The Porch Book

Ideas and instruction for adding a porch to your home

The Porch Book is inspiring and broadly instructive, showcasing the beauty and benefits of adding a porch to common home styles. A gallery of inspirational ideas includes porches designed for enhanced outdoor living, with an emphasis on those attached to decks and patios. Plenty of attention is given to structural considerations, such as bolstering framing to add a porch to a deck, adding a roof, footings and foundations, insulation and weatherproofing, and wiring and plumbing basics.

From simple covered steps to grand verandas, porches are inviting, comfortable, gracious, and even genteel. They can add warmth to the coldest facade, increase energy efficiency, and offer a sweet sweep of shade outdoors. Turn to The Porch Book and flip through a section of before-and-after photos that demonstrate how front porches can radically improve the look of a home. Then, choose a construction style that complements your home and get ready to bring some added charm to your living space.

• Features before-and-after photos that inspire you to give your home's exterior a facelift
• Covers amenities that make porches more attractive, like lighting and fans, kitchen areas, decorative ceiling and wall treatments, flooring options, and much more
• Offers design construction topics, like using an architect, permit issues, adding entryways, and more