Back Porch replacement

In early October 2008 I decided it was time to replace the old rear stairs to the back porch on our circa 1860’s home/project. The first blow of the sledge brought the old porch down and revealed rotten seals under the kitchen and porch. Then it was emergency repair time!

Once the seals were patched and covered, I started on the porch with a hired helper. At the end of the first day, my wife came home, surveyed the work, and proclamed, “This is not what I wanted at all.” Then I got the, “I thought we talked about this”.

The next day I added the deck. She again came home and decided, “This might be ok”.
A few more days passed and the stairs were on and she said, “I think I’ll like this”.
A week passed and I had the handrails made and up and she declared, “I love it”. The bench on the end sealed the deal. I added a roof over the door to shed water away from the corner. I added a rain chain at the end the gutter and I will make an oak screen door fashioned after the bench back. We (me) painted it all with Cabot brand solid stains in white and brown. All the post are resting on concrete so no wood is in contact with soil.

I made the handrails beveling the top of 2×4’s on the table saw and rounding over the bottom side to produce a traditional shape. The bottom rail got a bevel and a center channel to accept a 3×4 inch baluster. I borrowed the baluster design from the front porch columns and the traditional “gingerbread” work used in many old houses. The combination of ideas produced a railing that is open and suits the details of the house. The bench is in an Adirondack style with a back designed to echo the Baluster design. It is fastened to the end of the deck with 1/2×12 inch carriage bolts and serves as a seat and a railing.

The last picture is a before shot of the old back steps.

-- TL. Roswell "The only thing that works in an old house is the man who lives there."