It's a mall porch with stairs on opposite sides. The porch platform is 5.5 feet by 4.5 feet. A single stair step is all that it will need to get to the platform.
The porch that was there when I bought the home had the step on one side only and I want it to have them on both sides. It was made using poor materials and indoor hardware. Most of the screws had either rusted or broken and I would not have known if I hadn't had to remove it when I was replacing the perimeter boards. I almost never use the front door because it isn't handy to the gardens or the out buildings.
I am also going to put a hand rail on it. We have friends and relatives who need the assistance of a hand rail when going up stairs. It will also make it look nicer, more "finished".
As to pictures... I will try to get some but I get focused when working so you may not get any. I spent the last three days drawing it and refining it so I can build it and expect it to last 25 years.
I thought about the standard coatings. Stain has to be reapplied annually; paint wears off the deck, fades in the sun and has to be reapplied about every two years. The poly-urethane I will use is used as a spar varnish and is not sensitive to the UV. It withstands wear better than porch and deck paint, completely seals the wood and protects against bugs. It will have to be refinished on the deck surface between 4 and 5 years but it only takes a light sanding and a couple of new coats. I can sprinkle sand on a wet coat and then put a coat over that to give it better traction when wet and improve the wear resistance. If I wanted a longer lasting finish I would have to go with epoxy but it doesn't resist UV as well and is a lot harder to apply and refinish later. I suppose I could use truck bed-liner paint but it is just ugly. I think the wood should be nice to look at and be functional over an extended period.
Do you have any other suggestions?
