If you’re looking for a spectacular way to change the face of your home, without the hassle and mess of a lengthy construction, then an oak porch kit could well be the life-changing renovation you’re looking for. At Oak Porches UK, our porch kits are custom adapted to your home, yet can ship as a convenient premade kit for hassle-free assembly onsite. Our oak porch kits are designed to be inclusive and holistic, ensuring you have the critical attachments and pins you need for the job. There are a few details you will need to handle for yourself, however. That’s why we’re breaking down everything that goes into an oak porch kit, and what you will need to self assemble. Don’t worry- it isn’t much at all!
Not just cookie cutter
It’s critical to realise at the planning stages that your oak porch kit will be handcrafted just for your home. This means key details, like certain aspects of the truss and the ridge board, will be created using the unique dimensions you supply to us. So correct measuring is critical if you want to get the look of your dreams. We will spend a lot of time with you, making sure each aspect of your order is correct before we manufacture the final kit.
Most oak porches don’t need planning permission, but if you’re opting for a particularly wide or tall design, you may want to check in with your local council.
Installing your Oak Porches UK kit
Obviously, each and every porch kit we create is different, so there will be variances in the steps. Don’t worry! We provide full and detailed instruction, so you will always have the support you need.
However, in general, your porch kit has 4 main components, each installed in order. Remember, the kits are all pre-fabricated at our workshops, so assembly is simple. Whether you have opted for a 4- or 2-post design, you will start with the 2 side returns. These may be connected through jointing to the ‘return’ beam. Dowelling will be through kiln-dried oak pegs supplied with the kit, including the ones that will hide your drilling work from prying eyes. This will be at least a 2-person job. You will then use the secure frame fixing bolts, which we also supply, to attach the frame to the wall of the original home. While we supply the correct drill bit, just in case, you will need your own drill.
If you’ve opted for a design with brackets, you will need to pin these in place before lifting the truss into place. These aren’t merely decorative! They help lock the top of your new oak porch into place securely.
Next up is the heaviest part of the job. You will either need lifting equipment, or a lot of friends! The main truss is heavy due to its solid oak construction. We can supply the truss in parts to be assembled on-site, but that’s a fiddly job and best left to the very confident. Most DIY installations will want a pre-assembled main truss. Once the main truss is in place, rafters and other finishing items can be installed.
What you will need to install the porch
With the added convenience of our oak porch kits, by far most of your own work and supplies will go into the ground preparation, or ‘footprint’, of the porch. If you are opting for a design with a dwarf wall, L-wall, or any kind of masonry, this will need to be created and dried by the time your kit is installed. Even simpler groundwork will still need preparation.
You will also need to plan for any bespoke decorative details you have requested. For example, we have had clients opt to infill the gaps in their porch with glass, creating a dazzling sunroom effect at their entrance. Although we planned this detail with them, the glass is not part of the porch kit. It would not be shipped with the original oak porch kit, either, so you will need to plan to have the glazing delivered to the site yourself.
Once you have made sure you have everything you need for the footings of choice, and any added extras like glazing, all that remains are some pins and nails, especially for designs where you are underboarding the porch roof (although we will supply the boards if this was part of the design). Your oak porch kit will otherwise ship with all the kiln dried dowling, oak pins, and other key support materials you will need.
In order to best match the surrounding roof, we do strongly suggest that clients plan for their own roofing materials over the trusses. This can, however, be discussed at the time of ordering.
As you can see, you don’t need much else when you order an oak porch kit from Oak Porches UK. We do our best to ensure the on-site assembly process for your custom porch is as hassle-free as possible. Our aim is to ensure that the end product has the same Oak Porches UK glow, even when self-assembled as a DIY task. Keen to add value to your home today? While our showroom is currently shut under governmental COVID restrictions, we are still just a phone call away. Why not take advantage of the coming spring and add something spectacular to your home? It couldn’t be easier.
