The brief was design and to make the principle elements of a porch
that was sympathetic to a house that has quite a lot
of "Arts & Crafts" aspects to it..
Click each photo for a larger image
General description
The oak structure is the frame
for the porch and the roof was to be tiled with
reclaimed tiles. The house is the same thatched house
that has the Oak beams and
Oak gates also featured on
this website.
The oak is "green oak" meaning that it has not
undergone any drying out since it was cut down as a
living tree. Oak is never cheap but the
"green" form is the cheapest option.
The downside is that it will shrink as it dries, it will
try and move given half a chance.
In terms of working green oak it is a nightmare
when it comes into contact with steel tools. The
effect is that the wet wood coupled with the tannin in the wood causes steel tools to quickly
blacken and corrode .
Photo 1: The frame in place 3/4 view.
Photo 2: A side view of
the frame.
Photo 3: View of the frame square on.
Photo 4&5:The
householder wanted a slightly different design from the
conventional. This meant that the intersection between
the sloping timbers for the roof and the frame
would expose the "bird's mouth" joint. To
improve the appearance I made two small mitred pieces
that would
improve the appearance of this joint. Brass screws
were used.
Photo 5: The vertical
piece of timber is called a "king post" and you can see here
a fixture at the top that brings the vertical and two
sloping pieces of timber neatly together. Think of it
as an understated finial.
Photo 6: You can see here the bottom of the
post as it abuts the house. The plugs disguise the use of
"rawlbolts" to hold the frame against the house. The top of
the dwarf wall is yet to be finished off.
Photo 7:The point at which the bottom of the "King
Post" joins the horizontal beam is made in the same
style as the unit at the top of the king post. Brass
screws are used front and back to locate it.
Photo 8: Above left, with the frame in place the
owner of the house set about tiling the porch. He has made a
lovely job of it. . You can see how the tiling and ridge
cap have been positioned to set off the king post.
Photo 9: The porch square
on.
Photo 10: You can see here
the very neat work of the householder as he has set in and
pointed up the lead flashing. A bit of
paint on the pointing is all that is required in order to
finish this part of the work off.
It only remains to
add the brick work on the dwarf wall, and
the work is almost complete.
Photos 11 and 12 below..
Here you see the final effect with the householder
putting paving in place and applying a dark stain on
the oak.
