Rustic Carpentry :: CHAPTER VII. PORCHES.

CHAPTER VII. PORCHES.

The rustic porch shown in front elevation by Fig. 94 and in vertical section by Fig. 95 is constructed from straight, well-seasoned saplings and twigs, from which, in each case, the bark has been removed. The design is eminently suitable for a farmhouse or a country cottage. The porch is of large dimensions, and is provided with seating accommodation on each side. The seats do not appear in the elevations, but one side is shown in the part plan (Fig. 96).

The seats are 1 ft. 6 in. high by 1 ft. 2 in. wide. The battens are 1¾ in. wide by 1½ in. thick, and are supported on cross-pieces fixed to the front posts and wall; a centre batten being fixed to the centre panel, and supported by a diagonal bracket running from the front down to the sill-piece. The floor space is 7 ft. wide, and stands out 5 ft. from the walls.

The posts are 7 ft. 6 in. long by 4 in. in diameter. The front posts are preferably dropped over metal dowels leaded into the stone floor, at 1 ft. 2 in. centres, while the side posts are at 10½ in. centres, and of smaller section—say about 3 in. in diameter. One post, 5 in. in diameter, sawn longitudinally through the centre, does duty for the two wall-posts, the flat portion being, of course, scribed to the wall, the latter having been previously plugged for the reception of the fixing nails.

The rails are tenoned to the posts, and 1¼ in. diameter holes are bored in the posts, and also in the ends of the rails, for the reception of the inserted tenons. The ends of the rails are also hollowed to fit roughly the posts (see Fig. 97). The lower rail is 10 in. up from the floor, while the centre rail is 3 ft. 4 in. up. The rail immediately below (Fig. 95) is 10 in. below the centre rail.

Fig. 94.—Front Elevation of Cottage Porch. Fig. 94.—Front Elevation of Cottage Porch.

Fig. 95.—Vertical Section of Cottage Porch. Fig. 95.—Vertical Section of Cottage Porch.

The top ends of the front posts are hollowed, and fitted with inserted dowels for the reception of the front rail. The six side-posts are finished off square, and have tenons which fit into the plates. The front ends of the plates are notched to the front top rail. The rafters are 5 ft. 7 in. long by 3 in. deep and 2 in. wide, wrought and chamfered and birdsmouthed to the plates as shown at Fig. 98. The ridge piece, 4 in. deep by 1½ in. thick, projects 5 ft. 2 in. from the wall. On the front end of the ridge is fixed the finial, which is 2 in. square. The rafters are covered with 1-in. V-jointed, wrought, grooved and tongued boarding, cut in 5-ft. 4-in. lengths, and laid horizontally or at right angles to the rafters.

Fig. 96.—Part Plan of Seat and Floor of Cottage Porch. Fig. 96.—Part Plan of Seat and Floor of Cottage Porch.

Fig. 97.—Section of Cottage Porch at Gable. Fig. 97.—Section of Cottage Porch at Gable.

The roof may be covered with slates, with Broseley tiles, with wood shingles, or with thatch. A part plan of the roof is shown in Fig. 99. An enlarged section of the front angle of the gable is given in Fig. 100. Two boards, each 1 ft. 1 in. wide by 1¼ in. thick, are fixed to the outer rafters and run parallel with them; the heels of the two boards abutting on the front top rail, to which they are nailed. The split-twig herringbone ornament is also nailed to these boards. On the inner edges of the boards are secured twigs of about 1¾-in. in diameter, which are rebated to fit to the edges as shown in Fig. 100. The front projecting ends of the roofing boards are concealed by split twigs of about 2½-in. or 3-in. diameter, which do duty as bargeboards. The method is shown at A (Fig. 100).

Fig. 98.—Enlarged Detail of Cottage Porch at Eaves. Fig. 98.—Enlarged Detail of Cottage Porch at Eaves.

Fig. 99.—Part Plan of Roof for Cottage Porch. Fig. 99.—Part Plan of Roof for Cottage Porch.

The panels have now to be filled with stuff ranging from 1½ in. to 2¼ in. in diameter. The vertically placed twigs between the posts and rails should be fitted in place before the rails are finally jointed up to the posts. The ends are roughly hollowed, and are secured with cut nails. Alternatively, the vertical members could be fitted so that their inner edges coincided with the centre of the rails. The major portion of the twigs being on the outer side, the smaller diameter of the twigs will thus bring their front edges flush with the larger diameter edges of the rails. The herringbone and the diagonally placed twigs are quite easy to fit, the ends being simply pared off till they are sufficiently shortened to assume their correct position in the panels.

The decorative effect of the porch will be greatly improved by the addition of a suitable door, as shown in the front elevation (Fig. 94). The cost of manufacture of such a door is but slightly more than that of an ordinary six-panel door. The bottle ends in the top glazed panel form a quaint and pleasing feature of the general scheme.

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