DIY Network

Victorian Porch-Repair: Finishing Touches From "Restoration Realities" episode DRTR-105

	Some simple repairs on the front porch on this 1885 Victorian returned it to its former glory.
	BEFORE the shutter and trim repairs?
	. . . and AFTER
	BEFORE the missing porch brackets were replaced.
	AFTER: The newly refashioned porch brackets.

In this episode, DIY's Restoration Realities travels to Wilmington, NC to undertake some repairs on the porch of an 1885 Victorian home that was damaged during a hurricane.

Repairs included replacing missing and damaged porch brackets that are part of the gingerbread-trim ornamentation on the Victorian porch, and repairing and reinstalling damaged shutters. In this fourth and final segment, the finishing touches are put on our project porch.

Materials and tools used in this episode:

For shutter repair
Airless paint sprayer
Disc sander
Belt sander
Paint scrapers
Extension ladders
Cordless drill with pilot bits and screwdriver bits
Pliers (to remove brads and install wire staples)
Oil-based primer
Gloss or semi-gloss paint
Paintbrushes
Rags
Polyurethane glue
Wood filler
Sandpaper (assorted grits, 40 - 220)
Utility knife
Shutter hardware
For porch brackets
8-quarter poplar stock
MDF (medium-density fiberboard) for template
Drafting paper
Band saw
Scroll saw
Drill press; sanding bit
Finish-nail gun
Clamps
Polyurethane glue
Silicon caulk
Rasp
Compass
Straight-edge
Pencils

advertisement

	Figure A
	Figure B

Finishing Touches

With the shutter repair complete, and the replacement trim porch-brackets newly re-fashioned from poplar in homeowner Doug Witt's workshop, the only step left in the porch restoration is to install the new brackets.

• The first bracket is placed in position (figure A), and marks are made to indicate where the edge of the bracket should be when the bracket is centered.

• The bracket is then placed in proper position and secured using brad nails and a finish-nail gun (figure B). The bracket is fastened to both the porch post and spindle rail.
  

  	BEFORE the restoration -- shutter-less windows
  	AFTER the shutters were repaired and reinstalled.
  	Restoration Realities co-hosts with the homeowners following the completion of this DIY restoration project.

  
  

• The seams are caulked to prevent water from getting underneath the newly installed brackets and causing rot.

• In some cases, the new brackets had to be scribed and trim to custom-fit the individual spaces on the porch. An extra 1/8" of width had been left on each bracket earlier to allow for this type of adjustment.

Note: This is a summary of steps included in the procedures shown in this episode of Restoration Realities. There may be variations in procedures for your particular restoration project based on the types of materials you select and the nature or extent of your particular project. Always follow proper safety precautions, and read and follow manufacturer's guidelines, diagrams and safety notices that come with materials or products that you select.

RESOURCES :

Victorian: American Restoration Style
Model: 0879058870
Author: Joan M. Brierton
Publisher: Gibbs Smith Publishers
Order this title from Amazon.com.

Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes
Author: George Nash
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561585351
Order this title from Amazon.com.

Renovating and Restyling Older Homes: The Professional's Guide to Maximum Value Remodeling
Author: Lawrence Dworin
Publisher: Craftsman Book Company
ISBN: 1572180293
Order this title from Amazon.com.

Selecting and Renovating an Old House: A Complete Guide
Author: United States Department of Agriculture
July 2000
Publisher: Dover Publications
ISBN: 0486409562
Order this title from Amazon.com.