How to Build a Verandah Porch

Remove any siding or exterior finish on the side of the home where the verandah will be attached to allow for easy fastening of framing members to the house. Make sure the footings are large enough, with the bottom below the frost line, and anchor the foundation walls of the verandah to the home's foundation.

Select pressure-treated wood for the joists, flooring, posts and lattices. Use a species of wood, such as redwood, cedar or cypress, to make the verandah resistant to rot and insect damage. Attach rafters, ceiling joists and studs securely to the house framing with bolts or lag screws. Pour concrete for the slab floor or construct a wood floor. Slope the floor 1/4-inch per foot away from the house to prevent water from accumulating on the porch. Include holes or drains if the verandah is enclosed.

Pour concrete for the slab floor or construct a wood floor. Slope the floor 1/4-inch per foot away from the house to prevent water from accumulating on the porch. A wood floor frame should be 18 inches above the soil at a minimum. Include holes or drains if the verandah is enclosed.

Install columns for the roof support in an open or partially open verandah. Posts are generally 4-by-4 or 6-by-6 inches although a double 2-by-4 inch column is sometimes used. Put decorative railings with balustrades designed to shed water in place and install wood balusters so the bottom rail is not connected to the floor surface. Taper the top of the railings to shed water.

Mount “gingerbread” trim between the porch posts and decorative brackets at the corners of any windows adjacent to the verandah.

Add furniture to your verandah, including rocking chairs, sofas, tables and gliding seats. Decorate with hanging baskets of flowers to beautify the verandah in warm months.