Back Porch Paradise

A beautiful back porch with ipê wood flooring, a massive fireplace, and adjoining patio was added to this two-story, historic home to turn the backyard into the perfect place for outdoor entertaining.

Since the house was located in a historic district, the addition had to be approved and comply with local regulations. Architect Nick Holmes of Holmes and Holmes Architects incorporated many of the architectural features found on the existing home into the design of the porch.

Porch and Patio Foundation

After the footprint of the addition had been established, holes were dug for the concrete footings and steel rebar added for reinforcement. Once the footings had been poured, concrete blocks were laid, then filled with concrete to provide a solid core for the foundation.

Concrete slabs were also poured for an adjoining patio, with wooden forms used to create troughs in the concrete for a brick border. A decorative diagonal pattern was cut into the concrete patio with a circular saw.

Porch Framing

Once the foundation was complete, sheet metal termite shields were placed on top of the concrete block piers. Pressure treated floor joists were used to frame the 17’ wide by 24’ long porch. To make sure rainwater runs off the porch floor, the floor joists were installed with the center of the porch a bit higher than the edges.

Posts to support the ceiling and roof were attached to the joists and notched at the top to accept beams. Ceiling joists were then installed across the porch between the beams.

A decorative scroll pattern was cut into the bottom of the exposed ends of the rafters to match the design on the house. The roof framing was then covered with plywood decking followed by roofing.

Porch Fireplace

The firebox and chimney were assembled from precast masonry material made by FireRock, so it would have exactly the right shape to draw properly. The fireplace and concrete block foundation piers were then covered with brick that had been chosen to match the house.

Porch Columns and Trim

To match the recessed panel columns on the front of the house, the pressure treated posts were covered with:

• A layer of plywood.
• Trim boards to form the center panels.
• Corner boards made from 1×4 lumber.
• Plinth blocks on the column tops.
• Crown molding around the capitals.
• Bases on the bottom of the columns.

The ceiling on the porch was then covered with wood beadboard to mimic the ceiling found on the front porch of the house.

Ipê Porch Flooring

The flooring for the porch was made from a dense, tropical hardwood called ipê. Native to South America, ipê is naturally resistant to moisture, fungus, insects, and rot. The tongue and groove flooring was installed using stainless steel screws in predrilled holes. A small gap was left between every few rows of flooring to allow for expansion.

Added Amenities

Other amenities on the porch included:

• Cabinets for an outdoor kitchen were constructed.
• Pressure treated lattice panels were installed around the foundation.
• Mahogany door with glass was installed on the back of the house.
• Mantel and flat screen TV were installed above the fireplace.

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