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
1-3/4 in. wide by 1-1/2 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 10-1/2 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 1-1/4 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.
[Illustration: Fig. 94.--Front Elevation of Cottage Porch.]
[Illustration: 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 1-1/2 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.
[Illustration: Fig. 96.--Part Plan of Seat and Floor of Cottage Porch.]
[Illustration: 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 1-1/4 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 1-3/4-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 2-1/2-in. or 3-in. diameter, which do duty as
bargeboards. The method is shown at A (Fig. 100).
[Illustration: Fig. 98.--Enlarged Detail of Cottage Porch at Eaves.]
[Illustration: Fig. 99.--Part Plan of Roof for Cottage Porch.]
The panels have now to be filled with stuff ranging from 1-1/2 in. to
2-1/4 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.
[Illustration: Fig. 100.--Section of Gable for Cottage Porch.]
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.