The Front Porch

The Front Porch
Four guys are working on the front porch. - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
Four guys are working on the front porch.

I walked the dog over to see the new house. The trim was delivered and the contractor said to expect the installers. As I came around the corner, look! The guys are putting up the porch railing.

Building the porch railing - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
Building the porch railing

The columns were already put up. The railings are already up on one side and he is putting in the balusters.

Putting up the porch railing - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
Putting up the porch railing

The guy in the yellow shirt is supervising.

Using a piece of wood as a guide for spacing the balusters - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
Using a piece of wood as a guide for spacing the balusters

He uses a piece of wood as a guide to be sure the balusters are right.

Screwing in the top rail - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
Screwing in the top rail

I was there to see the other side go in.

Screwing in the bottom rail - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
Screwing in the bottom rail

They measured, cut and secured the top and bottom rails.

Screwing in the bottom rail - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
Screwing in the bottom rail

Then they started the first baluster in the center.

Leveling the balusters - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
Leveling the balusters

He made sure everything is level.

Building Our New Schumacher Home – Step-by-Step
The front of the house

So, this is what the front of the house will look like. Sort of. This is level. Ours will have steps up to it. Which means it have to have a railing so nobody falls off the porch.

So, here it is, ready for the steps. - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
So, here it is, ready for the steps.

They can’t put in the steps to the porch until after the final grade.

Front porch from on the porch - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
Front porch from on the porch

They have finished and left. This is what the porch looks like from on the porch.

Front porch from on the porch - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
Front porch from on the porch

Materials

The materials for the porch were delivered a while ago.

They delivered paint grade wood for the front porch. - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
They delivered paint grade wood for the front porch.

The back porch was treated wood. The front porch will be painted. It uses a different grade of wood.

YellaWood Columns - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
YellaWood Columns

These are the columns.

YellaWood Columns - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
YellaWood Columns

YellaWood Columns
Kiln Dried After Treatment

Beautiful high-grade KDAT lumber the Environmental Column of Choice

    • Yellow color identifies it as a quality product from Great Southern Wood
    • Hollow core makes column lighter weight
    • Factory-applied end sealer minimizes checking
    • Ready to paint or stain immediately
    • 4 x 4 column is sold glulam column
    • High grade lumber with small knots
    • Treated for ground contact

Must be primed, painted or stained immediately after installation!

These are 8×8 width and 10ft length.

Earlier

So, this is everything that happened with the porch before this.

The piers - the first time the footers were dug - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
The piers – the first time the footers were dug

First step was digging the footers. This is the first time the footers were dug. This was quite an undertaking. But, the footers for the piers for the front porch never gave us trouble. The springs were in the back.

The piers for the porch - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
The piers for the porch

Here are the concrete foundation piers for the porch.

The piers for the front porch with the block foundation - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
The piers for the front porch with the block foundation

The block foundation is up. After the grading, the piers were buried a long way down.

When they were putting on the roof. - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
When they were putting on the roof.

When they set the roof trusses.

After the framing, cladding and wrap. Before they cut open the front door or window. - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
After the framing, cladding, wrap and trusses. Before they cut open the front door or window.

As they were building the roof.

Putting on flashing - Building the Porches - Project Small House
Putting on flashing

Putting the flashing on for the front porch.  “Flashing creates a barrier to prevent moisture from entering the house in the openings you create when attaching your ledger board connection.” 

The built the porch before they put in the supports. - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
The built the porch before they put in the supports.

When they first built the porch, they used temporary supports. You can see they have put in the front door and the windows.

More about Building the Porches >

They dug down to the pier and added the porch support. - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
They dug down to the pier and added the porch support.

Later, they came back, dug up the piers and put up the porch supports.

Leveling the porch support. - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
Leveling the porch support.

They leveled the porch supports and bolted them in.

Leveling the porch support. - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
Leveling the porch support.

Supporting the front porch.

The porch with the supports. - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
The porch with the supports.

So, this is the porch with the supports.

The front porch with the siding finished - The Front Porch - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
The front porch with the siding finished

Then they put up the siding.

The front porch ceiling with the completed fascia and soffit - Installing the Vinyl Siding - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
The front porch ceiling with the completed fascia and soffit

They put white vinyl on the ceiling.

Other Progress - The cabinets were delivered - Project Small House
Other Progress – The cabinets were delivered

Other Progress

They are adjusting the front grill. It was off by an inch. - Building Our Schumacher Home - Project Small House
The front grill is adjusted. It was crooked.

They are  adjusting the front grill. It was off by an inch.

Other Progress - The attic stairs were delivered - Project Small House
The attic stairs were delivered

The cabinets, interior doors and trim were delivered.

Next: Installing the Pull-Down Attic Ladder >