Bozeman, Montana Design / Build Contractor Peter Brown describes the design process for a front entry patio addition to a 1950’s era home. This program will show you the home’s great design opportunities, its existing conditions, and a few of its challenges.
Design objectives
The existing entry for this home is tucked in under under the main roof plane. The idea is to create an entry patio addition with a stronger visual definition. The new entry patio addition will integrate both a projecting roofline and bench seating. Bracketing the new patio area and steps with these craftsman style seating elements and exposing the roof framing to view from below will improve the visual interest of the building. The material for this entry patio addition will be heavy framing material such as the 8×8 posts, a 6×10 ridge and 4×6 rafters. It’s not structurally essential for such a sturdy roof, but the client prefers this look.
Structural Issues
Incorporating this new structure with the existing conditions is the challenge. This covered entry patio was originally created by recessing the kitchen wall 5’ inside the building perimeter. The key issue here is that this wall has no direct bearing to the foundation underneath it. Half the new roof structure added will bear on this kitchen wall plane. With that in mind support will be added in this area. The interior support for the entry patio addition will be a steel I beam, raising the wall to its original position as well as supporting the load from the new roof structure. This steel beam is in a storage room, so the impact of slightly reduced ceiling height will be minimal.
Material considerations
8×8 posts support the arched truss fabrication. The beams for this entry patio addition will tie into and bear on the existing kitchen wall plane. A 6×10 ridge beam will bear on a doubled LVL inserted above and spanning the wall below. The 6×10’s to the outside will bear on posts inserted into this wall plane. Custom fabricated steel bracketing will tie the entry patio addition together out front. The 6×10 ridge will be mortised a half-inch deep to receive the upper end of the 4×6 rafters. The rafters are overlaid with 1×6 cedar tongue and groove. A layer of 5/8” OSB sheeting will cover this decking to ensure no roofing nails protrude through this finished surface. Attention to detail is important to both the design and proper construction of this new entry patio addition.
Look for more on this project, as I will be documenting the entire construction phase in later productions here on my website at peterqbrown.com
