The porch to the house is not the largest or most noticeable structural element. But if you make a little effort, work with the soul, then you will make the porch to the house not just an intro, but a beautiful, functional addition to the building. We bring to your attention a review article that will help you choose the best option for your porch or house, and not make mistakes.
The beauty of the house is made up of little things that can make it a cozy nest, a beloved summer house, or can be an absurd structure, although it seems that the materials were taken of decent quality or the builders did not disappoint. But something is wrong. But the point is in the details in which, as they say, the devil is hiding. Let the porch is small in size, but this is the first thing that a guest or the owner who has arrived from the city sees. So, its appearance largely determines the mood with which a person will go inside.
According to the rules, the porch is supposed to be erected simultaneously with the whole house. However, they often make it on the principle of "if only cheaper." But a beautiful porch can be attached to the house later.
Perhaps it is in this decision that the real charm is hidden.
When there is already a foundation, walls, roof, you come to the cottage to work or relax, and your hands itch and remade, finish, improve. A familiar feeling? Think about replacing the porch. Dream, come up with something interesting. Now you have enough time to choose a design, because you already have a house, it’s worth it, you can use it!
What to make a porch to the house
Sometimes summer residents think that the porch of a small house can be only something primitive, boring. In fact, there are many options for its device, from the simplest to the most sophisticated, expensive. In order not to get lost in the sea of choice, start with the material for construction. Ideally, it should match the one the house is made of. But there are also possible options ... There are many of them - from wood to polycarbonate ...
For centuries, our ancestors built houses of wood, respectively, the porch was also made of wood. In Ancient Russia, it was built from logs, now it is often made from timber.
It is interesting to complement the wooden porch with carved railings: giving an unusual shape to a tree is simpler than brick or metal. Of course, wooden buildings are afraid of fire and rot, but special modern impregnations, as well as compliance with elementary safety rules, minimize risks. And the wooden porch is easier than any other to do it yourself.
A brick porch is combined with a brick or stone house, which always looks solid and serious. This material is refractory, it is more durable than wood, but at the same time more expensive. Brick gives room for the construction of structures of various shapes, and for the most demanding home designers there is a figured brick.
Such a porch can be made with your own hands, but only if you have building experience. If you are "not a magician, but just learn", do not suffer, invite experts. They will help in choosing a solution and its implementation.
Concrete seems simple to many. However, the country porch is not primarily sophistication, but strength, reliability, unpretentiousness in operation. All of these characteristics fully apply to concrete. Unfortunately, this material at an affordable price requires accurate calculations, as well as skill in the manufacture of formwork. It will be easier for you to estimate the costs of invited builders than to personally build something. Although, if you have experience, skills, go for it!
A metal porch is the most expensive, especially if the project is copyrighted. But you will have a true exclusive, intended more for a country cottage than for a regular summer residence. Beautiful, fashionable, highly impressive. You can choose a slightly more economical option - to provide a metal railing with a porch of any other material. But remember that metal is susceptible to corrosion from moisture, so it’s not a good place to give.
Wood, brick, concrete or metal - all this is a classic. But there are other materials, they appeared relatively recently, but have already been loved by many consumers. So, often in the country, the porch is built of polycarbonate. It is strong enough to last for a long time, reinforced with a metal corner.
Or maybe build a porch from fashionable, practical ceramic granite?
Important little things when designing your porch home
- Firstly, the porch must have its own foundation. Having marked the place and driven in the corners of the pegs, you need to dig a square pit. The porch structure will be buried in it. If you are too lazy or try to save materials by building without a solid foundation, it will most likely noticeably warp, warp, move away from the building after the first spring.
- Secondly, take care of your convenience. The upper platform should not be “the width of the foot”, because you will not just stand on it, but also open the door. There you should be comfortable when you open it. So add a meter to the width of the door - this will be the ideal depth for the top platform. Another option, less comfortable: increase the width of the porch. Then you, opening the door, step aside. In any case, when opening it, one must calmly stand on the platform, not backing up the steps. Such a “retreat” may be tolerant for an adult, but dangerous for children and the elderly!
- Pay attention to the dimensions of your future porch. They should go well with the dimensions of the entire building. If a porch too small at a large house looks just a little strange, then a huge porch with a small house is just a caricature!
- If you want to use some eye-catching element, equip the house with bright platbands, or an unusual roof with a figured skate. It will look more harmonious.
- Many summer residents think that the railing for the porch is not needed. What is this decoration, without which it is easy to do. Yes, the railing is not needed if the porch is double-sided. In any other case, if there are more than three steps, a railing is simply necessary.
- It is recognized that the ideal tree for the entrance group is larch, the wood of which is strong, beautiful, does not expire with resin. The oak porch is also a great choice, not without reason at all times the oak has been associated with strength and reliability.
- Remember that even if you are comfortable with a simple porch, you may have a question about replacing it. After all, temporary building is temporary and that its service life is much shorter than that of the walls, the foundation of the house.
- Lastly, be sure to equip your porch with a canopy or visor. You can choose a purely decorative version, or you can choose a larger one that protects the guest or things left behind on the porch from the wind or damp.
- The material of this roof must be chosen in harmony with the materials of the porch, the whole house and the roof. The variety of options is huge! Forged lace, transparent polycarbonate, carved wooden base, covered with slate, ondulin or metal tile. What do you like more?
- If the porch is large enough, it can be combined with a flower garden. Do not just place a flower bed next to it, but make these two buildings a whole. You only need to think about reliable waterproofing so that water does not leak during irrigation, reducing the service life of the building. The larger the porch, the more appropriate such a neighborhood.
- You can arrange an unusual flowerbed on the porch by pouring the earth in half an old wooden barrel. Or nail a flower shelf on a wooden wall, on which to place pots, as on a kitchen windowsill. In general, greening the porch is a very interesting activity.
Ekaterina Khozyainova, the newspaper Fazenda, 2015