A wrap around porch was once an iconic American home feature. It’s hard to believe that wraparound porches once dominated the suburban landscape.
The spaces were useful on many levels, but their presence has waned. Today, new homes rarely include porch house plans.
Renee Kahn, author of the book “Preserving Porches,” said, “The front porch was no longer an idyllic setting where one could relax and commune with nature,” for the “exhaust fumes and the noise of a steady stream of cars and trucks had rendered it inhospitable and unhealthy.”
If you’re familiar with wraparound porches, we’ll show you examples that may inspire you to add one to your home. We will cover all of this and more with our wrap-around porch guide.
What Is A Wraparound Porch?
A wraparound porch is a porch that wraps around a home. The word porch comes from the Italian word “portico” which refers to a raised home entrance. One misconception is how a porch wraps around the entire home. A wraparound porch can only include half of a home.
Veranda vs Wraparound Porch
Most people know the differences between a gazebo and patio, however, a veranda is something quite different.
Veranda Style
Veranda is the Portuguese word for “porch.” It is similar to a traditional porch as it has a roof and is located on the ground floor of a home. A veranda can be attached anywhere to your home and doesn’t have to be at the front. You could have side veranda or backyard veranda.
The space is intended to serve as a transition area from from outdoors to indoors. As long as it has a roof and is on the ground floor, then it’s a veranda.
Wraparound Porch
Wraparound porches can wrap around three or two sides of a home, but they don’t wrap around the entire home. The best thing about this porch style is how it provides great outdoor view from multiple angles of your home.
A wraparound porch doesn’t have to be on the first floor. If it’s on the second floor, then you would call it a wrap around balcony. A wrap around balcony, unlike its porch counterpart, can circle the entire home. This is beneficial as it offers a clea view from each side of your home.
How To Build A House With Wraparound Porch
A wraparound porch isn’t an impulse decision whereby you decide you want one and by the end of the day, you have a porch. To break it down further, buying a wraparound porch is not like going to the store and buying a shower curtain.
Wraparound porches require planning, preparation, and a building permit. Wrap around porch house plans should be taken seriously. You’ll need to enlist the services of a professional contractor.
Is A Building Permit Required?
It depends on where you live. You should make sure that you don’t need a local building permit whenever you undergo any type of construction.
When adding to your home exterior, you’ll need a permit from a local authority. Luckily, most permits last about six months.
Wraparound Porch Size
With porch length, most wraparound porches wrap around the perimeter of the home. However, some only wrap halfway around while others may wrap a third of the way around.
When determining the width, allow between four feet and 12 feet. However, six to eight feet is the standard. This allows space for furniture while still allowing plenty of room to walk.
Wrap Around Porch Materials
Though you can get creative and build a porch with concrete or brick, most house plans with wrap around porches are wooden. Redwood is a popular choice and makes for stylish outdoor living spaces that add value and curb appeal to your home.
A porch comes with added responsibilities like annual power washing, refinishing, and staining. Aside from that, any type of outdoor wood would be safe.
Building The Porch
It’s not recommended to build a wrap around porch as a DIY project unless you have construction experience. A porch requires a strong foundation, first and foremost. Next, you’ll need a level platform and a strong railing for support.
Step 1: Prepping Area
Once you’ve decided where to build your wrap around porch, you need to secure a building permit from the local office. After that’s done, you can mark out where you want to build with stakes and level the land there.
Get rid of any bumps or uneven areas in the land with hand tools. It doesn’t have to be perfect as we will make things level in our next step. But do your best to level it out by eye and to get a good area marked out.
Step 2: Pour Concrete Footers
Next up, you will need to dig holes at the end of where the porch will be. Dig them no more than 12 feet apart, ensuring there are holes at the corners of the house. This is where you will add posts and secure them with concrete.
Installing concrete footers is easier than it sounds. But it’s very important that each post is level and secure before you move on to the next step. So, learn how to ensure that they are level before you begin building them.
Step 3: Install Framing
If you’ve ever built a frame, this shouldn’t be a problem. This is the frame that your deck boards will lay on. It needs to be done after the concrete dries and it should be very, very stable. Use appropriate deck bolts.
If you’ve never built a porch or house frame before, then make you get help at this point. It’s very important for your family’s safety that everything is done correctly. So get help even if it is just to walk you through the process.
Step 4: Decking
After you find out that the deck is level and secure, you can start adding the deck boards. Find a board that works well for outdoor use and that you love the look of. Then, start securing them to the frame.
After you add the deck board, you can add a railing and a roof. These two aren’t necessary but are recommended. Making a full wrap-around porch complete with these two things will add substantial value to your home.
Wrap Around Porch Expenses
A wrap-around porch can be quite pricey. But if you do things slowly, you should be able to afford one before you know it. The average cost for a wrap around porch is somewhere between $30,000 and $60,000.
Most of the cost will be on flooring or decking because this will be about 30-50% of the cost. Then, the second biggest cost will be the roof. After that, the costs are fairly low compared to the other two parts, which will be visible.
Breakdown Of Expenses
- Permit – $100 – $500
- Railing – $500 – $1,500
- Columns – $500 – $3,000
- Foundation – $1,000 – $4,000
- Roof – $3,000 – $7,000
- Flooring – $5,00 – $10,000
Farmhouse With Wrap Around Porch Ideas
The most popular type of wrap-around porch is a farmhouse with wrap around porch. That’s because the farmhouse was one of the original types of houses to offer wrap-around porches. These porches are still inspiring today.
While you can make it your own in any way, here are some things to consider if you want to enjoy an original farmhouse with wrap around porch.
Sunlight
Do you spend most of your time outside in the evening or morning? Think about this so you can decide if you want to watch the sunrise or sunset more often. You can choose both if you have a 360-degree porch.
Privacy
If you have close neighbors, you will want to make sure your porch isn’t facing them. At least not the area you will be sitting out on. So take this into consideration when you are planning where you will put your furniture.
Size
Farmhouse porches are usually large than other wrap around porches. They need room for furniture, for family, and for strolling in the evenings. So make sure you get at least 6 feet out, more if possible.
Furniture
Swings, benches, rocking chairs, lanterns, and milk can stools. These are just a few things that can make a normal porch look like a farmhouse porch. It’s important to get furniture that looks like farmhouse furniture.
Colors
Most farmhouse porches are either stained a rustic color or painted. If you paint them, make sure you stick with farmhouse colors. Whites, creams, greens, and other vintage colors work well.
Repurposing
Finally, if you are building a farmhouse wrap-around porch, then repurpose something. This can be furniture, beams for your house, pillars, or even the wood you use for your steps. Make the materials matter.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ
How To Protect A Wrap Around Porch From Rain?
Large board and batten siding will protect your porch space during rainstorms. You could also until weather tarps to block the rain and prevent water from ruining your deck.
Can You Install A TV On A Wrap Around Porch?
Wrap around porches usually don’t have TVs because there’s too much natural light. If you do install a TV on your porch, you’ll need to install sun screens.
What Is A Sleeping Porch?
An outdoor enclosure connected to a home and protected by screen windows. Located on the second floor, the porch style was popular 100 years ago when people slept outside so they could get fresh air and not catch tuberculosis.
Do I Have To Use Wood Flooring For My Porch?
Vinyl flooring for a wraparound porch would be the best substitute for wood flooring. The built-in advantages of vinyl flooring include temperature control features. Vinyl is also waterproof, making it the ideal material for homes in regional areas that receive heavy rainfall.
Wrap Around Porch Conclusion
Your budget will determine your porch. House plans rarely include wraparound porches due to their expense. Adding a porch to your home isn’t cheap, and should you decide that your want one, do not cut corners so you can save a few pennies.
A front porch is a greater status symbol today than it was 125 years ago. A wrap around porch house is worth the investment. Wraparound porches offer curb appeal and comfort, but if you don’t care of them, they can become liabilities.
If you have space, money, and can secure a building permit, then there should be nothing holding you back. Not only will you receive pleasure from your wrap-around porch but your money will be returned if you choose to sell the house.
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