What They Did
1. Reused the original framing: Because the deck footings were able to withstand the load of the new porch, which was designed in the same footprint, the contractor could strip off the old deck boards and railings and build on existing framing.
2. Included a small deck: Adding a 6-by-7-foot deck for barbecuing—making trips up and down the stairs to the patio below unnecessary—required new footings and framing.
3. Put up a roof and airy walls: A new shed roof shelters the porch and the peaked ceiling underneath it. Wall panels were made from charcoal-colored fiberglass screening sandwiched between two frames built from baluster stock; they sit outside the porch railing. Prepainting the stock for the panels kept the mesh pristine.
4. Used rot-resistant materials: Mold- and decay-resistant ipe covers the floors. Oil-based caulks keep small spaces watertight, and Azek PVC planks trim out spots where moisture could rest or seep in, such as the column bases and top rails.
