Porches

Also Serving Kitchener and Guelph

Restoring, Repairing and Rebuilding Victorian Porches

Appearance Curb Appeal
Few things can be done to enhance your homes curb appeal or be more welcoming than restoring your front porch or verandah to its original beauty. A restored porch also adds a unique social and entertainment area to your home.

If your home has a small, or indifferently repaired porch, we can design and build it to better than new condition. You can choose from many materials, personalize it with custom features and finishes or enhance the walkway with flag stone or stamped concrete for an even greater effect.

Historical VS Modern Materials
In the 1900s, porches were built with old growth timber. The wood was dense, stable and cut to thicker dimensions than is standard today.

Additionally today's lumber is softer and more prone to expansion and contraction from changes in humidity. This can also cause buckling and or twisting, especially in the flooring materials.

Flooring
The material used to restore a porch floor is typically 1 1/8th inch thick tongue and groove pine flooring. This thickness is slightly less than in the original early 1900s but retains the original look and comes in two standard widths.

The top grade pine will still have a few imperfections but is a good choice for an historical look especially if you are planning to paint or apply a semi transparent stain to the new porch.

If a smooth look is desired a higher priced material such as cedar or IPE (Brazilian hardwood) will be required. There are a variety of non-traditional composite materials used mainly for decks surfaces.

Inspection Tips Examine the supporting piers for signs of damage or sagging. Check the general porch floor and columns, especially at the base of the columns where they meet the floor, and up where the top beams meet the columns as well. Check the condition of the roof over the porch. You can check the wood with a screw driver or sharp instrument for weak spots or rot. Can you see insects or signs of insect damage such as small white insects or hollow tubes? This may indicate the presence of termites. If you find these signs contact an exterminator immediately as you may have a bigger problem. You should have the entire house checked before reconstruction begins. If the wood is rotten, and soft, cracked and powdery you could have "dry rot". This is caused by repeated soaking and drying out of the wood. Areas that remain damp are prone to rapid decay. Cut back shrubbery and keep these areas clean of leaves and debris.

Repairing the Structure

The Frame
Occasionally the wood frame underneath the flooring will only require minor repairs but typically the floor needs to be leveled as the lumber has sagged or shifted.

We can rebuild or restore as needed depending on the condition of the lumber.

Pressured treated lumber is normally used for the framing structure as it stands up to the elements much better than untreated lumber. It provides some resistance to termites and has been the standard back yard deck and fencing material for years.

It is not recommended for porch flooring or exposed structure as it is prone to splitting and does not look as aesthetic as pine or cedar when finished.

There are different kinds of chemicals used to treat lumber which can affect the type of lumber used for the flooring. Our experienced carpenter will assess the condition of your entire structure and provide written recommendations that cover all aspects and options of your project.

Floor Options
If a more durable and richer feel is anticipated, Cedar can be substituted for pine. It is a softer wood but it has a natural look and can be stained and sealed to provide a variety of colours and is more durable than pine.

Cedar is naturally resistant to rot, but if neglected it will decay. Cedar costs approximately twice the amount of pressure

Cedars appearance is a beautiful golden brown when new, but it will turn grey within a year or two unless it's treated with a UV protecting sealer. We recommend annual resealing to preserve the appearance.

There are also some beautiful clear grades of pine and hardwoods without knots that can be used for railings and other high visibility areas.

Cost
Cedar is about double the price of pine.

Railings and Posts
We can closely match existing with standard rails & posts that are currently available or we can design custom railings and posts from wood or metal for special projects.