DIY Porch Cover

Attaching the Roof Structure

• Common methods of attaching a roof or overhang to an existing structure include fastening joists to a support board, called a ledger, or attaching joists to the roof's trim, called fascia. Attachment to a ledger allows the roof addition to protrude from any point of flat wall surface. Attachment to fascia allows builders to blend the addition with the existing roof. For both methods, builders often use special brackets called joist hangers to hold joists.

Post-and-Beam Frame

• Post-and-beam framework is common among outdoor structures. A basic post-and-beam structure consists of relatively large pieces of lumber, usually at least 4 1/2-by-4 1/2 inches. To construct a post-and-beam structure, builders anchor upright framing members, called posts, to a footing, and anchor horizontal framing members, called beams, to the tops of the posts. Beams serve as structural support for joists and roof coverings. Post-and-beam construction creates an open-air, covered porch with wide spaces between framing members.

Enclosed Porch Frame

• As an alternative to post-and-beam construction, do-it-yourself builders may use conventional, stick-frame construction methods to build an enclosed, covered porch. The familiar "stud wall" is the primary unit of conventional, stick-frame construction. Stud walls support joists and roof coverings and provide an installation surface for exterior and interior cladding. Depending on local climate, enclosed porches have either screens or screens and windows over window openings, and either screen doors or solid doors.

Roofing Options and Materials

• Open-air porch covers sometimes consist of exposed, uncovered beams. Like the exposed framework of a pergola, uncovered porch framework visually covers its underlying area but provides only partial shade and nearly no protection from inclement weather. Alternatively, homeowners can cover porch roof framework with nearly any type of roof covering material, including corrugated roofing panels and asphalt shingles. Roofing panels are available in clear and opaque varieties. Clear panels allow sun to enter a covered porch year-round. On the other hand, many homeowners choose to match the porch roof covering with the roof covering of the existing structure.