Porches, Porticoes and Canopies

In the gallery:

1 Cast stone portico with six columns by Haddonstone, from £2,500 (01604 770711)
2 Pine Flat Roof Canopy from Richard Burbidge, £150 (01691 655131)
3 Cast stone portico from Haddonstone, who custom-make designs, around £2,500 (01604 770711)
4 PT/G-160 Rio canopy from CanopyStore, £359 (01223 263504)
5 (MAIN IMAGE) Meadowstone’s cast stone porticoes are manufactured using a semi-dry process for a more natural finish, around £4-6,000 (01773 540707)
6 Richard Burbidge Turned Full Length Accessory porch kit, from £200 (01691 655131)
7 Chilstone reconstituted stone portico, around £,3418 (01892 740866)
8 Bespoke cedar porch by Greenwood Oak, who usually craft in oak. The company is Cheshire based, but will work further afield, around £2,750 for the frame (01270 528586)
9 Cast stone specialist Thorverton Stone produces six standard models of portico ranging from from £2,275 – £2,965, but will also produce bespoke designs (01392 851822)
10 Pediment with oak leaf details — part of a Chilstone reconstituted stone portico. Prices are around £3,418 – £3,642 for a flat portico and £5,854 for a full porch (01892 740866)

Installation

Many porches, porticoes and canopies can be bought as kits made of timber or the budget option of GRP (glassreinforced plastic) for keen DIYers to construct themselves. However, for a large, unique or beautiful hand-crafted design – or one of stone – it is best to have one custom-made and installed for you. Timber canopies and porches might need priming and staining or painting, then tiling (smallformat plain clay tiles look best). It is important that a good seal is made between the canopy or porch roof and the wall with a mortar filler or lead flashing, to avoid any leaks.

Porches

From imposing American-style timber porches that wrap around the whole house, to simple built-out brick structures framing the doorway, there is a vast range of porch styles around. It wasn’t until the 20th century that it became common for porches to be recessed in from the façade; before then porches usually protruded. Sometimes they are nothing more than a necessity, other times an extravagant feature.

During the 16th and 17th centuries the gabled porch was a significant feature, often built to double height, whilst pretty cottage porches were built from local materials, thatched or tiled. Victorian and Edwardian porches consisted of a simple roof supported on a timber framework, brick walls, or a combination of the two. Sometimes these porches were simple in their design, with a tiled or lead roof atop a plain timber structure; others were more elaborate with stucco decoration, surrounding walls and turned wood screens.Woodwork was generally painted an ivory white, with coloured roof tiles.

The key consideration when building a porch – aside from ensuring it fits in with the period of the house – is to make sure it is proportionally scaled. You must avoid anything that will dwarf the house, but it should always be the exterior’s central focus.

Porticoes

A portico is a type of open porch which is distinguishable by columns and either a flat architrave, frieze and cornice combination roof, or one incorporating a pediment. Usually made of stone – but these days often reconstituted or cast stone – or sometimes timber, porticoes can be relatively small, serving to just provide shelter over the doorway, or much grander, extended along the exterior as the focus feature, perhaps also creating a first floor balcony. Porticoes were at their most popular in the 19th century and would suit a grand new house in the style of this era perfectly.

Canopies

A canopy over the front door is a nonimposing way to add interest to the exterior and make a focal point of the main entrance, whilst also providing shelter from the rain. There are many standard canopy designs on offer, ranging from traditional to ultracontemporary models, and they are available in a range of different styles and materials. Alternatively, you can employ a company or carpenter to either replicate an original period design, or produce a bespoke canopy to your specification.

Timber canopies look best on country-style, Victorian and Edwardian properties, but stone canopies are more in keeping with Georgian-style houses, with corbels built into the wall as support. Victorian and Edwardian styles usually had ornate wooden bargeboards and were topped with a finial. Swept lead canopies were popular in the Regency period.

Further reading:

• Character Building: Open Porches
• A Guide to External Appearances
• Exterior makeovers