How to Put a 3 Season Porch on the Front of a New House

Draw the house design with porch dimensions that do not cover the entire front. Leave siding or brick exposed on the home's facade, or the large porch will make the house front look too informal. Incorporate a roof shape, wooden framing and window placement to create a somewhat formal entry for the house. Add a hip roof on the porch, for example, to fit with a colonial brick home with a hip roof.

Select porch enclosure materials. Install stacked stone on the lower half, for example, to fit well with a rustic 2-story cedar-sided home. Use cement-fiber siding to match the home’s exterior siding as another choice. Design windows, glass blocks, or large glass panels on upper walls to give the porch a balanced look. Plan to open windows to create a cross breeze on warm days. Install storm doors, so the room is as energy-efficient as possible.

Build the porch foundation to blend perfectly with the home’s foundation. Install brick over concrete blocks, for example, that look seamless with a house brick foundation that’s already in place. Avoid constructing a front porch enclosure on pilings or support posts, unless the home’s architecture fits this type of raised foundation. Keep in mind that an open foundation allows more cold air under the room, which can drive up heating costs in using space heaters.

Construct the porch framework with high-quality hardwood lumber. Use oak beams throughout and buy double French doors constructed of solid oak, for instance. Install attic joists and floor joists on 16-inch centers using 2-by-8-inch boards. Build the framework with 8-inch thick boards to allow for deeper insulation throughout the space.

Install exterior materials, such as siding or brick, to enclose the lower half of the three-season space. Make the lower half of the room airtight to maintain a stable interior temperature in spring, summer and fall. Add a high R-value of insulation in appropriate wall spaces to help create a solid dead-air space. Cover the porch roof with ½-inch plywood to prepare for roofing materials. Run wiring materials while porch interior walls are open. Plan to install overhead lighting and several electrical outlets in wall areas.

Install drywall, subflooring or tile to finish the interior. Nail on roofing materials, such as asphalt shingles or cedar shakes and finish painting details.