How to Change a Small Porch Into Bigger Sitting Area

Look at various ways to extend the porch floor base. Build an extended wooden deck on one end, for example. Construct a concrete deck 10 feet square, as another choice. Create a couple of separate deck levels, if the porch is in a sizeable backyard space.

Go over ideas to create a bigger porch roof area. Figure out how to extend a porch roof by a few feet, or buy an awning that attaches directly to the house. Purchase lawn umbrellas or construct a wooden trellis for shade as other options.

Design wooden or concrete flooring to support lawn furniture. Cover an extended concrete porch space with porcelain tile, for example. Use gray tile all over the concrete flooring and install an outdoor sofa and two side chairs. Store the furniture under a large awning attached to the house during extreme weather.

Build a wooden deck for sitting in hot climates. Construct an extension for your small porch out of Western cedar, for example, so the floor space doesn’t absorb too much heat. Add wooden boxes for outdoor plants to turn the sitting area into an outdoor room. Build the new deck space with room for a hot tub at one end, so the sitting space becomes an entertainment area.

Construct a deck at ground level for a simple seating solution. Use 2-by-8-foot boards to build the framework perimeter and floor joists for a simple deck that will rest 8 inches above the ground level, requiring no handrails or steps. Cover the decking with 2-by-4-inch boards to make a deck floor. Install lawn furniture made of pressure-treated wood on the deck for a well-designed outdoor space.