Demoing your porch? Read this!
Junk Removal Advice:
Porches are lovely additions to any home. They are usually the last item to be installed before closing on a house and can make a great first impression for people touring your home for sale.
Remove the porch floor by prying out each plank with a hammer and pry bar. Work your way from one end to the other beginning at one end. In the areas where you see nails, use the hammer to drive the prong of the pry bar below them. Remove the boards by lifting up on the prong with a hammer.
Types of porches
There are three prominent porches: brick, concrete, and wooden. These porches require different maintenance steps and can be removed and reused in new construction.
For brick porches, you’ll need to replace the mortar at a minimum every six months, and one-half inch of mortar is suitable for every year of wear. If more frequent maintenance is necessary, any stucco will work. Seal the joints with a quality waterproof sealer before replacing the piers or posts which support your porch.
Each spring, the surface should be sealed before freezing weather forms ice that can crack your concrete for concrete porches. While the icing on concrete is safe to walk on during warmer weather, it will cause damage if you step on the ice during freezing temperatures.
On wooden porches, peeling is typical, and you’ll need to plan on replacement in the event of extensive damage. If your wooden porch is painted, you’re probably in good shape. If the wood is stained, the finish will likely be worn, and your porch will need to be replaced. If you replace a porch with new wood, you’ll probably want to choose the wood treated for wet weather.
Once the original shingles on your porch are rusted through or damaged beyond repair, consider a new roof system that’s made specifically for your porch. This prevents water from entering your house and creating rot under the shingles. Wood roofs can also be replaced with composite shingles in one step of installation and offer improved thermal properties over traditional asphalt shingles.
Starting a porch demo
Before starting any demolition project, it is important to take safety precautions and follow the proper procedures. This is especially true when demolishing a porch, as there is a risk of the porch collapsing. To demo a porch properly, start by removing any railings or furniture. Then, use a sledgehammer to break up the flooring. Once the flooring is removed, you can begin to remove the support beams. It is important to work slowly and carefully to avoid damaging the structure of the house. When all of the beams have been removed, the porch can be safely demolished.
Ripping out your old rotting porch is one of those tasks we all put off until there’s no other option but ripping it out one way or another. If your porch is starting to rot and fall apart, you’re going to want to know how to demo a porch so you can make sure that it’s gone for good.
By knowing how to demo a porch, you can avoid the hassle of having the city or homeowners association tell you how and when your old porch has to come out. Demos take time and energy, but it doesn’t have to be a big deal if you have the right equipment. If you have a large area like a front porch or back deck that needs tearing out, then getting in touch with your local trash service is also an option if they offer garbage removal. These services will help you get rid of the old porch so you can demo a porch the professional way.
Home improvement stores and online retailers sell everything you need to demo a porch, from scrapers and shovels to saws and buckets for putting material in. If your porch is cement instead of wood, then scraping away the paint may be all you’ll need to do. You may also find that standing on an old board to reach up top will help remove nails or screws that are giving you trouble.
You never know what projects are waiting around your house until they happen. Many people put off ripping out old porches because of the large amount of work and mess that comes with doing a professional job tearing them down.
There are many reasons you may need to demo your porch, be it that it’s falling apart, damaged, or just old. Porches are the perfect add-on to any home, but that doesn’t mean they’ll last forever. Though a porch adds value to the property, if it’s in terrible condition and about to fall apart, you’re going to want to do something about it before it becomes an eyesore on your property, as well as become a safety hazard for all the people who use your property. Demos are easy and don’t involve a lot of hassle, but they take time and energy. By following these steps before you start on your porch project, you can make sure that you’re doing it right so there won’t be any issues in the long run. Whatever the reason, you want it gone, and you want it done by a professional who knows how to demo a porch efficiently.
If your porch is damaged, you may be able to fix it yourself. However, if the damage is intense and it’s beyond your capabilities to repair or replace the damaged parts, then it’s time to call in a pro.
How to do a professional porch demo.
1. Identify the damage.
Identify the areas of your porch that need work and determine what you can repair on your own. Some issues like rotten boards and broken shingles can be fixed on your own, while other issues like holes and rot will require professional help. Once you’ve determined what you can fix, secure the area so that it cannot fall or be moved while you’re doing the demo, and also make sure that there are no hazards that could cause injury if it breaks during the demo. This could include tying down large pieces of furniture taping off electrical outlets.
2. Determine what needs to stay up and go down.
This step is necessary because you may be able to keep a few parts of your porch in place to provide structure and support for the installed new porch. This can cut down on the cost of demoing your porch if you find that certain parts are in good shape. The most common areas you want to remove are those that are damaged or rotted and those which are old and unnecessary. If there is any nonfunctional or damaged furniture on the porch, remove it as well. It’s important to know where each part should go down so everything else can stay up accordingly.
3. Plan how to dismantle the porch and how you will dispose of the material.
Take pictures and measurements of your entire porch to know what pieces are going where. The goal is to make sure that everything goes back together when you’re done. Depending on your goals, you can decide whether to keep wood and metal in good condition or if they should be tossed in a dumpster. Before you begin any demolition, take out any personal items that may be affected by the demo, such as cushions or plant pots, then wrap around wires and shut off water supply hoses if possible before doing anything else.
4. Remove any trash and junk on your property.
You do not want to have a smell of rotting wood, so remove anything that you don’t need to have on your property. If you have a porch demo done professionally, you can skip this step and go right to step 5, but if it is your project, then make sure you take all trash and junk out of the area before starting your demo. Some of the things you could take out include old paint cans and containers, cardboard boxes, old plastic bags. You don’t want to be left with a smell while the demo is going on.
5. Pull down the old porch.
Using water hoses or other cleaning methods is practical and necessary for all wet areas during a clean-up. Remove any damaged parts you can fix yourself and repair or replace the frames that need help. If the area is dangerous, it’s time to call in a pro to do your porch demoing. However, if you are using a professional company to do the work, make sure they can come when the weather is nice enough not to damage your property during their clean-up process. There are many ways of tearing down a wood porch, but most do involve breaking apart the structure as much as possible, so it is easier to remove. If some boards cannot be removed, you’ll need to build up pressure on them to make sure they pop off one by one. You can use a battering ram for this purpose if needed, too. This step will disrupt your property more than any other part of the demo, so be careful when doing it. You don’t want to be caught with a surprise in the middle of taking down your porch when the smell gets too intense.
6. Start over with a new porch.
Assemble your new frame first before doing anything else. Then begin replacing each part of the porch one by one on top of your new frame. If there are areas where the new frame can support all of these components, then put them down first. If you’re doing this project yourself, remember to secure each piece before moving on. If you’re using a professional service to do the project, let them know what areas are essential and where to put them down.
7. Finish the project.
Once you have all of your new frames and parts in place, begin constructing your porch where your old one was. You can quickly and efficiently construct it using kits or those available at any hardware store. Just be careful not to get debris inside the new frame or building materials when you’re done. It is good to use sandbags to help anchor down loose parts while they are being built in place.
Assemble your new frame first before doing anything else. Then begin replacing each part of the porch one by one on top of your new frame. If there are areas where the new frame can support all of these components, then put them down first. If you’re doing this project yourself, remember to secure each piece before moving on.
8. Add in some finishing touches and protectors.
Once you have everything up and working, it’s time to add in some finishing touches like curtains and blinds, as well as find ways to protect the surfaces that will be visible from outside your home when it’s finished. This is important, so you don’t have to do any of these things on your own down the road when your porch starts to show wear and tear.
When discussing porch construction, be sure to consult with a professional before starting. This will mean getting estimates upfront that outlines precisely what you need, where the work will take place, and what it will cost. Being prepared and planning is always crucial when doing work like this, so it’s good to learn from someone who has experience in the field first.
Even if you’re using a professional company for this project, take some time to read about the techniques used in other homes before beginning. This will give you an idea of the process you’ll need to follow and the types of materials you’ll need. Once you have all the materials gathered, start planning and taking measurements on your own while getting estimates from different companies as needed.
However, it’s best to do this yourself if it will take more than a couple of hours. If you’re going to be doing this yourself, make sure your home is in a good state when doing this work. You can’t fix or repair the damage that has already occurred if it’s already begun, so make sure everything is repaired before beginning this project.
To conclude, porch construction is an essential addition to your home, whether you’re doing it yourself or calling in a professional. It’s a great way to increase your comfort and enjoy the outdoors, which is why the value of your home will increase just as much. You don’t want to work on this project without ensuring that everything you do will be worth doing.
If you’re interested in porch construction, then take some time to research different pros that offer this service. In many cases, it can be done quicker and cheaper using a do it yourself approach than using commercial services like Home Depot or Lowe’s.
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