cause difficulties if it is necessary to connect the extension to the main structure.

Porch modification table:

View	Properties
Open	This is a simple platform with steps. It is a small extension necessary for a comfortable transition from the surface of the earth to the house and back. May have railings and fences. Simplicity of design. Low price. Minimum effort in creation. Low consumption of materials. Dampness and rain and snow will always accumulate on the surface of the porch.
With canopy	A covered wooden porch for a house implies in its design the presence of a canopy or a full roof. Unlike the option described above, it is more difficult to manufacture and requires more effort, time and financial expenses. However, along with this, it has the following advantages: Protects the entrance to the house from precipitation. With sufficient area it can be used as a full-fledged terrace.
Fully enclosed	The porch of a wooden house is closed and has in its structure not only the necessary steps and platform, but also a roof, walls, windows and doors. In fact, this is no longer a porch, but a real veranda. If you insulate it, you will get a full-fledged winter room. The disadvantage of such a structure is the maximum monetary cost of all the above options. In addition, such a porch can no longer be used as a small terrace.

External parameters

From the table above it can be seen that a porch for a wooden private house can be made in three main modifications.

However, in addition to this, each of the presented options is characterized by a set of external parameters, such as:

• Height. As a rule, the height of the porch at the house coincides with a similar parameter of the living space. At the same time, it is possible that a balcony for the second floor could become an extension of the porch. In this case, the porch and balcony are built in a single structure.
• Dimensions. The area of ​​the door area must be such that the doors open without interference. Based on this, the minimum width of the platform is 2-1.5 times the value of the door itself.
• Stair type. Length flight of stairs selected individually - depending on the conditions and the distance to the surface of the earth from the front door. Its width, optimally, should be at least 120 cm.

For maximum comfort, treads or steps should be at least 180-200 mm wide, and their height should be no more than 120-150 mm. The height of the railing is about 80-90 cm.

• Form. A wooden porch for a private house can have any shape. However, you need to take into account and not forget about its stylistic combination with the design of the house. The porch extension can be in the shape of a semicircle, rectangle and adjacent to the house directly or from the side - the main thing is that the architectural harmony is not disturbed.

Construction technology

Perhaps everyone who has at least a little construction experience can make a porch for a house out of wood. However, its quality and functionality will directly depend on how competent the approach was to its planning, preparation, selection of materials and implementation of all stages of construction. Therefore, we will consider the main stages of creating a porch made of wood.

Stage 1 – design

The ease of completing all stages of construction will depend on how carefully and taking into account all the features the porch to the house is designed. Certainly, homemade project the porch does not have to be a professional document presented to the district architect for signature. However, it should be easy to understand for the developer himself.

It is best to draw a sketch of the porch showing all its main/supporting elements, their sizes, indicating the type of materials used and, if necessary, the features of working with them.

In the project - a porch for a wooden house - it is necessary to reflect:

• Dimensions of the porch area and its position in relation to the front door.
• Type of steps and their characteristics (number, height, width).
• Design and main parameters of the porch canopy.
• Dimensions and structure of the enclosing elements of the porch - railings, handrails.
• Type of connection to the house.
• Types of materials used, their quantities and the required set of tools.

Stage 2 – marking, preparing and pouring the foundation

• Marking

Once the plan has been drawn up, you can begin marking future design. Marking is a clear definition on the ground of the contours of the future structure. This can be done, for example, by driving pegs into the ground at the corners of the perimeter at the site of the planned structure next to the front door.

In this case, it is imperative to follow the “skew” markings. Its parameters must strictly correspond to the given geometric figure.

If it is a rectangle, its corners should not deviate from 90 degrees. more than 1 degree. Determination of parameters is carried out either manually or using special construction measuring devices.

• Formwork

To create a foundation for the porch, you need to prepare the formwork. As a rule, a porch made of wood is not heavy. Therefore, it is possible to use a shallow columnar foundation in the corners and perimeter of the structure.

The distance between the pillars should be no more than 1.5 meters. Dimensions concrete pillars– width and length – 20-30 cm, height – 40-50 cm, depth – 20-30 cm.

The formwork for such a foundation is a small hole, about 30 cm deep (up to the clay layer). If the soil is loose/free-flowing, you can make a thin backfill of small crushed stone, up to 20 cm thick.

The upper part of the formwork consists of a box knocked together in the form of a square or rectangle without a bottom, corresponding to the size of the pit and installed on top of it. If the porch is made of timber/logs, that is, it has heavy weight, it is better to make the foundation strip, but also shallow, having previously prepared the appropriate formwork for it.

However, the depth of the foundation, as well as its type, completely depends on the terrain conditions, soil type and level groundwater. We are considering the best option - on hard ground, a straight section and groundwater that does not come close to the surface.

• Foundation

When the formwork is ready, you can start filling it with pre-prepared concrete mortar. Due to the fact that the volume of the foundation is small, concrete can be prepared independently, although if you have free resources, you can also use custom-made concrete.

The grade of concrete you need to select is strong, but not very high grade. For example, for a frame porch made of pine boards with a light canopy, concrete grade M100 - M150 will be sufficient for the foundation.

It is not necessary to reinforce a columnar foundation. On the other hand, if the foundation is made in the form of a monolithic strip under a heavy porch made of timber or round timber, it is better to make a full-fledged reinforcing frame for it.

Note! Alternatively, a shallow columnar porch foundation can be made from standard building bricks or small concrete blocks, stacked into appropriately sized columns using mortar.

The foundation will be ready for loading after pouring after 3 weeks. At the end of this period, the formwork can be dismantled and beams installed on the concrete columns.

• Foundation for stairs

The foundation is needed not only for the porch area, but also for the stairs. It can also be made in the form of small columns with a depth of 20-30 cm into the ground.

The columns formed to support the bottom of the stairs should not be too high - ideally they should be equal to the height of one step, that is, no more than 15-20 cm.

Stage 3 - construction of the porch

To make a porch with your own hands for a wooden house, you will need to purchase a sufficient amount of lumber and, of course, choose the right tool for processing it.

The construction of a porch includes the following operations:

• First you need to install custom-sized beams - the base for the porch platform. A beam with a height of 150-180 mm and a width of 100 mm is best suited for this purpose. After installation, the pieces of timber need to be connected to each other.

To do this, you can use the method of connecting crowns, used in the construction of houses made of timber - “tenon and groove”, or connect them using metal corners. Or, as the simplest option, just nail the corners with large nails.

• When the base for the platform is ready, you can immediately make the floor to make it more convenient to work in the future. For this purpose they use edged boards thickness of at least 40 mm.

Note! If the porch area is wide, the floor boards may sag. Therefore, if the distance between the edges of the support of the boards exceeds 100-120 cm, you can install a beam in the middle from the same timber that is used in the base, or from across the installed board with a thickness of 40-50 mm.

• Bowstrings are attached to the base of the porch platform at the required angle - the sides of the stairs, onto which the steps are subsequently mounted. The lower edge of the bowstring is installed on a pre-prepared low-height foundation, which can also serve as the basis for the first step from below.

Bowstrings may have different designs– it all depends on the capabilities and desires of the developer himself. For example, the string can be a 150 by 100 mm beam with grooves sawn at an angle for attaching steps. Bowstrings are usually nailed to the base of the porch deck using large nails.

Note! The height of the porch platform with the floor must be made exactly under the threshold of the front door and coincide with the floor level in the house. This must be taken into account at the stage of pouring the foundation.

• Once the strings are nailed, you can also nail the steps. By the way, for the installation of steps the same rule applies as for the platform - if the span is too large, that is, more than 120 cm, you can install another string in the middle.

Stage 4 - installation of canopy and railings

So, when moving to this stage, the porch to the house made of wood with your own hands is almost ready. All that remains is to make the roof and barriers on the site, that is, railings.

This stage is performed in several stages:

• First you need to decide on the shape of the porch canopy and the roofing material. Next is the frame. For corner supports, you can take a square beam with a side of 10 cm, although you can also use boards with a thickness of at least 40 mm.
• Supports must be installed strictly according to vertical level, and secure it at the bottom metal corners, or simply nailing them diagonally to the base of the porch area, but also temporarily securing them to the crossbars, nailing them to the wall of the house.
• When all the supports are installed, it is necessary to fasten them along the upper edge with a frame. Again, light, dry pine boards are suitable for this purpose. In this case, the thickness can be less - from 25 cm. This will be the basis for the canopy.
• Next, depending on the design, rafters are attached to the base, always connecting them with the other end to the house. A sheathing is made on the rafters, on which the roof is in turn laid.

Note! To prevent precipitation from accumulating on the roof of the porch, its angle should be at least 20 degrees.

So, the roof/canopy for the porch for a wooden house is ready. Next you can make the railing. Their horizontal elements are simply attached in any convenient but reliable way to the supports for the canopy, and the vertical ones are fixed between them and the base for the porch area.

The wooden porch for a private house is ready. All that remains is to prime it and paint it. The artistic design must necessarily match the style of the interior of the house itself, so as not to create an architectural imbalance in the structure.

The porch of a private house or country house is a kind of “face” of the structure. The design of the porch, which attracts attention and serves as a reliable support, allows you not only to get inside the house, but also to spend your time free time, sitting comfortably in the air.

Features and building codes

Essentially, the porch is a kind of extension with steps to the building, with the help of which you can enter or exit the room. It is quite important to give a finished, neat look to a private or country house, and also protects the building from snow and rain. Most often, the design parameters are thought out at the design stage, but one of its features is the possibility of an extension after the building itself has been erected.

Traditionally, the material that is used to build the home itself is also used to construct the porch or veranda. Therefore, a wooden house should have a porch made of wood, and a brick house should have a porch made of brick. However, most often even a brick house is built on wooden veranda with steps, since this material is cheaper and easier to work with.

Before starting construction, it is necessary not only to choose the design you like and make all the calculations, but also to familiarize yourself with the basic building codes.

• The area for the porch must be made large enough, since it is recommended to choose the width of the structure so that two people can easily separate on it (at least 1.5 m).
• The door should open outward without obstruction, allowing people standing on the porch to avoid colliding with it. The platform itself can be attached to the facade wall or rest on separate pillars, the main thing is that it is 3-5 cm below the edge of the front door. This is quite important, since in the winter season the porch will rise and can block the entrance to the room.

• The width of the stairs, according to the standards, must be at least 1 m, and the height of the steps should not be less than 16 and more than 20 cm for comfortable descent and ascent. The most comfortable depth would be a step of 25-30 cm. The overall steepness (slope) of the flight of stairs depends on the size of the steps: the smaller it is, the more comfortable it is to climb. To prevent water from accumulating on the platform or steps during precipitation and damaging them, it is necessary either to leave small gaps between adjacent boards or bricks, or to install the platform and steps at a slight slope.
• It is best to install a separate foundation for the porch; there is no need to attach it to the already finished foundation under the house itself. It is recommended to build two types of foundations for the porch: poured or columnar. If possible, you can build a frame system from reinforcing bars, which will increase the reliability and durability of the structure.

Types of structures

Depending on the type of structure, the porch can be:

• open;
• closed;
• on two sides;
• in the form of a vestibule, terrace and even a gazebo.

Closed design has great protection from wind and precipitation. In summer you can hide under it from scorching sun, and in winter even the heaviest snowfall will not sweep the front door or block it. However, this design is not easy to install and is quite expensive. The porch area is completely covered with a canopy, there may be a canopy over the stairs, the sides are covered with fences to the height of the railing or completely. This design is perfect for any home correct selection design and materials.

An open small porch is much cheaper and easier to build. It only has railings and a small canopy, which sometimes does not even cover the entire area. In the simplest case, the canopy and railings at the porch may also be absent, but if the extension is high enough, the absence of a fence poses a certain danger. Most often, such simple attached structures are built around country houses, which in winter period they are simply not used. The small foundation of such a porch is attached to external wall, and the extension itself consists of only a couple of steps and a small platform near the door and is not able to protect it from rain and snow.

The design of the vestibule is a small closed buffer zone, which reduces the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors. The vestibule also reduces heat loss in winter and increases the coolness inside the house in summer time of the year.

A porch with a staircase descending on two sides is erected when the construction of an ordinary staircase is impossible due to the presence of outbuildings. The layout of such an entrance allows you to go down in the direction you need, and go up from any side without going around the porch. Before building it, it is better to consider other options, since the design is quite complex and expensive.

The terrace is often mistakenly called a "veranda". Their main difference is that the veranda is located under the same roof as the main building and stands on the same foundation, while the terrace is built close to the house. Most often, the porch-terrace is open design with or without a large canopy. On the terrace you can place outdoor furniture or beautiful vases with flowers.

The porch-gazebo looks like open veranda and is usually built from wood. Instead of a roof, you can put a mesh frame over such a gazebo, which in the summer will be covered with wild grapes or rose hips.

Sizes and shapes

The first thing you should pay attention to when designing a porch structure is its size.

• They depend on the dimensions of the suburban building itself: for a small country house It is inappropriate to build a large closed terrace for two rooms, and a small extension staircase will look strange near a chic country mansion.
• Dimensions must not contradict building regulations. If the house is built on uneven terrain, it is more convenient to build a porch with a high base, stairs and railings. To support a heavy canopy over large porch You can build beautiful columns around the perimeter.

The shape of the porch may depend on the configuration of the street staircase and be:

• rectangular;
• angular;
• in the shape of a trapezoid;
• radial: semicircular, oval, round;
• asymmetrical.

There are no strict regulations in choosing the shape of the porch; it is selected in accordance with the design of the site and the house itself. Rectangular and square designs add a certain severity and weight. Round ones, on the contrary, soften general form structures. The design does not have to be a perfect circle; it is enough to just outline a small circle and remove sharp corners.

An original solution would be a corner porch, which can be of absolutely any shape. You can build a trapezoidal platform, a triangular and even a completely asymmetrical complex structure. The main thing is that the porch harmoniously complements the whole design idea, and did not introduce dissonance.

Material selection

For the construction of a large monolithic design natural and fake diamond. Granite is durable and wear-resistant, but its price on the market building materials is quite high and is used in the construction of luxury real estate. For more economical options, sandstone is used, which is easy to process yourself and will fit perfectly into any design.

The finished stone porch can be faced using clinker tiles or porcelain stoneware.

Available for sale special sets, which includes three types of tiles:

• for facing steps;
• standard product in various sizes;
• corner for steps.

With all the elegance and beauty of stone structures, wood remains the most popular material for the construction of stairs and platforms. It is best to choose hardwood, such as oak or alder. A more economical option is linden and larch boards. Before installation, the wood must be treated with a special solution containing an antiseptic, which protects the wood fibers from rotting processes. To prevent wooden steps from being slippery, small grooves can be cut along the edges.

You can also build a structure from brick or a metal profile, or install a forged ladder.

Foundation

The optimal foundation option for wooden platform the porches are stilts. This design is economical and can be easily erected on the site with your own hands in a short period of time. In addition, the columnar foundation allows you to make the porch high enough and install it on an uneven surface.

It is advisable to do strip and slab foundations if you plan to build a large veranda or patio. Slab foundation tied to the foundation of the house, which allows you to install the porch even on moving ground.

Manufacturing stages

Since the most popular option is the construction of a porch made of wood, it would be advisable to consider all stages of manufacturing using its example.

• Design. Before you start building anything with your own hands, you need to think through and calculate everything. The design of the porch, the width and length of the platform and stairs are selected. The number of steps is calculated so that a person steps onto the landing with the same foot with which he began climbing the stairs. It is advisable to provide fencing, a canopy and railings. It is not recommended to attach the structure to the building itself with a monolithic connection, as cracks may occur due to different shrinkage into the ground. Based on the selected parameters, general drawing structures, as well as small diagrams of individual fasteners and elements that you can take with you when purchasing materials or quickly view when performing construction work.

• Preparation of materials, construction of the foundation. It is necessary to purchase timber for installation support pillars section 100x200 mm, boards made of selected material 30 mm thick, slats 50 mm thick for railings and fences. Additionally, antiseptics for wood processing and cement are purchased to secure the support pillars.

Tools you may need include various fasteners (screws, nails), a shovel, a saw. For measurements, it is most convenient to use a construction tape and a level, and fasten the parts with a screwdriver or hammer.

Unlike a strip or slab foundation, a pile foundation does not require large financial and time investments. The beams must be pre-treated with an antiseptic and allowed to dry completely. Then mark the installation locations of the support and dig holes 70-80 cm deep in the places. It is necessary to lay sand and gravel at the bottom of such pits to increase the stability of the foundation pillars.

The piles are lowered into the hole and leveled; only after this can they be filled with concrete. After complete drying, the supports that are adjacent to the wall of the house can be screwed to it using self-tapping screws. This will add strength to the resulting structure.

• Making stringers, fastening steps. The stringer (or bowstring) of a staircase is a side element that holds the steps. All stairs have such an element in their design and differ only in the way the steps are attached: with mortise, sliding and attached corners. To mark the recesses on the stringer, you need to make a small template, one side of which corresponds to the size of the horizontal part of the step (tread), and the second to the vertical part (riser). The string is cut using a saw along the marked lines, and a concrete support platform is formed at the point where it connects to the ground.

• Assembly of the structure. After the concrete has completely dried on the supporting platform, you can proceed directly to the installation of the entire structure. Finished stringers are attached to the supports with the upper edge and to the logs support platform the bottom either by sawing or using the tongue-and-groove method. Then the wooden floor of the site is installed, the boards are tightly fitted and connected using nails or self-tapping screws. It is important to leave a few gaps so that water does not accumulate on the porch during rain.
• Laying steps, installing railings and canopy. Laying begins from the bottom, the steps are attached using the tongue-and-groove method and additionally secured with small self-tapping screws. The riser is attached first, and the tread is already fixed onto it. IN last resort railings and canopy are installed, if planned.

What to paint with?

The finished wooden porch can be processed different ways to maintain or improve it appearance. Using wax, you can protect wood fibers from moisture and dirt, which negatively affects its strength. A carved wooden porch can be varnished, which will not only protect the material, but also make numerous edges and cuts sparkle in the sun, revealing the master’s idea. However, the easiest way to finish wooden structures located on the street is painting.

The porch and staircase at the entrance to the cottage are integral elements of any country house. Moreover, the correct arrangement entrance area significantly influences the overall perception of the “picture” of the structure. With all the beauty of the facade and roofing, the “wrong” entrance to the house will destroy all harmony and will look like an alien element. During construction entrance group special requirements are placed on its design and choice of materials. After all, the porch and external staircase are exposed to increased exposure to adverse weather conditions.

No homeowner wants to deal with the annual repair of a porch that has moved away from the house, or climb an uncomfortable staircase with tiles flying off the steps. Therefore, in this article we, based on practical experience FORUMHOUSE users, we will answer the following questions:

• How to avoid mistakes when building a foundation for a porch.
• How to repair a crumbling porch and is it worth it?
• How to calculate optimal width porch.
• How to make a comfortable entrance staircase.
• How to do beautiful porch from burnt timber.

Foundation: mistakes and solutions

The most main mistake Any novice developer when constructing a porch should treat the choice of foundation type as something simple and frivolous, guided by the principle “it will do.” As a result, the entrance area turns into a real one headache. As soon as prolonged downpours pass, or spring arrives, the following picture can be observed in the villages - homeowners begin repairs.

Depending on the severity and neglect of the “disease”, treatment consists of either cosmetic procedures - covering up cracks, gluing “shot” tiles, or more serious “operations”. A porch that has “moved away” from the house or is sagging is jacked up, the problematic foundation is dismantled and they are racking their brains over how to make sure this does not happen again in the future.

An improperly made porch can drag you down facade finishing, roof (if supports rest on it rafter system), will lead to deformation of the roofing, etc. Conclusion: do everything right at once, even at the stage of building a house, and not hope for chance.

Potainoi FORUMHOUSE Member

I conceived the idea of ​​building a small cottage from aerated concrete. The foundation has already been poured - a regular strip 1.2 m high, without a porch, because... At first, the foundation was built for another project. Now I’m thinking about how to “tie” the open porch to the house and avoid mistakes. The problem is that part of the roof will rest on the porch through the pillars - the so-called. "cuckoo".

Let us add that the soil on the user’s site is as follows:

• chernozem - 0.7 m;
• then loam - 0.3 m;
• further clay - 1-1.3 m.

Moreover, the clay is of such density that, according to Potainoi, You can only chop it with an axe. The groundwater level is low. Over the past few winters, the soil has frozen to no more than 0.6 m, although the actual freezing depth in the area of ​​residence is greater. Important: when calculating the depth of the foundation, one must rely on tabular data of the climatic zone (the depth of soil freezing in a harsh winter with little snow, which can happen once every 15-20 years). Based on these figures, the user suggested discussing the following solutions for foundation construction on the portal:

• Dig a trench and fill strip foundation under the entrance group to the freezing depth.
• Pour concrete piles with a “heel” below the freezing depth and support the “cuckoo” on these pillars.
• Screw in the screw piles.
• Support the “cuckoo” on diagonal beams, resting them against the wall or base, and “untie” the porch from the roof and the house.

The following advice followed.

Roger40 FORUMHOUSE Member

I would pour the foundation under the porch to the same depth as the main one, and tie them together with a series of expansion joints, which will provide them with some movement. I encountered a similar problem several years ago - the columnar foundation (poured below the freezing depth) along with the porch “moved away” from the house, and common roof torn.

A separate foundation poured below the freezing depth is not a panacea for porch construction. After all. it is subject to tangential forces of frost heaving, which cannot be balanced by the load/weight from the overlying lightweight structure.

The foundation for a porch (as well as for a house) should be calculated based on the type of soil, its bearing capacity, susceptibility to heaving and groundwater levels. Therefore, ideally this the foundation is erected as a single/common structure with the main foundation for the house. Or if it construction was left “for later”, the foundation under the porch must be “untied” with a foundation for a cottage.

In the case described above, the matter was complicated by the fact that the porch takes on the load from the rafter system. With some movement of the untied foundations, the roof may tear.

Vit1959 Moderator FORUMHOUSE

Two different foundations will live their own “life”. How different it is is difficult to say. What will happen to them and to the roof of the house cannot be guaranteed. I think it would be better for Potainoi to make a "cuckoo" external cantilever beams (the next beam is longer than the previous one), so that the roof is on its own, and the foundation of the porch is on its own.

Potainoi

I will think about how to make outrigger beams. You just need to calculate all the fastening points and figure out the design.

The foundation for the porch should be considered as a whole, as a single system working in conjunction with the house.

Repair or break

Sometimes a problematic porch can be inherited. And then the homeowner, in addition to the purchased house, receives a “time bomb”, which entails a number of problems. This is exactly the situation faced by a portal user with the nickname dvauha2, when I bought a ready-made cottage.

dvauha2 FORUMHOUSE Member

I bought a house. The cottage has an open stone porch without a canopy. It is not connected to the foundation of the house. The problem is that it is gradually being destroyed. Water flows into the foamed seam between the porch and the house and runs under the foundation. The top step is falling apart. Now I am limited in finances, and I would not like to deal with radical alterations. I’m thinking of making a canopy to prevent water from getting onto the problem unit and sealing the gap. Or does the stingy person pay twice, and everything has to be demolished and the porch rebuilt?

Users of the portal actively participated in the discussion of the situation and suggested different solutions. Portal member with nickname Detonator, According to him, he encountered a similar problem. The porch of his house had no canopy. Over time, the wooden railings rotted. Then the tiles on the steps flew off. They did not redo the foundation. They erected a canopy and repaired the steps.

Two years later, the two lower steps of the porch “left”. Then they decided to apply a radical “treatment” of the foundation - they laid a steel screed on both sides below (a channel or corner, screwing it to the concrete, the alteration took place without the participation of Detonator) and covered everything with tiles.

Detonator FORUMHOUSE Member

The winter passed without problems, let's see what happens next.

It’s cheaper to just make a normal porch right away than to deal with expensive alterations.

Returning to the situation dvauh2. On the advice of users, he slightly disassembled the porch from above from one corner to understand its design. It turned out the following: under the screed - the upper part of the slab, it is filled uncompacted sand, which gradually pours into the gap between the porch and the house.

The lower part of the step is covered with asphalt chips and now represents monolithic base for the second stage.

There is no insulated blind area. As a result, the porch “walks” and the gap widens.

dvauha2

I’m racking my brains about how to properly connect the house and the porch, and how best to seal this gap.

Dgusepe Moderator FORUMHOUSE

I think the gap should not be foamed, because... any filling can act like a wedge, and when the soil heaves, the porch will “float away” again. The gap can simply be covered with a decorative cover.

As a result dvauha2 I decided not to constantly repair the problematic porch, but to demolish it and build a new one of high quality. Moreover, it turned out that the brick at the steps was cracked, and the sand that was poured inside the entire structure was not compacted at all. Under the vestibule slab, the sand was also not compacted, and after the structure was broken, it began to spill out, and the slab ended up hanging in the air.

dvauha2

So far I have made a temporary staircase to the house from a board with a section of 5x15 cm. I decided that I would make a normal porch with a small vestibule.

How to calculate the entrance staircase, the optimal width of the porch and avoid “shooting” decorative tiles

When erecting an open porch, you should remember that even if there is a canopy, it is still susceptible to negative influence snow, rain and wind. This speeds up its wear. Therefore, when choosing materials for construction, you need to give preference to those that have long term services. But sometimes, having chosen high-quality ceramic tiles or stone for cladding the steps and landing, the developer is faced with an unpleasant phenomenon - the so-called. "shooting". The tiles are constantly falling off or cracking.

Most often this is blamed on bad glue, weather, finishers, etc., forgetting about one possible reason. The following happens - a porch and stairs are erected (we are talking about a stone porch and concrete stairs). The tiles are glued to the steps, but... the builders “forgot” to make waterproofing that would cut off the wet soil from the concrete base; moisture coming from the ground gradually saturates the concrete. Because ceramic tile steam and waterproof, moisture has nowhere to escape. It accumulates at the base-tile interface. At negative temperatures the water freezes, increases in volume, and the finishing coating flies off from the base.

To prevent this from happening, reliable waterproofing is done at the border between the prepared and compacted base and the concrete porch/staircase.

In addition to a competent design, do not forget about the ease of use. One of the most frequently asked questions: what size to make the entrance platform. The depth can be calculated by multiplying the door width by 1.5. With a door leaf width of 1 meter the depth of the site must be at least 1.5 m.

This principle will help avoid a situation where open door, standing on the upper platform, a person, in order to enter the house, is forced to go down one step. If you save on the size of the site and its depth, then lifting large items into the house - furniture, engineering equipment. Even bringing a couple of large bags from grocery store will become uncomfortable. The platform itself can be square with equal sides. With a door width of 1 meter, the upper platform is 1.5x1.5 m.

Moreover, the height of the porch is calculated in such a way that the top of the platform is approximately 5 cm below the door threshold. This way, snow and water will not get into the house. To build a convenient entrance staircase, as a guide, you can be guided by the following principles:

• We immediately figure out how many sides the staircase goes on - one, two or three.
• The optimal angle of inclination (ascent) of the stairs is maintained within 30-45 degrees. Stairs with an inclination of more than 45 degrees are difficult to climb. A staircase with an inclination angle of less than 30 degrees turns out flat and requires more space.
• The width of the tread is within 25-30 cm. The height of the rise of the step is 15-20 cm.

Practice shows that the optimal comfortable height for raising a step is within 15-17 cm. The width of the tread is about 30 cm. The offset of the step is no more than 3 cm.

It is better if the number of steps is odd, because It is more convenient to start and finish climbing stairs with the same foot. The number of steps can be calculated by dividing the estimated height of the structure by the height of the step. Knowing the expected number of steps and the width of the tread, you can calculate the length of the flight of stairs.

Porch and staircase made of burnt timber

At the end of the article, we will give an example of a creative approach to arranging a beautiful open porch and stairs, which he built from burnt deciduous timber Green0568.

The entrance group was made using timber with a cross-section of 20x15 cm.

The beams are fastened together with wood grouse using polyurethane glue. Through one wood grouse the dowels are hammered. Under the fourth step in the middle there is a jack, under the third there are two jacks, which are placed at the edges with an indent.

Summarizing

In order to obtain a high-quality result when constructing a porch and entrance staircase, knowledge and practical experience are required. The entrance area can be either simple - made of boards or welded from corners and channels, or more complex - stone - with monolithic staircase and forged elements. But it all starts with calculation and comparison of different options.

You can get ideas for construction, ask a question or find the optimal design on our portal. FORUMHOUSE has collected dozens of options for arranging the entrance area. Read, and... We also recommend articles about and. The video shows the addition of a wooden two-story porch and balcony to a log house.

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

The porch is an extension to the house, which, through steps, makes it easier to enter/exit the doors. Since the porch usually has a canopy, this provides additional protection for 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 makes its operation convenient.

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

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

Due to the fact that wood is the most popular, as well as affordable and inexpensive material, most often the porch is built of wood. Therefore, we will consider in detail (step by step) how to organize the construction of a wooden porch. Another argument 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 for a private house - project

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

Types of porch

Porch design

• built-in porch - built 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. tree;
2. concrete;
3. metal (forging, steel, iron);
4. brick (stone).

Methods for constructing a wooden porch

Possible implementation in two versions:

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

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

The peculiarity of this method is that the base frame is prepared only for the lower part of the stringer/string, and the upper one rests on beams or a floor slab. This method of building a porch gives more possibilities to implement original solutions.

How to make a wooden porch with your own hands without mistakes

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

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

• errors in the dimensions of the porch. The porch should be proportional to the main building;

• errors in measurements. Each parameter is measured several times and plotted on the diagram;>

  Note. Professionals advise putting on the diagram not only the dimensions of the porch, 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 be useful if necessary to correct the porch drawing.

• excess material consumption. Eliminated through careful planning.

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

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

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

• separation of the foundations of the house and the porch (on different (separate) foundations) will lead to uneven shrinkage porch and the appearance of cracks between the elements. This can be avoided by a threshold installed at the junction of the porch and the house. Or installing a threshold without a march, with the first step 150-170 mm below the threshold. But this is fraught with injury, since when 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, jamming). Occurs due to geological changes (frozen soil can raise the porch a couple of centimeters).

How to properly build a porch for a house

Material for making a porch

To make a beautiful wooden porch you will need building materials:

• For supports, a beam with a cross 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 can withstand all-season operating conditions well;

• for the entrance platform from the steps you can use a board 30-50 mm thick;

• ready-made balusters and railings. Or timber and 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. Using 50 mm boards for both supports and 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 (standard) drawing, drawn independently, will help to avoid difficulties during its construction.

The porch drawing must contain the following information:

• appearance of the porch. Makes it possible to visualize the final appearance 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 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 area;

• The width of the stairs to the porch (flight of stairs) must be at least 700 mm. Otherwise, difficulties will arise when moving people and objects along the steps;

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

• porch angle;

Note. Professionals advise sloping the porch area and steps by 2-3° to avoid water accumulation. An alternative would be to install deck boards with a gap of 2-3 mm.

• foundation. Types, depth, characteristics of the soil underneath;

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

• presence and installation location of fencing (balusters and railings).

Note. In construction practice, there are no norms and rules regulating the parameters of the porch. The recommendations concern only the parameters of the steps.

Drawing of a wooden porch, as an illustrative example:

Scheme of a wooden porch

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

A good alternative would be a life-size cardboard template. A paper template is indispensable when making a flight of stairs on a bowstring.

Foundation for the porch of a house

A correctly selected and poured foundation for a wooden porch is the key to its strength and durability.

A wooden staircase to the porch can be installed without a foundation. But filling it will prevent the porch from moving 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 pillars depends on the size of the porch.

Slab. 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, but requires less costs according to the material. Connection to the foundation of the house is required.

Material prepared for the website www.site

What kind of foundation is best to pour under the porch?

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

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

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

It is better not to immediately fill the place where the foundations are attached (fastened, connected), but leave a technical gap (a gap of 20-30 cm), in which there will be connecting elements (studs, reinforcement).

In the old foundation of the house, holes are drilled at a distance of 50-60 mm and studs with expansion anchors are driven in. From the new porch foundation, make a rebar outlet to these studs. Simply fitted (do not twist or weld).

After the new foundation has “settled” (stands) for a year (or at least a winter), preferably under load, the reinforcement can be connected (tied, twisted, welded). Fill the bond with concrete mortar.

The diagram below shows how to make a porch out of wood with the foundation tied to the house.

What is the depth of the foundation for the porch

The depth of the foundation for the porch must correspond to the depth of the foundation of the house and is located below.

A strip foundation is certainly an excellent solution for building a porch. However, not everyone needs a massive structure. After all, most porch staircases are built using stringers or bowstrings. In this case, it is not necessary to pour a strip foundation, but give preference to a pile or columnar foundation. When laying out such a foundation, you need to make concrete “pillows” for the supports and the base of the stringer/string.

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

How to build a wooden porch for a house

Let's consider the technology of constructing porches on pillars (piles, supports, beams) made of wood.

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

• the base of the stringer must rest against the waterproofing laid between the foundation and the wood of the stringer;

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

Advice. When choosing lumber for 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 roofing felt. It prevents the flow of air, and the process of wood rotting begins from the inside. It is better to use drying oil or used machine oil.

• installation depth of supports is at least 800 mm;

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

• After the concrete used to fill the supports has dried, you need to check their height. Adjust the height difference;

Note. When making a porch from wood, it is necessary to consider waterproofing and drainage system. This will avoid distortion of the porch structure.

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

Flooring the porch landing and installing steps

Users' opinions differ on this issue. Some advise fitting the flooring boards as closely as possible to each other in order to prevent the appearance of cracks typical of dry wood, and also making a slope of 1.5-2° to allow water to flow smoothly from the flooring.

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

How to make steps for a porch out of wood

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

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

When constructing a staircase on a stringer, the steps are attached to it. Options for attaching the steps to the string are shown in the diagram.

Wooden porch fencing

It is important to note that if a flight of stairs has more than 3 steps, it is advisable to equip it with a fence. The fence for the porch can be metal (forged, from of stainless steel), wood, brick, stone (or concrete). Wooden railings for the porch can become not only a guarantee of safety of movement, but also an additional decoration.

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

We have sorted out the question of how to make a wooden porch; now it is important to study how to extend its service life.

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 (sun, snow and rain). A wooden canopy 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 sheets, tiles or others are suitable roofing materials. The visor can be made with or without stands. The main thing is that the visor supports do not interfere with movement.

Wood processing is divided into pre-operational and operational. The first involves applying 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 one will make it possible to save original appearance designs. Such processing may include painting, waxing or varnishing.

Painting a wooden porch

• pine wood needs to be exposed (coated) with paint in several layers and the layer periodically renewed;

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

  Advice. The primer will preserve the properties of 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.

• cover the pine transparent compounds Not recommended. Sand and dirt are pressed into the soft rock;

• larch wood or hardwood can be opened with transparent compounds. Vermeister Deck.Oil impregnation oil has proven itself to be excellent;

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

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

• Each renewal of the coating on wood is carried out only after stripping the surface of the previous layer of old paint.

How to attach a wooden porch - video

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

The porch of a house is not only decorative element facade, but also good protection from rain, snow and wind all year round. Wooden porch It is distinguished by ease of assembly, reliable design and natural beauty. Having become familiar with all the intricacies of constructing a wooden porch in advance, you can complete such work yourself quickly and without much difficulty.

Preparatory work

It is possible to build a wooden porch with high quality and quickly, observing certain requirements for preparing a future project:

1. We create a drawing. The plan diagram includes a general view of the structure and the dimensions of all structural elements.
2. We determine the type of wood for construction (the best option is hardwood).
3. Calculating the area landing sufficient for the smooth opening and closing of doors.
4. Let's calculate.
5. Before you start building a wooden porch with your own hands, it is important to think about the general appearance of the structure and its design style. It is important that the design is in harmony with the facade of the building, being included in a single composition.

Wooden porch project

When attaching a wooden porch to a house, the following parameters are calculated:

• Height of the stairs. It is easy to determine this indicator; to do this, measure the distance from the soil surface to the threshold of the doorway, subtracting 5-10 cm of indentation (taking into account seasonal fluctuations in the soil and changes in the thickness of the tree under the influence of precipitation).

Attention: if the height of the porch requires arrangement large quantity steps, experts recommend erecting a corner frame made of wood, in which one of the flights is placed along the facade of the building.

• Length of stringer (string). The supporting beam of a staircase with a comb along the top line on which the steps are fixed is called a stringer. Bowstring is a structural element onto which steps are fixed using the groove method.

• Width and height, number of steps. The calculation of these indicators is based on the width of a person’s step. On average, the height of a step is 18 cm, width (depth) -26 cm. You can determine the required number of steps using the formula K = i/d, where: K is the number of steps; i is the distance from the porch to the starting point of the base of the stairs; d is the length of the step.

• Width of the flight of stairs. According to regulatory documents this indicator should be at least 70 cm.

Choosing a wood species

When planning construction, it is important to choose the right material for the job. The most durable, high quality wooden staircase The porch will be made of larch or pine. The log houses for a wooden house made of rounded logs look very colorful.

Before purchasing lumber, you need to pay attention to the following points:

• dryness of the wood (the cut of the wood is smooth, without wet spots);
• no traces of mold, knots, or bark beetle nests.

Design features

A wooden porch for a private house is a small extension to the facade of the building.

Device options:

• open area with steps - a simple design without railings (ideal for a small one-story country house);

• partially enclosed area with low railings;

• closed porch - a structure consisting of a staircase, a platform, railings and a canopy. An enclosed porch helps keep the house quiet and increases the level of thermal insulation.

The advantages of a wooden porch

An undeniable advantage of wooden structures is the ease of processing lumber. It is also worth noting a number of positive points:

• a large selection of models of wooden structures;
• low thermal conductivity (wood canopies help increase the thermal insulation of a building);
• wood does not require additional decorative finishing;
• simplicity and speed of construction (no need for a reinforced foundation);
• If repairs are necessary, there is no need to dismantle the entire structure; only a separate part of it can be replaced.

Cons of a wooden porch

Wood as a natural material is susceptible to destruction under the influence of moisture, fungus or mold. The surface of wooden steps wears out very quickly and dries out when exposed to direct sunlight. It is especially worth noting the high degree of combustion of structures made of timber and boards.

All of the above shortcomings are easily corrected. To do this, you need to regularly soak wooden surfaces special protective and antipyretic compounds.

How to build a foundation

When constructing a wooden porch, you can use the following types of foundations:

1. Columnar - perfect option bases for light wood construction. The number of support pillars depends on the total area of ​​the porch.
2. Slab - concrete base monolithic slab Typically used for very heavy structures.

Let us consider in more detail the process of constructing the simplest pile (columnar) foundation.

Algorithm of actions:

• According to a pre-calculated pattern, holes are dug in the ground.
• A small layer of sand and gravel is poured into the bottom of the hole. It is necessary for high-quality moisture absorption and preservation of the pillars from premature rotting.
• The support is installed in the prepared hole and filled with concrete solution. Important: the depth of the supports is 20 cm from the freezing level of the soil.

• After waiting the required time for leveling and hardening of the concrete, check the height of all support pillars. If necessary, the required areas are trimmed. Important: in order to increase the strength of the structure, the outer supports are attached to the facade of the building with self-tapping screws.

How to build a wooden porch

Having determined the dimensions, type of design, purchasing necessary materials, you can begin construction.

When constructing a porch made of wood, you must adhere to certain rules and procedures:

• as supports most suitable material pine logs will become;
• an additional waterproofing layer must be laid between the wood of the stringer and the base of the foundation;
• support pillars must be processed protective compounds;
• support pillars are dug into the ground no more than 80 cm.

How to make a wooden porch with your own hands

A clear algorithm of actions has been developed, following which you can easily and quickly build a wooden porch with your own hands:

1. We are designing a plan for the future structure. We calculate the dimensions of all structural elements and the amount of material required.
2. We are laying out the foundation.
3. We build a staircase to the porch made of wood with our own hands.
4. We arrange a canopy and railings.
5. We cover the entire structure with protective compounds.

We arrange the flooring, steps and fencing

There are several ways to lay deck boards and steps:

1. A wooden beam or board is tightly fitted to each other and attached to the base with self-tapping screws. Important: in this case, the slope of the site is at least 2°C.
2. The boards are laid with some gap (no more than 3 mm).

Installation of steps must begin from the bottom of the bowstring. First of all, risers are installed, and then steps.

The final stage is the installation of the railings. There must be a fence if the height of the stairs exceeds three steps.

Installation of a wooden porch floor platform

The site is built from durable thick boards that can withstand the daily movement of a large number of people. A small gap (gap) is left between the flooring boards, which is necessary for the free flow of rainwater and the unhindered movement of air.

Important: the boards for the site must be laid out under small angle tilt

Care and protection of a wooden porch

A canopy will help protect your wooden porch. Visors made of wooden beams above the porch frame.

You can extend the life of a wooden structure by adhering to certain rules and requirements:

1. Wood requires periodic treatment with protective compounds. The wood is first treated before construction begins, then a protective layer is applied during the operation of the structure.
2. Give more decorative look During construction, painting or finishing with varnish will help to reveal the beauty of the wood. It is necessary to apply paints and varnishes in several layers.

Important: do not coat pine wood with transparent varnishes. For soft woods, water-based, alkyd or polyurethane paints are most preferred.

Step-by-step instructions on how to make a wooden porch yourself

When building a wooden porch with your own hands, it is important to follow a clear sequence of actions:

1. Development of the project and calculation of the required amount of materials. The quality of the work performed, reliability and durability of the erected structure largely depend on the accuracy of the calculations.
2. Construction of the foundation. For a wooden structure, it is enough to build a foundation from a pile. This easy-to-install base ensures the porch is reliable and durable for many years.
3. Construction of a wooden porch frame - forming a bowstring.

It is easy to assemble a single structure; all elements are connected to each other using the tongue-and-groove method. Metal staples will help strengthen the frame.

1. Arrangement of the platform, steps, railings. The easiest way to arrange a wooden porch area is to cover it with boards. The elements of the risers and feet are fixed to the frame using self-tapping screws. Installation of steps begins from the bottom of the bowstring. First of all, risers are installed, and then steps.

Wooden or metal railings ensure safe movement on stairs.

It’s possible to make a beautiful wooden porch with your own hands, the main thing is to familiarize yourself with the intricacies of the process in advance and strictly follow all stages of construction.