Porches, Decks & Outbuildings

by: Fine Homebuilding magazine

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Porches, Decks & Outbuildings
Fine Homebuilding magazine
Build outdoor structures that last
This collection of articles from Fine Homebuilding magazine brings together the professional advice you need to build attractive and lasting porches, decks, and other outdoor living structures. You'll learn how to:
. design porches and decks that suit any house
. choose materials that resist rot and hold up to the weather
. restore an old porch to its original glory
. build a deck that is plain and simple or that has built-in furniture
. create attractive and ingenious screens that let breezes in but keep bugs out
. tackle other outbuildings, including saunas and garden structures

Porches, Decks & Outbuildings

Fine Homebuilding magazine

Build outdoor structures that last
Introduction

The American Porch

Classical Style in a Porch Addition

Porch Ornamentation

Porches that Won't Rot

Restoring a Porch

Frugal Four-Square Fixup

Two Lessons from a Porch Addition

Two-Story Summer Addition

Adding a Seasonal Porch

A Builder's Screen Porch

A Screen Porch Dresses Up a Ranch

Deck Design

A Screened-Porch Addition

Controlling Moisture in Deck Lumber

Details for a Lasting Deck

A Deck Built to Last

A Quality Deck

A Sound Deck

A Dining Deck

Curved Concrete Deck

The Deck Upstairs

A Decorative Post Cap

Pattern Routing Exterior Details

Railing Against the Elements

Porches, Decks & Outbuildings

Fine Homebuilding magazine

Build outdoor structures that last

A while back, I visited a friend's new house out in Bellingham, Washington. It's a Victorian farmhouse with a covered porch about 8 ft. deep running all the way around it. The porch is only a couple of steps up from grade, so no handrails are necessary, and there are no railings to funnel you in one direction or another.

You can step up to that porch from anywhere you want. That porch is like a big pair of arms welcoming you into the home's embrace. Despite the lack of railings, there are plenty of broad steps to sit on and sturdy posts to lean against.

I keep thinking about that porch and the way it made me feel. I'm pretty sure that at the end of a long, hard day it would be a good place to sit and enjoy a cold beer. And I think I've finally figured out a way to incorporate a porch like that into the new addition I'm building on my own house.

Whether it's a front porch, a screen porch, or a backyard deck, every home ought to have an outdoor space where you can relax at the end of the day or sit and watch the rain.

But exposed to weather like they are, porches and decks can be tricky to build. The right materials are critical, as are construction details that will shed water. In this book, which is a collection of articles from Fine Homebuilding magazine, you'll find advice on materials and details, along with design ideas for all sorts of porches, decks, and outbuildings. Written by builders and architects, who are discussing their own projects, these articles are the voice of experience.

-- Kevin Ireton, editor

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