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Shed Porch project is coming along

1158 Views 9 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  DesertRatTom
My big project lately has been putting a porch roof over the deck in front of the shed that serves as an office. The idea is to have a nice little nook where my wife and I can sit in the evening and enjoy time, coffee and maybe a toddy from time to time. It also has very fast wifi, so it will also serve as an alfresco place to write.

I've had some health issues slowing me down, but little by little I managed to get the roofing done on the porch, and the sidewalls and top rails in. We've been flirting with some rainy weather, so the roof's done just in time. The GAF self adhesive roll roofing was fairly easy to apply, but was abut 2 feet short, so I patched in a couple of 2-foot pieces on each end and overlapped the self adhesive roll over it by a foot. Flashing and lots of Henry's should do the trick. BTW, this is my first time doing roofing.

Put low side walls up on the sides to block the wind a bit, and plan a low half door on the right side so I have access to the storage and "relief" station around the back. Put on a first coat of good outdoor paint, but see I missed part of a post. That's what I get for working past sunset.

The pix gives you a pretty good idea of what I'm going for. Painting it with the same 4-color scheme as the house, and will lay in a concrete squares pathway, curving from the house to the center of the porch. You can see the edge of the shop shed on the right, and the little redwood box that houses the drip irrigation valves. The passage between the sheds may get covered at some point so storage on the big shelves and where the ladders are stowed will stay dry. You can see the sub panel that feeds both sheds in the back of the passage. Flex conduit directs power into each shed. Works since I never use both sheds at the same time.

Last night, I reset all the battery operated LED motion sensors so the path from house to porch lights up as you walk out there at night. One inside the porch roof stays lit as long as we're out there and moving a bit. I'll add a couple of IR bulbs to keep us toasty during winter. We can make tea and instant coffee in the office shed, and the refer has a bottle of bourbon and mixer as well. I like it, but glad not to be up on that roof anymore.

The low walls (36 inches high) are really a wind break now. I would really like to work out a way of enclosing it further to make it cozier, but the windows on the shed are really in the way, and the watering station restricts the size of the deck. But I'm working on a solution. BTW, being a shed, nothing is perfectly square, but I've managed to get most posts plumb. The sheet goods on the roof have made the cover solid!

I'll post a few more pictures as the project moves along.

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Nicely done. You could have the sides cantilevered out a little; that could give you a shelf as well.
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You've done a nice job there, Tom.

I would really like to work out a way of enclosing it further to make it cozier, but the windows on the shed are really in the way, and the watering station restricts the size of the deck.
Have you considered fitting some clear polycarbonate sheeting between the top of the low wall and the roof structure, leaving only the front opening unprotected from the weather?
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...Have you considered fitting some clear polycarbonate sheeting between the top of the low wall and the roof structure, leaving only the front opening unprotected from the weather?
That's a thought. I don't want the area enclosed with plastic during summer, so the covering has to be easily removable. I had thought of making a fold up enclosure that would fold up to the roof beams during Summer.

The other alternative would be to use heavy, roll up plastic, such as I've seen enclosing restaurant outdoor eating areas. Mostly to keep the cold winds off our neck, but easily moved out of the way during Summer when we want to be able to see all the greenery.

Another possibility is removable panels, screen for the summer, maybe plastic for Winter. The front opening is also fixable with panels and a door way. There's room on the side of the office shed to stow the removable panels. I plan to add a roof between the two sheds and that would protect them from everything but the black widows that love it up here.

But that's what bug spray is all about, isn't it. :wink:
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Very nice little Shed/office & porch Tom.I reckon if you add any more to the sides & front it may spoil the neat appearance you've gained.Just a thought.James.
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Very nice little Shed/office & porch Tom.I reckon if you add any more to the sides & front it may spoil the neat appearance you've gained.Just a thought.James.
We sat out there together for a very quiet hour earlier. The breeze was just a bit much, although I haven't quite finished enclosing one side and that may help. I'm thinking the side blocking will just be in a tight fitting, very light weight frame that can switch in and out as needed. It will store in the space between sheds. During Summer it will be shade cloth, during winter, something that will block the wind. Without it, the morning sun in summer just kills ya.

I think you're right, it is a really nice clean little porch area and I'll be carful not to spoil it. The paint scheme will be nice too, same as the house. I'm thinking the deck might benefit from being painted with that really thick deck paint. Any opinions about that?
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Nice idea, Tom. It's really nice to have a quickly accessible break spot where you can get away from your work and decompress for a few minutes. I find that whether it's woodwork, computer work, or anything that requires total concentration, it helps to get away from it for a bit to regroup. Nice job.
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That's great for when you get the wife mad and she kicks you out, Tom. Way better than a dog house. ;)
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@TenGees I have thought that the one missing thing in the office shed is a cot. Just in case. :wink:
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