Pop quiz! What’s the difference between a porch and a covered porch?
Answer? Nothing at all. A porch is inherently covered. A porch is also connected to the house. If it weren’t covered, it would be a patio or a deck. If it were covered but disconnected from the house? That would be a gazebo, pavilion, or even a cabana. Easy, right?
A porch can be the welcoming open arms on the front of your house or it can be the quiet respite on the backside of your home. It can be a cozy spot to read and have an afternoon iced tea or an expansive lounge space fit to host the Sunday game. The options for the size and location of your porch are plenty, but what are the different types of porches?
Open Porch
The open porch is what many would consider the classic porch form. It’s a structure with concrete or wood below your feet and a roof extending from the home overhead. The roof is supported by posts and there may or may not be handrails. An open porch is completely open to the elements. You’ll feel the warm breeze and hear the cicadas on summer nights.
Unfortunately, you’ll also have to deal with the mosquitos and any other critters that would like to share the evening with you on your porch. An open porch is great for areas you might not actually use that often, like on the front of the home. It’s welcoming and a nice place to say hi to the neighbors, but an open porch isn’t ideal for dining al fresco whereas a screened-in porch would be ideal.
Screened-In Porch
It’s much like it sounds: a porch, but with screens on all sides. A screened-in porch has a lot to offer depending on what other features you’d like to include. For example, your screened-in porch can include a stone fireplace to warm up chilly nights or heavy canvas curtains you can keep pulled back, or let down, depending on the weather. With a screened-in porch, you have the option to block as little of the view as possible by aligning the screen with the framing that already exists.
If you’d like the best of both worlds, talk to your designer about a screened-in porch that opens to a deck. Or have the porch become part of the interior living space by installing retractable doors on the wall that separates the inside from the out. Use your porch as a true extension of your home. This type of porch offers loads of possibilities for enjoying the outdoors in comfort.
Farmers Porch
Typical of the farmhouse style, a farmer's porch is open and runs the entire length of the front of the house and is open. A farmer's porch has a series of support posts and sturdy beams. This porch style is usually seen with a railing but it doesn’t necessarily require one to still be considered this style. This porch can be elevated or ground level.
Picture this type of porch dotted with wooden rocking chairs and hanging ferns, with a swing off to one side. It’s very welcoming and a great place to take in the morning while greeting neighbors.
Wrap-around Porch
The wrap-around porch is a style that begins at the front of the home and wraps around at least two sides, up to the entire perimeter. A benefit of this is that there will be a shady spot somewhere along the porch at any time of day. The porch is mostly or completely open, sometimes with ornate posts and handrails.
The spacious nature of the wrap-around porch offers the opportunity for creating several designated areas around the exterior of your home. You can screen in the backside of the porch while having the side and front unobstructed. More elaborate wrap-around styles may include a gazebo-type structure at the front corner of the home. It’s a beautiful focal point, usually in a Victorian style, that can offer an excellent spot for lounging with friends or enjoying a book.
Ready To Enjoy the Outdoors On Your New Charlotte, NC Porch?
Whether you can pass a pop quiz about porches or simply want to point to the design you like best, the right home remodeler will be able to deliver a porch that suits your lifestyle and brings you joy every day. Finding the remodeler or custom builder that will understand your design goals and how you would like to experience your home can be a big task and you might have a lot of questions. Like, do you need a permit to add a porch to your home? Which style suits my home best? What side of my home would be the more ideal side to add a porch?
Hopedale Builders is an expert when it comes to custom porches that are beautiful, functional, and add to your quality of life. Don’t know if your Charlotte home can support a new porch addition or expansion? Contact Hopedale Builders for a consultation. We’ll work with you to design a porch that compliments your home, rather than detract from it. Hopedale Builders has been solving design challenges with creativity and style for decades. Let us do what we’ve done for countless others and give you a space that melts stress away.
