Boost Curb Appeal With a Front Porch

by Christopher Wittmann

The question came up recently on what remodeling projects have I found are most popular lately.  It’s outdoor living – where you can extend the square footage of your house with a new porch or deck.
A deck or porch can create a natural transition from indoor to outdoor space, allowing homeowners to expand on their entertaining options and provide a place where families can gather for meals, conversation, and relaxation in the great outdoors.
No matter the style of your home – mid-century modern, transitional, contemporary, or traditional – there are products and designs to blend in seamlessly.
Although there are many similarities to decks, this blog will just address porches.  The porch is the entryway to your home and is what draws the eye from the street.
Like decks, a porch can be built from various materials: wood, vinyl, composite, and cellular PVC.
Pricewise, wood is least costly and appeals to many homeowners.  The advantage is you can paint, stain, and customize as much as you want.  However, the flip side is it requires more maintenance.  You can expect to have to repaint and restain on a regular basis, depending on the environment.
Vinyl, which requires less maintenance with no painting or staining, is a plastic material so it is prone to expansion and contraction and possible warping and fading.  It’s the next level up in cost.
Composite is typically a mixture of two or more materials.  In this case, it’s wood flour and plastic. It is more durable than wood or vinyl, but with a wood element, homeowners may find themselves having to do a sealant.

PVC is a very low maintenance product and AZEK is the most popular of PVC brands.  Because it’s 100 percent PVC, it doesn’t warp, twist or fade, and doesn’t require painting or staining.  When it gets dirty, or even if someone would spill red wine, all it needs is a hosing down.  It’s impervious to moisture and insects.
A lot of manufacturers now are integrating hidden fasteners systems into their materials so there are no screws, nails, or fasteners exposed.  It’s a nice, clean look.
Porch railings allow you a chance to add a little flair to the design with color and detail.  You have many choices of styles and accessories.  With the advent of different railing options such as metal, tempered glass, and cable-type systems, homeowners can put their custom signature on their porch design.

Sustainable and long-lasting low-voltage LED lighting can be incorporated in the steps, under the rails, or on the perimeter.
Whether you are replacing an old porch or want to add one to your home, you can be sure you will enhance your curb appeal, add value to your home, protection for your front door, and have attractive, usable living space.