Open front porch.
Well, we finally after 5 years of wanting to, opened our front porch. It was one of those deals where the previous owners had made it enclosed but really didn’t do any type of insulating so that it was blazing hot in the summer and too cool to enjoy in the fall and winter. Which makes for a considerable amount of real estate to store junk on.
Inside shot of the porch before demo.
Outside Before
All the windows removed
My Brother Nate beginning on the framework removal. Never attempt a project of this size on your own.
Or so say my little Mrs.
Hard to tell, but more framework removed.
So long walls
Here is our new antique door installed. That was a separate full day project due to door frame removal and straightening along with door trimming and a coat of polyurethane.
This is how it looked right before installing the new columns.
We cut away the support immediately surrounding the area where we were to install the column. Then, using a floor jack, a good $20 investment; we raiseed the porch roof slightly, lined up the plinth (column base) set the column which we cut to length on top and then slid the cap piece between the column and the roof beam. Finally we lowered the jack so that the full weight of that section was then resting on the column.
Here is our new front door and mailbox.
The next few shots are of how it now looks after all the demo work and with the new columns installed. I should add that to cut the columns I ended up using an electric chain saw as it was the easiest way to get a nice even cut. I measured from the square factory cut top, marked to length near the base and cut with the holding assistance of my lovely wife. All column ends also had to be painted to help act as a moisture barrier. Then I drilled and nailed the columns to the base and the base to the floor, caulked around the top and bottom seams so that now all that remains is some finish trim work and painting.
It is now significantly brighter inside the house without that dark enclosed front porch.
