It is the porch that creates the first impression of the house. Very often, the owner spends serious money on the design and decoration of the house, and arranges the entrance part only later, without particularly caring about its appearance. The main thing is that it protects the entrance. But this is not only the main thing; in addition to its practical purpose, this element also becomes a decorative element.
Practical features
A porch is an architectural structure that is a separate structure from the house. Simply put, it is an extension to a home that helps a person move from the ground level to the floor level.
The porch serves two functions: practical and decorative.
Since the entrance element is built after the construction of the house is completed, little attention is usually paid to it. A properly built and decorated porch can become an additional decoration for the yard.
During construction, it is important to know some technical rules:
- The width of the porch should be greater than the doorway. The size of the site must accommodate several people at the same time;
- the structure is built horizontally. A small angle of inclination is acceptable for independent water drainage;
- the number of steps should be such that a person stands on the platform with the foot that first stood on the first step;
- The recommended width of the steps is about 30 cm, and the height is 15-25 cm, the height of the railing depends on the height of the residents of the house, on average from 80 cm to 1 m.
Types of structures
The porch can be low, high, with or without a veranda.
A low porch is built in a house where there is no ground floor. Entrance doors are low to the ground and such a structure protects them from environmental influences (precipitation, dampness, etc.), and are usually built from concrete or stone. Railings are optional, but sometimes they are installed for beauty.
If funds and space allow, then a low porch is made with a veranda. In this case, it becomes an independent part that must be protected from bad weather conditions. The veranda is close to the ground, so to protect it from dampness, there should be a waterproof cushion underneath it.
A high porch is where the house is raised to the ground floor level, built with several steps (depending on the height) and railings.
A building with a veranda looks chic and reliable, but it is not cheap. The veranda can be located in the center of the house, or at its corners. Under the veranda you can plant various vegetation that will decorate the house. The veranda itself, due to its high location, is protected from soil dampness. You can make a storage room under it.
The porch should complement the home, not look separate from it. The design and material depend on what and how the house is built.
If the house is wooden, then it is logical that the porch is wooden. It is simple in execution, and therefore inexpensive. Solid wood is used in areas subject to constant load. Since wood swells when exposed to moisture, the platform is installed below the entrance to the house. The material is dried so that the moisture content is no more than 15−18%. After this, the wood is treated with antiseptic and fire-resistant agents.
A stone porch is durable, reliable and durable. The most difficult thing is the constant care of the stone cladding, which is constantly being destroyed. The depth of the foundation should be equal to the depth of the foundation of the house. The steps are made of face brick, and the facing is made of porcelain tiles. Clinker tiles are especially recommended, they are easy to maintain, non-slip and have a wide range of colors.
A polycarbonate structure requires a frame to which this material is attached. Polycarbonate is durable and difficult to even scratch. Due to its low weight it does not bear any load on the foundation. Easy to clean, water leaves no traces. Polycarbonate Sheet covered with a special film that protects the material itself and does not allow ultraviolet rays to pass through. Therefore, it cannot be removed.
A metal porch can be combined with other materials. It's easy to install. To make this structure last longer, it is coated with an anti-corrosion agent. Designs can be either simple or complex. A wrought iron porch looks beautiful, but its cost is high. In addition, it will be very noisy when it rains. It is not recommended to make a canopy made of metal.
Which design to choose
The design of the porch can be represented by either one platform or complex design with veranda, staircase and decorative elements. It is worth considering the design of the house to create a holistic composition.
Here are some tips:
- the canopy can be attached directly to the house or be part of the structure;
- a flat canopy is impractical - precipitation will not drain;
- the steps are not made of polished materials to prevent slipping on them in rain or frost;
- A porch built into a house looks very impressive when the second floor or roof of the house plays the role of a canopy.
Wooden houses can be built with a porch. It will serve as a summer living room or dining room. If the house has several wings, then you can make a terrace. Sometimes the porch is built in a circle. To create rustic style the structure is made with a canopy to hang pots of plants.
If the house is built of bright brick, then it will be very good to highlight some elements with white, for example, window frames or pillars. This design is suitable for classic houses.
For a house with a built-in porch, you can make a stone finish. There are three options: clad only the portal, the entire porch, and clad the adjacent facade. Bricks are also used to make pillars, fences or steps. Sometimes they simply lay out a brick path to the house.
An important role is played by well-designed lighting and decorative elements, be it pots with plants, artificial waterfalls, benches and so on.
How to make a porch with your own hands - description of construction technology
Construction technology consists of 4 stages:
- Calculations and design.
- Choice of material.
- Construction of the frame.
- Construction.
At the design stage, the foundation is determined, either it is dug separately or shared with the house. If the foundation is separate, then you need to decide on its size and depth, and the length of the piles. Calculate the height of the stairs, railings, and the size of the area in front of the front door.
Often wood or concrete is chosen for construction. Wood is usually used coniferous species, most often larch.
The area for the foundation must be cleared and reinforced with a mesh of reinforcement poured thin layer concrete 20−30 cm. Concrete is mixed as follows: for 1 kg of cement, take 4 kg of crushed stone and 2 kg of sand, stir with a small amount of water, because concrete should not be elastic. Backfill brick is laid on top.
For waterproofing, use aquazol or roofing material folded in two layers. Waterproofing is done both horizontal and vertical.
After waterproofing, a staircase is made and steps are laid. The technology depends on the selected material.
How to avoid mistakes
- First mistake. The porch is completed after the house is built. In this case, the foundation is dug shallow; it is not connected to the foundation of the house. Therefore, the foundation of the porch is affected groundwater, frosty rise of the earth, different shrinkage of the earth and other factors that lead to cracks between the house and the entrance structure.
- Second mistake. The platform is installed on the same level as the entrance to the house. Therefore, in winter, when the porch becomes higher due to rising ground, the front door may jam.
- Third mistake. Poor vapor barrier or lack thereof. Water seeps through the concrete and reaches facing tiles, which does not allow steam to pass through, the steam turns into water and remains under the tile. And when frost hits, the water expands and tears off the finish.
- Fourth mistake. Sometimes during construction
Wood will always remain our favorite material, because it is alive and natural; stone, even natural, does not have this property, and especially glass and concrete do not. As long as a person lives, they will build with their own hands. U wooden house there is a peculiarity - a porch made of wood can easily fit it, but almost never one made of metal and plastic. You have to be a great specialist in the design of wooden houses in order to organically integrate a modern “metal” style into the facade of a wooden house. And even more so, it’s not easy to make a beautiful porch with your own hands without a project.
Choosing a porch project for a wooden house
The task of working with your own hands is greatly simplified if you take into account several rules for the mutual combination of the features of the porch and the facade of the house:
- Porch for wooden house can be done in the same style as the house itself. But do not make a small copy of the house, but ensure that its design looks like an integral part of the building. Look at a few photos. In all cases, a beautiful porch looks harmonious due to its functionality and thoughtful style;
- You can create a contrast between the beautiful texture of the porch and the standard look of an ordinary wooden house. Against the background of a boring, neat look of a wooden house, the porch will look more impressive.
Important ! Majority beautiful projects They attract with their simple and stylish design, which does not contain unnecessary elements or “empty” decorations.
Please note that in the above photos you can choose a whole photo gallery of the most successful projects with a minimum amount of decor; beauty is achieved only thanks to the natural characteristics of wood.
Interesting porch designs for a wooden house
The bulk of do-it-yourself wooden house projects are made either in the old “chopped” style, or stylized as wooden with extensive use of metal, ceramics, wooden beam. Houses of both styles are very beautiful, and with the right selection of porches they take on the appearance of a work of art.
House and porch in “chopped” style
Much of the beauty of a house and porch depends on the right style. wooden building. For example, a standard cottage, which does not have any special refinements in shape and design in the photo, changes dramatically in perception after vertical posts made from tree trunks have been added. Their unusual shape made it easy to stylize the entire construction of the house with an unusual “forest” look. “Hut on chicken legs” style.
Often wooden houses are built with their own hands using old old-fashioned method from large wooden logs. Almost always, such “log houses” turn out to be large two-story buildings, reminiscent of medieval Siberian houses. But when correct location porch and maintaining the general style, the house can benefit greatly if you make a beautiful carved “antique” porch, as in the photo.
Oddly enough, most houses built of wood repeat modern architecture, which is poorly combined with the ancient “chopped” style. The desire to create a complex roof and a log vault of walls leads to the appearance of a kind of “remake” - the texture of an old wooden house, mechanically transferred to a new architectural appearance. In such options, a beautiful carved porch practically saves the entire ensemble.
Some lovers prefer a classic wooden house based on the patterns and canons of the 18th century. Particularly interesting are the options typical for the northern latitudes of the country. Even in the photo, such projects look simple and very functional, there is nothing superfluous in the design of the roof and walls, but one feels that the house is unusually strong and reliable. An openwork porch with beautiful stairs very accurately complements the beauty of a wooden house.
Almost always, the porch looks very beautiful and organic, it can complement and emphasize the beauty of the house if it is small in size, so the design of a small porch is not lost, but correctly complements the main building, as in the photo.
Stylization for “chopped” buildings
The proportionality effect forces lovers big houses artificially increase the size of the porch in order to maintain the correct proportions in the house. In the appearance of the façade of a beautiful wooden house, the main role is given to the porch; it is made of wood, but looks very modern and stylish, thanks to its laconic and beautiful design and well-chosen tinting of the load-bearing supports and wooden cladding of the house. The achieved effect speaks for itself in the photo.
The most successful and attractive wooden houses are not of the “chopped” style, but those stylized log house. The architecture of such a house is more elegant and modern. In the photo you can see how to use a beautiful carved ornament that is organically combined with the general ideology wooden structure Houses. The porch turned out to be very spacious and bright, the carved ornament goes very well with the overall decor of the wooden house.
The walls and porch made of wood look more modern and stylish, and there is no excess in use decorative elements antique Moreover, the porch itself is very beautiful and complements well the facade of the wooden house, in the photo. But in such solutions, in order to maintain the overall style, the porch was faced with ceramic tiles of a very well-chosen shade. In this design, the monumentality of the building and the finishing of the timber to match expensive types of wood require an exquisite texture of the material for the wooden porch, so the stone steps are made with ceramic cladding.
Not a wooden porch for a wooden house
There are many successful options when builders and architects manage to combine with their own hands the warm style of a wooden house with the cold modern style in which the porch of the house is built. Wood goes very well with stone and ceramic tiles
The metal and plastic from which the porch is built do not spoil appearance wooden house, although the design itself looks a little unusual, but not alien, thanks to the successful wooden texture of the cladding and the design of the house itself.
It is not always possible to harmoniously combine a wooden house and a non-wooden porch. The complexity of this approach lies in the need for painstaking selection of a compromise between a bright appearance wooden facade and understated porch style. Sometimes this is achieved by using a minimum of metal and glass in the porch. For example, in the photo it was possible to solve the compatibility problem thanks to the use of forged elements and a thin openwork construction scheme. In addition, the shading formed by the pine trees growing around it has a beneficial effect on the overall background of the house.
Advice ! One of the secrets to properly building a porch with your own hands is to use the right color scheme.
For open and brightly lit areas, a wooden house is usually made in light colors, they try not to highlight the porch too much. In conditions where most of the façade is covered by trees, it would be more organic to use more subdued tones and a minimum of varnished surfaces.
A simple solution, beautiful and tasteful
A beautiful porch does not necessarily have to impress with its size and richness of decor. For small houses you can use the most simple solutions from the stairs and side railings. At the same time, the main emphasis should be placed on reliability and comfort due to the wide upper platform, comfortable steps and very beautiful exterior finishing using special varnish and wax compositions, as in the photo.
The option in the photo below will be optimal for a summer house or country house. Such a porch can be considered a whole terrace. Often, due to the beautiful natural shade, the porch parts are not even painted, but are treated with wax mastics, so that the texture of the elements resembles freshly cut wood.
A simple design does not mean wretchedness; one of the nicest projects is a porch with several steps for an ordinary residential building in the city.
Natural color and good sunlight very well emphasize the classic design of the porch. This is a typical version of the attached scheme, when the staircase is built with your own hands to the landing in front of the front door of the house. At the same time, the canopy and the porch itself turned out to be very small in size, do not take up much space, and are absolutely organically combined with the appearance of the house itself.
Important ! For the construction of such options, many construction companies they produce standard porch designs in ready-made kits, which can be assembled and built in front of the entrance to the dacha or small house with your own hands.
Conclusion
The most good options Do-it-yourself porches for a house are obtained by individually selecting a canopy, stairs, railings and an upper platform in front of the door. But even with this approach, the best choice would be to make a simple and beautiful structure made of wood with a reliable canopy made of modern materials.
The most correct option for a porch is when its foundation is cast along with the house. In this case, there are practically no problems. Sometimes when planning a building it is forgotten. Then a porch is added to the house. An extension is made mainly from three materials: wood, metal and concrete. If the house is brick, they can build it out of brick. Another option is to make it from building blocks and then finish it. In any case, when planning to make a porch with your own hands, you must immediately decide what kind of foundation to make and whether or not to connect it with the base of the building.
How to calculate parameters
First you need to decide which way the steps will go. They can be on one, two or three sides. You determine this based on personal preferences and the finances that you can/want to allocate for construction. The height of the porch depends on the height of the plinth and should be 50-70 mm below the edge door leaf. This small step prevents precipitation from getting inside the house. Perhaps more importantly, it prevents the doors from becoming blocked if the porch rises up due to frost heave (if the doors open outward).
Determining the dimensions of the upper platform
The layout of the porch begins with determining the size of the upper platform. If the doors open outward, you should be able to stand on the landing to open the doors. That is, its depth should be 30-40 cm greater than the width of the door leaf. According to GOST recommendations, the dimensions of the platform should be 1.5 times the width of the doorway. More is possible - less - undesirable - inconvenient.
If your doors are 80 cm wide, then the depth of the upper platform is 120 cm at the very minimum. Its width is determined based on the tastes and proportions of the house, but it should definitely be greater than the width of the doorway.
We count the number and sizes of steps
You know the height of the porch: 50-60 mm below the door leaf. The recommended height of the step (riser) is 15-20 cm. Divide the height of the porch by the height of the steps, you get the approximate number of steps. The number rarely turns out to be a whole number. The remaining centimeters can be divided between all steps or one of them can be made higher. Another option is to create a small step at the bottom, although this may be awkward.
The optimal width of the step (tread) is 25-30 cm. Knowing the number of steps, the depth of the upper platform, the depth of the steps, you can calculate the full dimensions of the porch. Using them you can already develop the foundation for the porch.
When choosing the parameters of the steps, you must adhere to the recommendations of SNiP: the sum of the tread and double riser should be in the range of 600-640 mm. For example, you calculated that the height of the step (riser) is 17 cm, the tread (depth of the step) is 280 mm. After performing the calculations we get: 170 mm * 2+280 mm = 620 mm. We fit into the recommended parameters, which means there is no need to change anything.
What kind of foundation is needed?
If the porch is planned to be light - wooden or metal - the foundation is most often made of piles or columns. Specifically chosen based on geological conditions. On well-draining soils with low levels groundwater enough, if you are prone to heaving, you may need it already.
For a heavy porch - made of brick or monolithic concrete - they make a strip foundation or. The type of foundation is most often similar to the one on which the house is built.
Next, you need to decide whether you will connect the porch foundation to the house foundation or not. Decisions are made based on the planned mass of the extension and the type of soil. Both options have disadvantages. If there is no connection, cracks often form at the junction of the porch and the house; due to frost heaving, the porch may become warped. Owners of dacha plots often face this problem - usually the porch to the dachas is made of wood and is disconnected. After the ground thaws, it may “sit” in place on its own, or it may require some additional measures.
When installing connections, it is also possible for cracks to form, but not only at the joint, but also in the “body” of the extension. This happens if the reinforced connections installed cannot compensate for the uneven load, created by the house and an extension. Therefore, a connected foundation for the porch is made if it is attached to a heavy house and is itself heavy and massive, made of reinforced concrete. The second difficulty with this decision is to make the connection high-quality. To do this, use ribbed reinforcement with a diameter of 12-16 mm, for which holes are drilled in the foundation with a given diameter. Reinforcement is hammered into them and a frame for the porch is knitted on its basis.
There are two main designs of stairs: on bowstrings and on stringers. They can be made of wood or metal. There are also combined options- metal + wooden steps or metal + concrete steps.
Staircase designs - on bowstrings and on stringers
On the bowstrings
Stairs on bowstrings are the simplest. For the porch - good option, especially if the house is wooden or a small country house. TO inside support bars are attached to the bowstrings. If you are working with metal, the bars are welded horizontally (with a minimum slope of 1-2° to allow water to drain from the steps). In the case of wood, either support bars can be nailed, to which the steps will then be attached, or recesses can be cut into the string (no more than 1/2 the thickness of the board), into which the step boards are inserted.
On the stringers
A staircase on stringers can also be of a simple design - with open supports. In this case, triangles are cut at the required angle in the upper part of the board. Their lower part serves as a support for the steps.
When cutting the stringer, set aside the height of the step and the width of the tread. They are connected at right angles. Using the applied markings, a template is made, with which all steps are marked.
The number of stringers in a staircase depends on its width and the thickness of the boards used for the steps. The thinner the board for the steps, the more often you need to install stringers. If you use 25 mm boards, then there should be a distance of no more than 50-60 cm between the two supports. If you need a larger staircase width and don’t want to install three stringers, use thicker boards. It is important that they do not bend under your feet.
If you decide to weld a ladder on stringers from metal, you will need to be patient: you will have to weld many small sections, but the formation principle is the same.
Methods of fastening parts
The lower edge of the porch stairs can sometimes rest directly on the ground. This option is simple, but unreliable. Firstly, the soil may settle and the stairs will begin to collapse. Secondly, upon contact with the ground, both wood and metal are destroyed faster. There are special impregnations for wood (Senezh and Senezh Ultra, for example), and metal is well prepared with a primer and painted in several layers. However, it is better to make a base - pour a shallow tape on which the bowstrings or stringers will rest.
There are two ways to attach a porch ladder to a reinforced concrete base - to a beam - a beam with a cross-section of at least 75 * 75 mm or to an embedded beam of a smaller cross-section (pictured on the left).
Difficulties may also arise with the installation of porch posts. There are several ways. There is one very simple and effective one that works great even on heaving soils (clays and loams). Holes 50-60 cm deep are dug under the pillars. A bucket and a half of sand is poured into them at the bottom and compacted well. Half a bucket of crushed stone is poured on top of the sand and compacted too. They put up a pole, level it, put spacers that will hold it in a given position. The space between the wall of the hole and the pillar is gradually filled with crushed stone, tamping it thoroughly. The hole is filled flush with the ground, the top can be concreted (so that precipitation does not drain), but not spilled to the very bottom. Pillars installed in this way do not lead even with severe heaving. A significant part of the water goes into the sand, and the remaining forces of frost heaving are absorbed by the rubble, neutralizing them.
If piles, a strip foundation or a monolithic slab are poured under the pillars of the porch, or a columnar base is laid, then studs or special glasses are walled into the concrete to secure the wooden posts. After the concrete has matured, the rack bars are attached to them with wood grouse or bolts.
If the racks are metal, a corner with a wall thickness of at least 3-4 mm is placed in the concrete so that it can be easily welded to it later.
When building a wooden porch with your own hands, questions may arise about attaching the railings and balusters. They can be assembled using ordinary nails, but if desired, you can use bolts or wood grouse. In this case, holes are pre-drilled, then fasteners are installed in them and tightened using an angle wrench. Such a connection is certainly more reliable than simply using nails.
If the porch is attached to a freshly cut wooden house, in which the shrinkage has not yet been completed, and the design of the porch provides for the presence of a canopy, the racks must be attached to special adjustable plates.
Please note that both the metal and wood that you will use to build the porch require careful processing. The porch is exposed to all climatic influences and the materials require good protection.
Monolithic concrete stairs
The most durable stairs are made of monolithic concrete. They take longer to manufacture than metal or wood ones, but their service life is calculated in decades. The types of concrete stairs are described in detail in the video. The basics of calculation are also given.
How to make a concrete staircase on stringers with your own hands, see the following video.
Wooden porch
A wooden porch is one of the most common options in our country. Wood is plastic, easy to process, costs relatively little (in our country), and forgives many mistakes. That is why it is a favorite building material.
It also has disadvantages: it requires good protection before construction begins (antibacterial impregnations and fire retardants), as well as regular care- security updates paint coating. Then it looks attractive for a long time, otherwise it quickly loses its decorative effect.
One of the options for building a wooden porch with a ladder on bowstrings can be seen in the video. Please note that the porch is being built on sandy soil, so the method used to install the pillars is not suitable for everyone. Everything else is clear.
Brick porch
Since brick is a dense and heavy material, a brick porch requires a serious foundation. Usually this is a monolithic slab, with double reinforcement and it is better if it is larger in size than the planned porch.
When calculating the parameters of the steps, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions of the brick and the thickness of the seam between them. Then the laying work will be easier - no need to cut the brick. If you are not going to cover the porch, use high-quality material for the outer rows. The inner rows - backfilling - can be made from scrap or building blocks and their remains.
Brick porch with wooden steps
If the house is on a high base, making a monolithic brick porch is too expensive. Then the columns or walls are folded, leaving empty space inside. It can then be used for household purposes or covered with decorative panels. If an upper platform is needed, these columns/walls are covered with a concrete slab on top - homemade or ready-made - this is your choice. Then a staircase is attached to the resulting base. It doesn't have to be brick. It can be metal, concrete or a combination.
Photo report: wooden porch on a metal frame
A theory is just a theory, and in construction too. You always understand the essence of the matter better if you observe the process yourself, because you can see how others do it and learn something for yourself.
At the request of the parents, an exact copy of the old porch was made. The only difference is that the new one has a welded metal frame.
In place of the demolished porch, a pit with a depth of 25 cm was dug. Sand was poured and compacted into layers at the bottom, crushed stone was placed on it - 10 cm each. A metal mesh with a mesh of 10 cm was laid on top and the whole thing was filled with concrete.
Welded according to the previous dimensions of the porch metal frame(from a corner 70*5 mm). The sidewalls are set vertically and secured with studs. Next, the base for the benches is welded to them. All metal is treated with a rust converter, primed and painted twice.
The wood used for construction was dry. Planed boards were cut to size (the width of the porch) and treated with impregnation for direct contact with the ground.
We lay the dried boards on the frame. You have to drill a hole for each fastener - you can’t just take a corner.
At this stage, two mistakes were made at once. The first is that the sheathing did not start from the sides. They immediately began laying the steps. As a result, water constantly flows into the joints of the side paneling and steps and warps the wood. It is necessary to start the cladding from the sides, and make the steps a little longer so that they protrude beyond the side cladding by at least a couple of centimeters. The second mistake is that the boards on the porch are laid close to each other. At high humidity they swell and the surface becomes uneven. When laying porch sheathing, make gaps of at least 5-8 mm.
After all the boards are secured, they are sanded. First tape grinder with coarse grain, then disk with fine grain. The process is long. At the same time, the task is being solved - to remove green impregnation. It is not covered even by three layers of tint.
After sanding, we begin painting. We apply it three times. Each layer after the previous one has completely dried. The resulting color is dark mahogany.
While the paint dries completely, we begin making the benches. We cut boards for them, grind off an oblique chamfer (for beauty), and cover them with impregnation.
We make the backs with a small decor - rounded edges.
We saw along the marked lines with a jigsaw, then sanded to a smooth edge.
The sides are covered with plywood, which was painted the same color. The porch is ready.
Do-it-yourself finished wooden porch - side view
DIY brick and concrete porch: photo
The walls of the staircase landing were pre-built from brick, on top of which a monolithic concrete slab. Along the edge, a frame of corners is embedded into it so that the stairs and railings can be welded.
Porch plan: how everything should look
From a corner 70*70*5 mm we cut blanks of the required length. After which we treat them with a rust converter. We start cooking after the reaction has stopped and the metal has dried.
We welded the first metal string.
The finished sidewall was attached to the concrete base with two pins.
Fastening to a concrete support support
We cook the second string in the same way and secure it. When working, make sure that the two bowstrings are in the same plane.
We begin to weld the support bars. Here it is important to constantly monitor the horizontality so that the steps are not oblique.
We weld transverse pieces of the corner to the support bars to form a shelf.
The corners are welded so that they form a frame. We put a piece of slate sheet in it. We lay out a reinforcing metal mesh on the slate. We weld the edges of the mesh to the frame.
We pour concrete into the prepared steps. We make it high-quality so that the steps do not wear out longer.
While the concrete gains strength, we begin to work on the posts that will support the canopy over the porch. For them we take a profiled pipe 70*40*3 mm. We cut four columns from it. Two are slightly longer - they will be near the wall of the house, two are 15 cm shorter - they stand on the outer edge of the porch, creating the necessary slope - so that the water and snow melt off normally. For railings and crossbars we use profiled pipe 40*40 mm.
All metal is also treated with a rust converter.
First we set up the racks, grab them, install temporary stops
To avoid lateral stress, it is important to position the racks strictly vertically. We set them up, grab them, use short seams in several places, and check again whether they are positioned correctly. We weld the temporary stops and only after the next check we weld them according to all the rules.
Once all the posts are aligned and welded, you can assemble the railings. On required height they are fixed strictly horizontally.
Then we proceed to install the roof. We also cook it from profile pipe 40*40 mm. First, strapping around the perimeter - at the level of the shorter posts, then - the rest of the structure. It's not complicated, but it takes a lot of time - a lot of intersections.
Then it was time to do the railings and decorations. And again, there are no difficulties, it can be done easily if desired.
That's it, the porch is ready for finishing work. Rough tiles for outdoor use were purchased for the steps and landing. The sidewall of the monolithic slab was also trimmed with it.
The metal was painted with paint that matched the tone, and the corrugated sheeting left over from the installation of the roof was used on the roof. The DIY porch turned out pretty good.
Photo ideas for porch design
Porch to wooden bath or dacha - a staircase made of logs
Porch covered with WPC - wood-polymer composite
The porch and staircase at the entrance to the cottage are integral elements of any country house. Moreover proper arrangement the entrance area significantly influences the overall perception of the “picture” of the building. Despite 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. When constructing an entrance group, special requirements are imposed 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, based on the practical experience of 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 make a beautiful porch from burnt timber.
Foundation: mistakes and solutions
The most important mistake of any novice developer when building a porch is to 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 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 incorrectly made porch can pull down the façade finishing, the roof (if supports rest on it rafter system), will lead to deformation of the roofing, etc. Conclusion: do everything right at once, right at the stage of building a house, and not hope for chance.
Potainoi FORUMHOUSE Member
I planned construction 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 climate zone(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 pour a 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 in a row expansion joint, which will provide them with some progress. I faced a similar problem a few years ago - columnar foundation(filled below the freezing depth) together with the porch “left” 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's better for Potainoi to make a "cuckoo" on 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 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 a monolithic base for the second step.
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 a long service life. 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 concrete base; moisture coming from the ground gradually saturates the concrete. Because ceramic tiles 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 carrying a couple of bulky bags from the grocery store will become inconvenient. 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.
- Optimal angle The 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 I built from burnt hardwood 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 indentation.
Summing up
So that when building a porch and entrance staircase To obtain a high-quality result, 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.
The porch is a very important structure not only for a country house, but also for a summer cottage. After all, it is the entrance lobby that shows the owner’s attitude towards his home, his taste, and also protects the building from bad weather. Therefore, it is important to choose the right ones for the porch quality materials and build it according to technology.
The main nuances of constructing a porch
The first thing that needs to be done before the construction process is to determine architectural style future construction, materials and their consumption. All received data is entered into the porch drawing country house. It is also necessary to have a photo of the finished structure.
It is worth remembering that for a wooden house a wooden porch is best suited, and for a concrete and brick one - an entrance group made of the appropriate material. For the entrance area of a house, it is best to select the material from which the house itself is built, or to combine materials so that it looks appropriate.
There are a number of principles that experienced builders are advised to follow:
- Ideally, the porch is built at the same time as the house to avoid unexpected distortions and settling problems.
- The number of steps is always odd. This is necessary for comfortable movement on the stairs.
- The width of the porch must be calculated depending on the type of entrance door. A single-leaf requires that the porch be at least 1.5 m, and a double-leaf - at least 2 m.
- The depth of the porch area should be 1 m greater than the door leaf. A smaller platform may cause an accidental fall if you stand on it and open the door at the same time.
- Staircases with more than three steps must be equipped with railings.
In any case, the porch can be divided into several types, which are presented in the photo below:
- Open - a structure without a canopy. In areas where there is frequent rainfall, it is best not to build, as it is subject to rapid wear and tear.
- Closed - a porch under a canopy with walls, is a separate room of the house that can be adapted for summer kitchen or places of rest.
- Indoor - a structure with a canopy, but without walls.
Materials for a country porch
As a rule, a dacha is a wooden structure that is not too large in size, so the porch for it is most often built from wood. It is best to make the structure from durable wood such as pine, larch, spruce or oak. In addition to strength, these materials are highly resistant to precipitation and durable.
Important! The boards should have a humidity level of 15-18%.
The platform is installed at least 5 cm below the entrance door. This is done to prevent the door from jamming when the material swells, as well as for fire safety purposes.
If you have the financial opportunity and desire, then you can make a concrete porch at your dacha. Such a design, if made strictly according to technology, can last for a long time.
It is made from grade 400 cement, as it is the highest quality and most suitable material for this type of work. It’s also not worth saving on formwork, since low-quality, old boards may simply not support the weight of the porch. To decorate such a porch, natural stone, porcelain stoneware or tiles, as well as others, are used. finishing materials. An example of such a structure is shown in the photo:
If the budget is completely limited, then you can make the entrance group out of brick, as in the photo. This material is relatively inexpensive, but also not very durable, since it begins to crumble when exposed to atmospheric conditions. Under no circumstances should you use used material to construct a structure, since its integrity has already been compromised, although this is sometimes not visible from the outside. A brick porch can be faced in the same way as a concrete one, with tiles or porcelain tiles with a rough structure to prevent slipping, as well as other materials.
Often, cottages and houses are equipped with a metal porch. This is the most durable material. Metal processing consists only of coating it with an anti-corrosion agent, which will prevent rust and shedding of the material. Manufacturing can be done from a profile pipe or an equilateral angle, which will significantly reduce the cost of the design. Another advantage of such a structure is the ability to make a pile foundation, which also will not greatly affect the budget. The main mistake when constructing such a structure is metal canopy. It is better if the material for the roof is polycarbonate, since metal makes a very loud sound when it rains.
Country porch design
It would seem, how can you decorate the porch at the dacha? There are a huge number of options and style directions that can be implemented on your site.
If the entrance group is wooden, then its main decoration, of course, will be carving and the use of large rounded logs in the construction. It is better not to use paint, but to emphasize the naturalness with varnish. Such materials are the most harmonious.
Can be done european porch- a small and neat design, decorated with forged elements and an abundance of flowers. You can combine colors and play with contrast. Dark doors with light railings, as in the photo, will look interesting.
Those who love lightness and unobtrusiveness can be advised to decorate the porch at the dacha in french style using glass door and lattice decorated with flowers. Usually a paved road leads to the house. durable material path.
Minimalists can recommend a classic design without unnecessary details in strict design.
Often the porch is combined with a terrace to have an additional seating area. It is also recommended to illuminate it. The simplest option would be a light bulb under the canopy, and a more sophisticated option would be lamp posts next to the stairs.
Do-it-yourself porch construction technology
The first stage is clear design and planning. After the work on taking measurements and creating a project is completed future design, you can begin laying the foundation.
Laying the foundation and creating the site
Depending on the material, the foundation may be different. A metal porch can be installed on piles, but a concrete, wooden or brick one cannot.
Let's consider the algorithm for constructing a foundation for these types of porches. Heavy construction requires the creation of a belt or monolithic base. Its depth should be no less than the depth of the foundation of the house.
- A pit is dug according to the size of the future structure
- A gravel-sand cushion 20 cm thick is poured onto the bottom and compacted.
- Concrete is poured into the formwork, prepared in the following ratio: 1 part cement: 2 parts crushed stone: 2 parts sand. Water is added to a minimum so that the concrete becomes non-liquid.
- The poured concrete is leveled.
- After the foundation has completely dried (about 7 days), waterproofing is done with roofing felt or other material.
In case of construction concrete structure formwork is laid in the shape of the steps and reinforcing mesh. Next, the material is poured in layers, thereby obtaining even steps.
To make a wooden porch, proceed a little differently:
- They dig a trench around the perimeter of the porch.
- Install a reinforcing mesh into it and dig in load-bearing beams, pre-treated with an antiseptic.
- Filled with concrete.
- After a week, the length of the pillars is leveled, and horizontal logs are installed and attached to the wall of the house.
- A subfloor is laid, which must be treated with waterproofing or other material to prevent rotting.
Construction of steps and railings
For concrete porch the steps, as mentioned above, are poured with concrete in layers and polished to a smooth surface.
In order to make steps for a wooden porch you will have to spend a little more effort and time. You need to take fairly thick boards of about 5 cm or more and use them to mount the steps.
Stringers are laid on the sides, which are marked in advance at the places where the steps are attached. Laying the steps starts from the bottom, first the riser is attached, then the step. According to this algorithm, work continues to the very top. The last step is to lay the porch area from the appropriate material. The diagram is shown in the photo.
For a concrete porch, install the railings while the mortar is still wet so that they are securely fastened or bolted to dry steps.
Wooden railings are attached using dowels or self-tapping screws. In the first case, glue is additionally used.
