This Monkton, Vermont family wanted to update their classic New England farmhouse and expand their living space to be more connected to the peaceful rural environment. They decided that they wanted to replace the tiny deck entry to their home with a spacious timber-framed porch and they asked an architect friend draft a design.
“My wife and I had been deliberating for some time about where we might want to focus our limited resources on improving the living space of our small house. An architect drew up a sketch of our house with a large 12x18 porch. We put it on our refrigerator and looked at it every day. After looking at their website, I decided to contact Lewis Creek Builders to see what it would take to make our drawing a reality…After that meeting it was hard to imagine anyone else building my porch.
"In order to meet the realities of my budget we agreed that Lewis Creek would frame out the porch,roof and stairs, as well as securing the roof with Ice and Water Shield. I agreed to take over and finish the roof, trim and decking. This was perfect because I had some skills but attempting to do the whole project myself would have been very difficult or even dangerous.”
At Lewis Creek Builders, our team is passionate about helping people find alignment between their dreams and the realities of a building project.
The porch is shed-style with posts, a deck, and a simple set of stairs. The materials used include hemlock facia, meranti tongue and groove, and Cumaru decking.
At the foundation of the deck, we installed Techno Metal Posts. Because of the high clay content, if we only place blocks below the deck, we would expect to see considerable frost heaving.
Cumaru (pronounced Koo’-mah-Roo) is a responsibly harvested high-density hardwood species that grows throughout northern South America. Due to its beautiful graining and varied appearance, Cumaru is often referred to as “Brazilian Teak”. Cumaru lumber is very resistant to decay and insects, making it ideal material for exterior usage. It is also priced competitively and often lower than many composite decking options.
Meranti is a pinkish to dark red wood out of Malaysia, Borneo, and the Philippines that is sometimes substituted for mahogany in cabinetwork, veneer, and finishes.
With careful planning, strategic material selection, and a creative approach to making it possible, this timber-framed porch project is a great example of how Lewis Creek Builders was able to partner with a homeowner to bring their dreams to life without breaking alignment with their budget.