Heritage Porch Waterproofing

Completion Year: 2018

The storage room beneath the front porch of a heritage home was leaking. I resolved the issue by combining modern waterproofing with traditional fir tongue-and-groove planking, preserving the home’s character while ensuring durability.

Key Objectives

  • Repair water damage and eliminate leaks in the storage room.
  • Preserve the heritage aesthetic of the porch, keeping it true to the home’s original design.
  • Improve water shedding by integrating modern drainage solutions, including scuppers.

Scope of Work

  • Removed and replaced the porch decking with new 1×4-inch fir tongue-and-groove planks, consistent with the original design.
  • Installed a modern peel-and-stick waterproof membrane beneath the surface to prevent future water ingress.
  • Cut surrounding walls by 4 inches to install proper flashing and new baseboards for additional protection.
  • Added scuppers to improve drainage and prevent water pooling.
  • Rebuilt the front section of the deck, including framing repairs to address extensive rot.
  • Applied a 3/4-inch plywood subfloor and re-sloped the deck for better water management, finishing with a painted surface.

Challenges and Solutions

  • Rot and Structural Damage: Upon demolition, extensive water damage was discovered, including rotted posts supporting the porch roof and compromised joists and subflooring. Recognizing the urgency of these repairs, I promptly renegotiated the project timeline and scope with the contractor to address the issues without disrupting overall progress. This added approximately two days to the project timeline.
  • Heritage Preservation: To maintain the heritage character, I sourced a specialized carpenter experienced in restoring historic buildings. While this required a premium investment, their skill ensured the restoration was performed with care and attention to detail, exceeding the standards of a general decking contractor.

Results

The completed project successfully resolved the water damage and structural issues, preserving the storage room and extending the porch’s lifespan. The combination of traditional materials and modern techniques enhanced the heritage aesthetic while improving durability. Although the project required additional time and costs due to unforeseen damage, the result is a meticulously restored porch that upholds the home’s character and maintains its structural integrity.

Completed Project

Build In Progress