Every home has an entrance door. She needs protection from adverse weather conditions. Therefore, a country house is unthinkable without a canopy over the porch. It not only protects from the weather, but also gives a certain style to the entire building, creating convenience for incoming and outgoing residents. Being under a canopy, you can open an umbrella and save clothes from getting wet. Outdoor shoes can be left on the porch. What canopies are and what materials can they be built from?
Types of Canopies
There are two types of canopies over the porch: hanging and supporting. The former with all their weight are completely supported by the frame on the wall. Choosing this type, one should take into account its severity and build from lighter materials. If you want to do something more grandiose, then the choice should be stopped on a practical supporting canopy. In this case, the mounted support posts will provide additional support, due to which the need to save space will disappear. Such canopies can become real terraces. Railings and fences protect against the worst weather conditions.
Canopy Shapes
The canopies above the porch come in many forms.
- The simplest canopy is a single-pitched canopy. During the construction of the frame, it is placed with a slope from the house. This is done so that the water flows down, the snow does not accumulate. It is best to supplement this design with a gutter. Otherwise, precipitation will fall directly on the person.
- You can also place slopes on both sides of the porch. Such a canopy over the porch is called gable and is very easy to install.
- A tent canopy fits perfectly into almost any home design. It can be rounded or divided into sections.
- The canopy over the porch made of polycarbonate is mainly made in the form of an arch (arc). Flexible modern material allows you to realize your wildest expectations.
- Dome (spherical) structures allow their use in a small area, perfectly protecting from strong winds. This is especially true in areas with similar climatic events.
- The canopy can be built concave. It will serve as an original addition to the facade and relieve fear of snow accumulation on the visor.
Primary requirements
Before designing and installing the canopy above the porch, some conditions should be considered.
- The width of the structure should not be less than the front door, which in this case will remain unprotected. The optimal width is 1.5 times more.
- The canopy above the porch must withstand any weather conditions: strong wind, hurricane and blizzard. The materials used in the construction (preferably wood or metal) must be treated with special solutions that protect against corrosion, rot, mold, fungus.
- The slope should be more than twenty degrees. Otherwise, the visor will accumulate water and snow.
- When designing, it is worth considering the appearance and style of the building so that the canopy does not violate the architectural solution.
Metal canopies
The canopy over the porch of metal or just metal has a number of indisputable advantages.
- Metal is the most reliable construction for the frame, able to withstand any roofing material.
- If it is correctly and efficiently treated with anti-corrosion agents, then a long service life will be ensured.
- With temperature differences from ordinary to extreme, no deformation occurs.
To build a canopy over the porch of a private house, it is necessary to use metal pipes, deepening them into the ground by about 50 cm and pouring cement mortar. Rafters can be purchased duralumin or wooden. Their laying is made with an area exceeding the distance between the supporting posts. Beams are fastened using special fasteners or by welding.
The canopy over the porch of corrugated board is mainly used in the construction of single-pitched or arched structures. It is not recommended to carry out a curvilinear project using this material, since microcracks appear in the paintwork, leading to peeling of the paint.
Polycarbonate
A canopy over the porch made of polycarbonate is a great addition to the facade interior. Using this material you can create a unique style solution. You can mount it without much effort. And the strength of the material will withstand the hottest days, and low sub-zero temperatures. Polycarbonate is a very lightweight covering material, which eliminates the need to make additional supports, but simply attach it to the wall of the house. In addition, there are many different colors, among which you can choose the most suitable for the overall architectural solution.
Installation steps
First you need to mark on the wall the place where the mounts will be. Then make the frame by making holes for fastening in it. The whole structure is screwed to the wall. After that, the stage of processing with anticorrosive materials and painting begins. Next, polycarbonate is installed.
Polycarbonate Installation Rules
As in the construction of any structures, when installing such canopies, some rules should be taken into account. The end sections of this design must be closed with a sealing tape that prevents the penetration of moisture. For fastening sheets using connecting profiles. Joints must also be tightly sealed. This will prevent leaks during the rainy season. A polycarbonate sheet does not bend more than 70 degrees. Otherwise, it will not stand and burst.
Between sheets of material you need to leave gaps of about 5 mm. This is due to the fact that in hot weather it will expand, expanding its area. The initial assembly is best done without removing the protective film to prevent possible damage.
For the frame, it is not necessary to take metal pipes. It can also be aluminum. It is very resistant to corrosion, does not bend, it does not need to be additionally treated with protective solutions.
The forged canopy over the porch also looks very beautiful and stylish . Beautiful curls will give a unique charm to the entire facade and will delight the eye for many years. Such frames are very strong and durable to use. Almost any material used for the topcoat is perfect for forging.
Wooden canopies
Wood is a material that always remains in fashion. The wooden canopy above the porch of the house, built from the same material or trimmed with it, looks especially harmonious. The advantages of wood are environmental friendliness, decorativeness, reliable protection from the sun. They are easy to install. Of the shortcomings, susceptibility to decay and destruction by bark beetles should be noted. Therefore, to protect against weather conditions and insects before installation, the material must be carefully treated with special impregnations and more than once.
You can not mount a completely wooden canopy, but make it combined. The supports and floors are made of wood, and the top cover is made of tiles, corrugated board. These visors will look spectacular and fit into any interior. If you wish, you can make carved structures from wood, create a real work of art.
Installation
To equip the canopy you will need: timber, board and construction tools. The beam is used as supporting posts that are mounted on screws or dowels. Rafters rest on a support board or wall. Everything is connected with screws or corners. Then, a crate is laid on top with a distance between the boards of not more than 90 cm. A roof is attached over the crate.
Finally
It doesn’t matter whether the canopy over the porch is done on its own or with the assistance of specialists, the main thing is to choose the right form, materials and coating that will fit into the overall design of the house and will only decorate it, while protecting it from bad weather and creating comfort for residents and guests of the house. Currently, the market is full of a variety of building materials, choosing from which is optimal is not difficult.