1900s Foursquare Porch Replacement

For a dozen years, our clients Mary Ann and Wes, have owned a Classic 1900s Foursquare masonry house in a historic neighborhood near the Military Ridge State Trail, Verona, WI. The home they own had a century-old front porch that has been poorly maintained over the years and was showing its age. The porch had at least three previous roofing jobs during its life, and an improperly installed upper railing had was nailed through the rubber membrane. These items led to the roof's failure. It was time for a new porch, and this one would require a complete teardown and a complete replacement.

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Vintage Porch Replacement Process

The walls of this American Foursquare home used load-bearing masonry. The porch foundation used the same 110-year-old masonry. Unfortunately, the porch foundation had no footings, and it rested slightly below ground level. It was critical to salvage the historic masonry to keep the look as original as possible while bringing it up to modern standards. The installation of new concrete footings around the porch masonry required careful work. The result is a new foundation that supports the structure and a new porch that will last a hundred years without tilting and dipping from side to side. We also installed a TPO (Thermoplastic Polyolefin) roof and a correctly seated railing system to eliminate the water leaks that compromised the structure. Due to a rooftop door, the new railings had to meet the current building code.

Exceptional Craftsmanship Equals A Seamless Replacement

The original porch had paneled half walls between the columns, and we created the same effect using low maintenance LP SmartSide and Permacast fiberglass columns. The porch half-walls provide a sense of enclosure and privacy, and a pair of ceiling fans provide circulation for warm summer days. Both the floor and the roof deck have been built with an appropriate pitch to shed water, ensuring that the real wood decking of the porch floor will last for decades to come. The TPO roof is made to be walked on and has furniture placed upon it and our clients have gas fire pits safely placed on the lower porch and the upper roof deck!

A Timeless Classic Restored

Classic white paint was used to finish the porch walls, railings, and ceiling. It contrasts gently to the block masonry and the gray porch floor and ties in with all the white trim features on the main house. The result is a porch that provides privacy and a roof deck made with a gas fire pit for cool days, and a ceiling fan for a warm. This porch is prepared for generations to come and a lifetime of enjoyment!

This porch is now a hybrid. It is a modern adaptation of the original porch with all of the function and charm inherent to the original home. It is stable, safe, and comfortable, and most importantly, made to be used!

Click here to see before, during, and after photos of this project side by side.