A dacha is a wonderful place for a weekend getaway or a vacation. The constructed veranda can become an outdoor dining area, and if it is insulated, the room can be used all year round.
There are several types of verandas, and the simplest of them is considered an open structure. It consists of a canopy in front of the entrance to the house, a platform and a fence.
Closed options involve the construction of walls with partial glazing instead of a fence. The so-called French veranda is a building with completely glass walls, from floor to ceiling.
Pouring the foundation
Work on the construction of the veranda will have to begin with pouring the foundation. Its choice is determined by the same considerations as when building the main house:
- weight of the structure;
- the type of soil itself;
- the depth of soil freezing and the proximity of groundwater.
Most often, a columnar base is arranged. This is the optimal choice for lightweight wooden structures. If you are planning a closed veranda, and moreover with brick or block walls, it is better to choose a strip foundation. In terms of cost, it will be more expensive, but it will facilitate further construction and will last longer. It will also become a support for the floor.
If the soil is moving, you will have to make a pile foundation for the veranda. It consists of steel rods driven several meters into the ground. The design is capable of supporting tens of tons of cargo (which is more than enough) and, in addition, it is cheap in terms of material costs. However, its installation requires the rental of special equipment.
The procedure for performing work when laying the foundation of the veranda is as follows:
- A trench is dug around the perimeter of the building (for strip support) or holes for pillars. In both cases, a depth of 50 cm is sufficient.
- Layers of crushed stone and sand, each 10 cm thick, are poured onto the bottom and compacted thoroughly.
- Formwork is installed, and the height of the sides should rise above the ground by 20–25 cm.
- The resulting cavities are filled with concrete.
- To drain water around the supports, drainage channels are dug. The soil is removed 25 cm deep and about a meter wide, and the resulting voids are filled with sand, expanded clay or small crushed stone. Everything is covered with earth from above.
Construction of floor and walls
First of all, you will have to lay the floor. To maintain the rigidity of the coating, supports under it must be located every meter. The easiest solution is to install posts with the required spacing directly on the ground. To prevent water from retaining later, the floor should be given a slight slope away from the house.
Note! If you plan to have a warm veranda, it is advisable to insulate the floor. To do this, beams with a thickness of 50x50 or 50x80 mm are attached on top of the lower flooring with a distance of 50 cm from each other. Any suitable heat insulator is fixed between them, and the finished floor is laid on it.
Options for constructing veranda walls can vary greatly. In the simplest case, it is a light fence that encircles the perimeter of the veranda. With more complex options, low walls are built from wooden frame panels or even brick. Both serve as the basis for installing window frames. If the extension is supposed to be heated, then it makes sense to install single-chamber double-glazed windows, and additionally cover the walls below with insulation, for example, polystyrene foam, and a decorative covering such as siding or lining.
An interesting type of enclosed structure is the French veranda. Its walls are formed by solid metal-plastic double-glazed windows, sometimes bent in the shape of a semi-arch. It is difficult to make such a structure with your own hands. It is better to order manufacturing and assembly from the appropriate company. Installation will consist of installing support posts in the corners and fastening the frame.
Roof construction
Traditionally, two types of roofs are erected over summer extensions: either flat or pitched, with an inclination angle of at least 25°. However, it is advisable to give even a flat roof a slight slope, about 5°, so that precipitation does not linger on it.
- Roofs for verandas, as a rule, are supported, that is, their supporting beams rest on pillars made of brick or wood. On the other hand, they are fixed to the wall of the house using an attached beam of the same section, usually 50x50 mm.
- Floor joists (for flat roofs) or rafter structures (for pitched roofs) are laid between the load-bearing beams.
- Waterproofing is spread over the wooden “skeleton” and any suitable roofing material is attached using lathing.
- On the inside, the roof is also insulated and covered with a decorative coating. Moreover, thermal insulation is most effective with a pitched structure, and when insulating a flat roof, the reduction in heat loss is no more than 20–25%, regardless of the material.
Video
An example of veranda construction can be seen below:
Photo
The veranda and gazebo are a stylish and functional decoration of a summer cottage.
But, if a gazebo is a separate structure that can be used in the summer, then a veranda is a room attached to the house that has a roof, walls and is intended for year-round use.
A warm veranda can serve as a corridor, hallway or recreation room, greenhouse, winter garden, you can even place a swimming pool in it
What is the difference between a veranda and a terrace? These concepts are often confused, although they have structural and visual differences. The presence of a roof and walls is what distinguishes a veranda from a terrace and porch.
The veranda is provided during the construction stage of the house, but more often it is completed during operation. Therefore, many are interested in how to attach a veranda to a house with their own hands. Below are step-by-step (step-by-step) instructions for building a veranda for a private house.
1. Veranda project
Any construction begins with the development of a project.
Summarizing the experience of constructing verandas, it can be noted that they differ in the following parameters:
Location (adjacent to the house):
- Corner.
- End
- Facade.
Degree of closure:
- Open.
- Closed (glazed.
By installing sliding doors for the veranda, you can transform a closed veranda into an open one.
Design feature:
- Built-in veranda (built together with the house, has a common foundation with it).
- Attached (added as needed, has its own foundation).
Veranda shape:
- A popular shape is the rectangle.
- Round (semicircular.
- Polygonal (hexagonal, octagonal).
The main purpose of the veranda is to make the house or cottage more spacious and decorate the building. The extension of the veranda also performs a purely utilitarian function - insulating the house. Therefore, the question naturally arises of how to attach a veranda to the house correctly. Despite the fact that the veranda is a summer structure, its construction requires the implementation of a number of rules.
What is included in the veranda construction project:
- location of the veranda. The main options are indicated above. It is important that the extension is a continuation of the house, representing a single architectural ensemble with it.
Note. It is better to place the veranda on the east or west side, then most of the time it will be out of direct sunlight. Also, it is worth taking into account the wind load in the region and on the site in particular.
- entry point to the veranda. The entrance can be from the street, from one of the rooms, or through, across the street into the house;
- door installation location. It is not advisable to place the entrance doors to the veranda and to the house opposite each other, otherwise drafts cannot be avoided;
- size of the veranda in the house. The length of the veranda is usually equal to the length of the wall along which it is built. The width ranges from 2.5 to 7 m. It is important here that the size of the veranda is proportional to the size of the house.
Advice from the master. There is no need to save on the project. Its high-quality execution guarantees that the veranda will be built correctly, and obtaining permits will not cause problems.
An example of a typical veranda design is shown in the diagram
How to attach a veranda to a wooden house
Any extension to a wooden house is carried out after the structure has settled. A house made of timber or logs shrinks over a certain period (the most active is the first 2-3 years). To avoid skewing of the walls, you need to wait this period, or consider a connection to the house that allows the frame to play.
2. Documents for the construction of a veranda (permission)
Adding a veranda refers to the remodeling of a house. Therefore, it requires obtaining permits.
To obtain permission to build a veranda (for an extension, reconstruction), you need to submit to the architecture department:
- a document confirming the ownership of the site;
- house project with a veranda;
- consent of all residents registered in the house;
- application for registration.
Note. You need to start processing documents 2-3 months before the planned construction work. According to user reviews, this procedure takes quite a lot of time.
In principle, it is possible to complete a veranda without documents, but when selling, renting, or inheriting, problems may arise with this property. The veranda is included in the total area of the residential building; the BTI may regard this as an “Unauthorized increase in living space.” Especially if the veranda is heated (warm veranda).
When building a veranda, you should not deviate from the dimensions specified in the registered project. Any adjustment will entail a change in the project documentation and the payment of a fine. The consequences of unauthorized construction are spelled out in the Law of the Russian Federation “On Architectural Activities in the Russian Federation” and the Civil Code, an excerpt from which is given below.
The consequences for unauthorized construction are listed below
The last thing that will need to be done after the construction of the veranda is to legalize the construction with changes and obtain new documents.
3. Tools and materials for constructing a veranda
The tool depends on what material will be used in the construction of the extension. For wooden you need: a hacksaw, a screwdriver, a hammer and an axe, a sledgehammer, a tape measure, a plumb line, a level (construction and water level), a corner, a cord for marking, a shovel. For a metal frame, you will additionally need a grinder and a welding machine.
Material
The economy (budget) version of the veranda is a metal frame covered with plywood, OSB boards or plastic lining.
A veranda made of brick, natural stone or wood has a more presentable appearance. It is important here that the material of the extension matches the material from which the house or cottage is built or is in harmony (combined) with them.
To build a wooden veranda, you will need: lumber (log or timber, board, batten), fasteners (elements), protective solutions for wood, crushed stone, concrete, bitumen, drying oil or roofing felt, window and door systems, roofing material.
For a veranda with a metal frame: lumber will be replaced by metal corners and a steel profile, solutions for metal processing will be added, but otherwise the materials will be the same.
A polycarbonate veranda has proven itself well in that it allows you to unhinderedly admire the surrounding landscape. In addition, polycarbonate retains heat well, transmits light, and can be used for both walls and roofs. Plus, the cost of the material is quite reasonable. Cellular polycarbonate with a wall thickness of 14-18 mm is used.
Note. All materials requiring processing must be processed before work begins. Once the veranda is built, processing will be more difficult.
Preparation for construction
Construction of the veranda begins with preparing the site. The part of the site allocated for the veranda is turning into a construction site. Before starting work you need:
- remove the canopy over the entrance;
- dismantle the porch;
- clear the area of green spaces and debris;
- remove part of the turf;
- think over the place for laying building materials and construction waste.
4. Foundation for the veranda to the house
Before you start pouring the foundation, you need to determine its type. The most widespread is the columnar foundation for the veranda, since it makes it possible to attach a veranda without being tied to the main foundation of the house. However, a heavier veranda requires pouring a strip foundation.
An important point is soil analysis, which makes it possible to reasonably choose the foundation for the veranda of the house. The following are taken into account: the ability of the soil to absorb moisture, the homogeneity and composition of the soil, the level of freezing, the height of groundwater, and the stability of the soil.
In addition, the choice of base for the extension will be influenced by the design of the house’s foundation and the condition of the walls (wall material).
Having decided which foundation for the veranda is best to make, they make markings for a strip foundation or mark the location for installing pillars (supports) for a pile foundation.
Note. For a small wooden veranda, it is enough to install pillars at the corners of the structure. For long and wide ones, provide additional posts along the length/width of the base. The recommended installation spacing for supports is 500-600 mm.
How to make a columnar foundation for a veranda
- dig holes for the posts about 1 m deep. It is important to know that the depth of the foundation for the veranda depends on the depth of the foundation of the house (must be the same) and the level of soil freezing;
- At the bottom of the pit, a cushion is made from a mixture of crushed stone and sand. They can also be covered in layers, first with sand, then crushed stone or gravel;
- the concrete base is poured;
- support pillars for the columnar foundation are laid out/inserted:
Made of brick. If you need to add a veranda to a brick house;
From timber. For a wooden veranda;
From asbestos pipes, concrete pillars or metal supports. For a frame veranda.
The ground part of the pillars is brought to the height of the main foundation of the house. If the base is high, you need to bring the extension to the level of the house.
Example in the photo (the first floor is used as a garage, the veranda is located at the level of the second floor).
The installation site is covered with sand to eliminate and strengthen the gap between the post and the soil.
The design of a veranda with a large mass requires pouring a strip foundation. To do this, you need to dig a trench, place the formwork (slightly higher than the required foundation height), and pour concrete. The process of complete hardening of concrete must be accompanied by periodic wetting with water to ensure uniform hardening of the concrete mixture.
5. Veranda frame
The installation of the frame begins with the completion of the bottom trim. To do this, timber is laid on the supports.
Note. The lower harness can have a double system. It is on this that the racks and floor joists will be attached in the future.
Next, supports are installed that form the frame of the veranda to the house. The frame of a wooden veranda is made of timber 120x80 or 100x100. When using logs, their diameter must exceed 120 mm. It is recommended to install supports at a distance of 500-600 mm, but in practice this is rare. However, supports must be installed in the corners and form door/window openings.
The height of the supports is equal to the height of the veranda. In this case, the supports installed closer to the wall must be higher to form a pitched roof. Methods for attaching the racks to the bottom trim are shown in the figure.
Advice. The supports will be given rigidity by the jibs (braces) installed at the top and bottom.
When installing the frame, horizontal bars are installed, which will serve as the basis for installing the window sill board for glazing.
The installation of the veranda frame is completed by completing the top trim. It will serve as the basis for the formation of the rafter system, and will give the frame additional rigidity.
Note. To prevent the top trim from warping, the supports must be secured with temporary spacers.
Many people are interested in how to make a veranda frame from a log frame. Indeed, in this case, both the foundations of the buildings and the log house itself move. Therefore, all connections must be able to move (shift). Shrinkage compensators are installed from below, and from above the roof is firmly attached to the rafters of the log house.
6. Veranda roof
Part of the frame is the rafter system of the veranda. The installation of rafters and sheathing depends on what roofing material the veranda roof will be covered with.
From a design point of view, the following types of veranda roofs are distinguished:
Slope veranda roof.
The simplest and best option. In this case, the rafter system is mounted at an angle from the wall of the house, which allows rainwater or snow to flow down freely without causing damage to the building.
Note. A pitched roof is more convenient from the point of view of organizing drainage and, accordingly, installing a drainage system.
Gable roof veranda.
In this case, the veranda is attached to the house with a narrow part. It becomes like a passageway. This method has not found proper distribution. More often, such a roof is erected over a terrace.
The polygonal roof for the veranda is built in such a way that the angle of inclination is maintained for water drainage.
Installation of veranda rafter system
A purlin board (beam 100x80 mm) is installed on the wall of the house. The timber is secured with anchor bolts. The upper parts of the rafter legs are mounted on it.
A Mauerlat is installed around the perimeter of the frame. In small wooden extensions, this function is performed by the top trim boards. The lower parts of the rafter legs are installed on them.
The lower part of the rafters is mounted so that it is possible to provide an overhang (removal) of the roofing material, which means protecting the veranda from the ingress of flowing water.
Note. The distance between the rafter legs depends on the slope of the roof, the width of the veranda, and the weight of the roofing material.
When installing a polygonal veranda roofing system, a purlin board is additionally installed.
Depending on the chosen material, they fill the lathing (for metal tiles, ondulin, slate) or make a continuous sheathing (for flexible roofing materials).
How to attach a veranda to a house - video instructions
7. Floor on the veranda
Construction procedure, materials, methods of fastening and processing.
DIY flooring technology:
Logs are installed on the bottom trim boards. The distance between adjacent logs should be no more than 1 m. The logs are installed perpendicular to how the floorboard will be laid.
Attaching the joist to the frame is an important point; the quality of its execution determines the performance characteristics of the floor. The installation of the log is controlled by the level.
What to make floors from on an open veranda
Concrete flooring on the veranda is cheaper, plus it is durable and requires subsequent finishing. For example, you can lay tiles or lay linoleum. The wooden floor on the veranda, even painted, will deform over time. It is also recommended to use plastic baseboards with wood decor.
How to cover the floors on a closed veranda
The floor of the closed veranda is being laid. In this case, installation begins with the board furthest from the entrance. It is attached to the joists directly through the board.
Subsequent boards are mounted using the tongue-and-groove method, and the hardware is fastened through the groove.
How to fix a floorboard on a veranda
It is recommended to fasten floor boards with self-tapping screws. Their length should be twice the width of the board. The distance from the edge of the floorboard to the wall is 10-15 mm. This gap will compensate for the expansion of wood during the hot season.
How to cover the floor on the veranda (open, closed)
Wooden veranda flooring is one of the most popular and easiest to install. Therefore, the relevant question is how to treat the floor on the veranda in order to extend its service life and preserve its aesthetic properties.
Floorboards will last longer if they are additionally coated with solutions that prevent the appearance of fungus. As a finishing floor covering, a decorative layer of paint or stain is applied, covered with varnish on top.
A new product among paintwork materials is Dufa “Liquid Plastic” paint, intended for outdoor use (well suited for an open veranda).
Of the transparent coatings that have earned the respect of users:
- Tikkurila Valtti (wood oil);
- Pinotex Terrace Oil;
- Alpina Oel Terrassen Dunkel;
- Watco Danish Oil.;
- as well as epoxy varnishes (yacht varnishes), which are intended for use in damp environments.
- the product must be intended for wood;
- be resistant to abrasion;
- be resistant to environmental factors (water, temperature, ultraviolet).
It is worth noting that veranda floor coverings are quite expensive, but this is justified by their service life, without refinishing, and high aesthetic properties.
8. Roofing material for the veranda
As a roofing material, it is better to use a material for the veranda roof that is installed on the main building (house or cottage). Bituminous shingles have proven themselves well. They are installed in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
Note. To prevent water from flowing inside the veranda where the roof of the extension meets the wall of the house, you need to lay a joint strip on top of the roofing material.
Correct installation of the joint strip involves making a gash in the wall of the house and inserting the narrow edge of the strip into it.
You can admire the surrounding beauty in the warmth of the veranda by installing transparent roofs for the veranda. In this case, the role of roofing material is played by glass or cellular polycarbonate.
Telescopic awning roofs or sliding roofs for the veranda are considered new.
). Installation of finishing materials depends on their type.
It is important to know that the wall of the veranda adjacent to the house is secured with embedded metal elements (parts). The fastening must be rigid.
Today, it is popular to cover veranda walls with sliding systems, the upper half of which is glass and the lower half is wooden.
Note. Before moving on to the external and internal decoration of the walls of the veranda, you need to give it time to settle. This is especially true for wooden verandas.
10. Glazing of the veranda
Windows occupy a significant part of the veranda wall area. Due to the fact that the veranda is a summer structure, single wooden windows are usually installed, most often plastic or wooden. Aluminum windows with multi-chamber double-glazed windows are used.
The large veranda is equipped with both opening and fixed windows. The first allow for ventilation of the room, the second - save on glazing. Noteworthy are the sliding windows, which allow you to turn the veranda into an open terrace.
Among the new products, flexible windows for the veranda stand out. They allow you to extend the operational period of the summer veranda. The advantage of windows is their relatively low cost and the ability to quickly install and dismantle them for the winter. They make the high veranda safe for children to play without compromising its attractiveness.
Soft windows for the veranda are roller systems (PVC curtains), which allow you to glaze the veranda of any configuration (round, semicircular, oval).
Installation of soft windows - video
Before you begin to study the instructions on how to build a terrace at your dacha, you should understand the difference between this type of building and verandas that are largely similar to them. A terrace is an extension raised above the ground, equipped with a light canopy and open on three sides, used mainly in the warm season. The veranda is a more solid structure, equipped with a full roof, walls, doors and large glazed windows.
Design and materials for a country terrace
A country terrace is a covered, unheated structure that can be an independent free-standing building or a structure attached to the main building. Decorated with flowers and light garden furniture, an elegant summer terrace not only decorates the yard, but also serves as a favorite relaxation spot for all family members.
General view of the country terrace
Selecting the right project
For a small wooden country house, inhabited only in the warm season, the best option for a terrace is a light plank extension, decorated in a rustic folk style. The location and shape of such a structure may vary depending on personal preferences and the layout of the main building.
Typically, a terrace is built in front of the front part of the facade, but options are also possible: to the side wall of the house or as a narrow strip that goes around the entire perimeter of the building.
The main condition that they try to observe when choosing a place for construction is that the house must have access directly to the terrace itself.
The shape of the site, as a rule, is given to a rectangular shape, the roof covering it is made pitched, resting with the rear part on the wall of the house, and the front part on vertical wooden posts.
Simple open terrace with pitched roof
The standard width of a house terrace is considered to be 2.5 m, and its length is equal to the length of the adjacent wall of the building.
To give special comfort, the terrace is often shaded with trellises and fenced with low wooden railings mounted on simple posts or carved balusters.
Basic materials for construction
To build a light wooden terrace at your dacha with your own hands, you will need:
- terrace decking (also known as decking) is a specially treated wood material that is extremely weather-resistant. If necessary, the decking can be replaced with a 30-40 mm larch (in extreme cases, pine) tongue and groove board, pre-impregnated with an antiseptic and protective oil;
- wooden logs - pine beams with a section of 80 by 150 mm;
- oak or larch beams for the construction of support posts;
- softwood beams for the top and bottom trim;
- shaped rail and balusters for railings;
- tes, polycarbonate, roofing metal profiles, metal tiles - any material from this list necessary for covering the roof;
- screws, self-tapping screws, anchor bolts, metal brackets, corners and some other fasteners.
Terrace decking is not afraid of moisture
Step-by-step instructions for building a terrace at your dacha
Having decided how to make a terrace at your dacha, get the necessary tools and equipment and clear the construction site. Once you have completed your preparations, begin building the foundation.
Preparing the site and tools for work
For work you will need:
- hacksaw;
- reverse drill with a set of drills and bits;
- tape measure and construction pencil;
- grinder with a set of cutting and polishing discs;
- a skein of cord and wooden pegs;
- hammer;
- spirit level and plumb line;
- ladder;
- flange brush.
Now you can prepare the area:
- Clear the area of debris and vegetation.
- Carefully remove weed roots and remove large stones.
- Cut off the protruding mounds and fill in the holes.
- Level the soil and, if necessary, compact it with a hand roller.
Transfer the plan of the terrace to the area - use pegs with string stretched between them to mark the contours of the future building.
Arrangement of the foundation for the extension
The terrace, like any other building, must be built on a specially equipped foundation. Residential buildings are erected on a strip foundation, but there is no need to construct such a massive concrete base for a small plank terrace. The optimal base option for such a lightweight structure as a wooden extension would be an inexpensive and easily installed columnar foundation.
Terrace on a high columnar foundation
The procedure for constructing a columnar foundation:
- Taking into account the rule that after laying on the logs, the terrace flooring should be located 25-30 mm below the floor level in the country house, calculate the height of the foundation pillars.
- Mark this point on the wall of the house with a horizontal beam, on which the ends of the joists will subsequently rest.
- For better stability of the extension, build foundation pillars not only at the corners of the terrace, but also in the spaces between them. Place the pillars in two rows parallel to the wall of the house, with an interval of 1.4-1.7 m in the row.
- For each pillar in the ground, dig a hole with a cross section of 40 by 40 cm and a depth of 0.7-0.8 m.
- At the bottom of each hole, pour a 10-centimeter layer of sand and the same layer of small crushed stone. Compact the sand-stone cushion with a hand tamper and line the inside of the hole with waterproofing material.
- Build a wooden box-shaped formwork of the required height on the surface of the earth around the pit and pour thick concrete mortar into the resulting forms.
- When the concrete has set well, remove the formwork and align the upper ends of the pillars in a single plane.
- After the supports have completely hardened, wrap them with roofing felt glued to hot bitumen mastic. In order to prevent the penetration of soil moisture into the support beams of the boardwalk, cover the tops of the pillars with several layers of the same roofing material.
Having completed the construction of the foundation, proceed to the next stage of construction, namely, begin to arrange the floors.
Wood floor construction technology
In country houses, double plank floors are usually made with intermediate joists and a layer of insulation, but for a light summer terrace it will be quite enough to build a single wooden covering from decking or thick tongue-and-groove boards.
The basis of such a floor is a massive lattice frame - a grillage, made of thick (with a cross-section of at least 100 by 150 mm), pine beams impregnated with antiseptic, laid on concrete foundation columns.
Columnar foundation with wooden grillage
Work procedure for laying plank flooring:
- Lay the grillage bars cut to size strictly horizontally on the ends of the foundation columns covered with roofing felt. Check the position of the beams with a spirit level, and attach them to the concrete base with special anchors or metal brackets.
- At the joints, tighten the grille ribs with strong galvanized corners.
- Lay the logs perpendicular to the frame beams in increments of 50-60 cm on the edge and attach them to the base with anchors or long self-tapping screws, screwing them into pre-drilled holes.
- Lay decking or tongue-and-groove boards tightly fitted to each other on the joists and attach them to the joists with flush-mounted screws, the heads of which are covered with putty or covered with decorative caps.
When the floor is ready, start building the upper part of the terrace
Construction of a wall frame
To construct the vertical frame of the terrace, larch or oak beams with a section of 100 by 100 mm are used. These beams are first treated with a fungicide, impregnated with a water-repellent compound and cleaned with sandpaper to remove burrs and splinters.
The procedure for constructing a vertical frame:
- Lay a row of bottom frame beams on the terrace floor, connect them at the corners “in a straight lock” and attach the assembled frame to the load-bearing beams of the plank covering.
- On the wall of the house, from the points where the edges of the terrace flooring join the building, draw two vertical lines upward.
- Along this marking, attach the first two support posts of the frame to the wall of the house.
- Install two more such racks in the outer corners of the terrace.
- After this, mark the installation locations of all other vertical supports on the lower trim. To do this, divide the length of each of the open sides of the extension into equal 70-150 cm segments.
- At the marked points, cut out partial or full grooves in the beams of the lower trim, insert the support beams into them and attach each of them to the base with two steel corners.
- Having assembled the vertical frame, connect the free ends of its beams with the beams of the upper frame and begin building the roof.
Stages of arranging a reliable roof
The roof of a summer terrace is usually made pitched and flat. To arrange such a roof, they try to use the same material that is used to cover the country house.
The procedure for constructing a pitched roof:
- At the point where the roof of the terrace adjoins the country house, attach a long horizontal beam (the so-called purlin) to the wall of the building with anchor bolts.
- Lay the roof rafters in parallel rows, attaching some of their ends to the purlin and the other to the front beam of the top trim.
- Cover the rafters with sparse (in the case of using sheet roofing materials) or continuous (when using rolled roofing) lathing made from horizontally arranged thin edged boards.
- Lay the selected roofing material on top of the sheathing and secure it in the appropriate way - nails, slats or self-tapping screws.
Low, extensive terrace covered with cellular polycarbonate
Having completed the main construction work, start finishing and decorating the terrace.
Final finishing and decoration of the building
Fence the terrace with railings, build steps, sand the structural parts with fine sandpaper and cover them with waterproof paint, yacht varnish or special wax mastic.
Decorate the openings with trellises, sun awnings or light linen curtains. Decorate the inside of the extension with large flowerpots and furnish it with light garden furniture.
Option for arranging an open wooden terrace
Another option for designing a terrace
Now, knowing how to make a terrace at your dacha with your own hands, you can safely get down to business. Do not deviate from the originally developed project, scrupulously follow all points of the instructions, carry out technological operations correctly and in the end you will get a beautiful and practical summer extension to your country house.
Do-it-yourself veranda at the dacha
Based on the location of the foundation, verandas are divided into built-in and attached. For built-in buildings, the level of the foundation coincides with the main building; they have a common roof with the house and are erected simultaneously. Attached verandas have their own foundation and their own separate roof. They only have a common adjoining wall with the main house.
Based on the presence of walls, attached verandas are divided into open and closed. These construction options are very common among summer residents, and we will look at them in more detail.
Attached open verandas
Open verandas are an extension to the main building with a separate roof. Such buildings do not have walls, so they are used in the warm season. For lovers of all-season recreation, this is a minus. In addition, such a design will not protect the house from precipitation, nor will it improve heat or sound insulation.
The open veranda will be built on a separate foundation with wooden supports, on which handrails with gratings will be attached. Preference is given to pine, solid beech, oak or ash.
For the floor, it is recommended to use wooden beams laid with a gap of 3 to 5 mm and impregnated with a primer or glaze antiseptic. After this, special acrylic paint is applied. You can lay porcelain stoneware or ceramic tiles with a rough texture on the floor.
For decoration use curtains, curtains or landscaping with climbing living plants.
Enclosed verandas
A covered veranda is an extension to the house that increases the usable area and can be used all year round. For better lighting and air flow, windows are installed and sliding walls are installed. This allows you to turn the veranda into a temporary open one.
If the dacha is used year-round, then heating can be installed on the closed veranda. For the interior, you can use any things according to the taste of the owner, regardless of the weather.
How to make a veranda from old windows
The most economical way to make a closed glazed veranda with your own hands is to use old window frames.
- The frame is cleaned of old paint, the chips are smoothed out with putty, and dried thoroughly;
- After drying, remove excess putty with fine-grained sandpaper;
- For aesthetics, the frame is repainted or the original appearance is left, simply covered with colorless wood varnish;
- 2-3 cm of sealant is applied to the grooves of the frames and the glass is inserted. They are pressed and sealed around the perimeter of the frame;
- Wooden beads are placed on top of the sealant;
- The frame is attached to the window opening and carefully fixed with mounting foam.
General rules for building a veranda with your own hands
When building a brick foundation, holes up to 1 m are dug in the places where the pillars are laid, keeping a distance between the pillars of up to 70 cm. Sand is poured into the pits at a depth of 20 cm, and hot bitumen is poured on top as waterproofing. Then a strictly horizontal layer of concrete. After drying, they make a brick floor for the veranda, 30 cm lower than the floor of the house. Then it is coated with resin and the holes are filled.
- For a wooden frame, all components are treated with antiseptics and paint for exterior use;
- The roof is made pitched and flatter than that of a house for better drainage of precipitation. The material used is the same as the main building;
- For the veranda, you can use polycarbonate, which only requires a drainage earthen pad and concrete tiles as a floor.
- Construction begins with the development of a project;
- The building material must be chosen as for the main building, usually brick or wood;
- To avoid distortions, the foundation of the veranda is made the same depth as that of the main house.
Any veranda is attached to the end or to the front of the house, preferably from the east or north, overlooking beautiful landscapes. Entrance - on the side or in the center. Standard sizes: up to 3 m in width and up to 6 m in length, but it is worth observing the proportions so that everything looks harmonious.
Bottom line
Before building a veranda with your own hands, you should determine its purpose, make a project and a general estimate, and also spare no time and effort on every little detail during installation. Then the finished building will delight you for many years.
A veranda is an extension to a house that shares a common wall with it. Building a veranda is a great opportunity to expand the living space in a dacha or country house without carrying out full-scale construction. In terms of design, it can be absolutely anything, the main thing is that it is in harmony with the main building, is comfortable, functionally corresponds to the tasks assigned to it, is liked by the owners of the cottage and arouses the envy of the neighbors.
Before use, the material for constructing a gazebo must be treated with special insulating solutions that will make the structure resistant to environmental influences. What types of verandas are there?
As already mentioned, the design of the verandas can be absolutely anything, but the design can be quite different:
On a columnar, strip or pile foundation (making a monolith is expensive and difficult);
built-in or attached;
on a common foundation with the house or on a separate one;
under a common roof or under a separate one;
open or glazed;
insulated or summer version (without insulation, but with glazing);
with a frame made of different materials (wood, particleboard, aluminum, steel, and so on);
with different types of material for rough cladding;
with different types of front finish.
Obviously, the choice is incredibly large. But the most common and simplest option for constructing a veranda can be considered an attached veranda under a separate roof without insulation on a columnar foundation. If you do not plan to spend the night in such an extension in the winter and do not intend to build a bulky stove on it, this option is perfect for you. You can choose the type of internal and external cladding at your own discretion: siding, lining, boards, and so on.
Types of foundation. Time frame for constructing a veranda on your own
If the veranda is relatively small (it is customary to make it the entire length of the wall of the house where there is a door) and with a low porch, then all the work can be done literally by two people in the shortest possible time. Most often, with a 4–6 hour working day, it takes only 4–5 days, plus some time for exterior and interior finishing. An assistant to the chief foreman will be required at the stage of laying heavy beams and at the stage of constructing the roof.
Calculation of a veranda for a country house
A veranda is a structure that requires approval and, accordingly, the preparation of design documentation. Only certified specialists can do this, so, most likely, it is they who will make you a project based on your sketch, on the basis of which you can calculate the necessary materials.
However, if you decide not to legalize your extension, you can do the calculations yourself. Most home craftsmen make do with an approximate diagram and try to obtain more accurate data only for the number of beams and roofing material - both of them most often have to be purchased and transported from afar, and everything else can usually be “obtained” somewhere nearby.
When designing a veranda, you need to take into account that most often the timber that will be used for the construction of vertical posts, for the lower and upper trim and for logs, has a length of 6 meters. So, in order not to make unnecessary cuts and not throw away unnecessary materials, it is worth choosing the appropriate dimensions of the veranda.
Sketch of the veranda. Total we need
Cement;
sand and water for solution;
brick (or ready-made concrete blocks, which are sold in construction stores) for installing foundation columns (every 1.5–2 meters);
timber 150×150 or 100×100;
edged board 40×100;
durable steel corners;
nails;
bitumen for foundation treatment;
waterproofing (roofing felt or durable polyethylene);
roofing material;
materials for external and internal cladding.
Frameless glazing of the veranda. DIY veranda construction
After the rough calculations have been made and the material has been purchased, you can move on to the next stage - marking the area. It should be taken into account that the attached veranda will have a separate base from the main part of the cottage or dacha. And, since they have different bases and different weights, during the freezing and thawing of the soil, each of the structures will “float”, that is, rise and fall, completely according to its own physical laws. This means that if we try to “link” the veranda and the house, then sooner or later they will still move away from each other. Accordingly, we leave a gap of 5–10 centimeters between them, which we then close with a special strip.
Veranda at a country house. Stage 1. Building the foundation for the veranda
After we have hammered pegs along the wall in those places where we will install pillars for the foundation, we can proceed directly to the excavation work. The markings must be taken very seriously: subsequently you will not have to level out defects by complex adjustment of the top trim and rafters. Marking pegs should be located on the outside of the veranda walls.
Under the pillars, we dig holes approximately 50–70 centimeters deep and make a “cushion” for the future foundation pillars: pour 15–20 centimeters of sand into the hole, moisten it and compact it. After the sand has dried, add crushed stone to a height of approximately 10 centimeters. We pour a liquid bitumen composition on top of it to provide the pillars with reliable waterproofing.
After our waterproofed “pillow” has hardened, you can proceed directly to laying the foundation pillars. They can be made from masonry or concrete foundation blocks. We make sure that the columns are the same in height: later we will not have to fight with leveling the floor on the veranda.
If there is a cavity inside the masonry, it needs to be filled with some kind of construction waste - broken bricks, crushed stone - and filled with bitumen. It is best to coat the outside of both blocks and bricks with bitumen - it will not be superfluous.
The height of the blocks or pillars should be such that after laying the bottom trim, joists and boards, the vertical height to the floor in the cottage or house is 25–30 centimeters. This is necessary because presumably the roof of the veranda will be lower than the roof of the house (if we want to combine them into a common structure), that is, the ceiling of the veranda will also be lower.
Important: after each stage, all new elements of a wooden structure must be treated with special antiseptics.
Veranda with outdoor fireplace. Stage 2. Making the base of the veranda
Now that we have the foundation pillars, we cover each of them with a piece of roofing felt for additional waterproofing. If it was not possible to line up the columns exactly horizontally, then later, before laying the joists or flooring, you will have to make special linings.
Now we put the lower trim, which will assemble our structure together. We place a beam on top of our covered waterproofing materials pillars, which we connect with a half-tree corner connection - this is the simplest option. To add additional rigidity to the structure, you can connect the corners with nails, but it would be optimal not to use metal, but to drill holes with a diameter of about 1.5 centimeters and drive spikes into them. Don’t forget to coat the level of the bottom trim with an antibacterial waterproofing agent for wood.
Veranda frame. Stage 3. Making a frame for the veranda
In the corners of our veranda we hollow out or drill grooves for installing corner vertical posts. We install the racks, carefully checking that they are perfectly vertical. We reinforce the tongue-and-groove connection between the posts and the bottom trim with strong metal corners or brackets. Next, we install intermediate racks using the same principle. Usually they are placed at a distance of approximately 60 centimeters from one another - here everything depends solely on the wishes of the master and on the length of the material that will be used for the construction and cladding of the frame.
Important: do not forget to clearly check the distance between the vertical posts in the places where the window and door frames will be located: the frame must fit between two vertical posts.
Corner veranda. By mounting the vertical posts, you can immediately make a window sill beam, which we will make from timber, connecting it to the vertical posts with a tenon connection. You can equip the window sill beam later, securing it with corners. After installing the vertical posts and tying them together with a transverse (window sill) beam, we once again check the strict verticality of the structure.
On top of the resulting structure of racks sticking up, we install the upper frame - it will also be the Mauerlat on which the roof structure will rest. It is done according to the same principle as the lower harness.
Now we cut out incomplete (half or one-third) grooves for the floor joists in the lower frame, and incomplete grooves for the rafters in the upper frame. First, we place long beams along the wall of the house - the lower and upper purlins (the upper one is also called the beam) - on the lower and upper harness. We also cut out grooves in the purlins. We place floor joists (below) and rafters (above) across the purlins, fastening them either with a wooden spike (this is the most reliable) or with nails.
Veranda with wooden steps. Stage 4. Stairs
Our design had to be elevated above the ground, and in order to be able to get to the veranda, it is recommended to purchase or make a staircase yourself. It can be a simple welded metal staircase, a wooden staircase on stringers, made of bricks, or poured concrete. It is only important to remember that the staircase should be independent of the house - it should be combined with the floor of the veranda only by the top, preferably a floating step. The staircase needs to be installed at this stage, so that then all the connection flaws (ugly joints, etc.) can be covered with floor boards.
Floor covering for open areas. Stage 5. Floor installation
The floor can be installed at this stage or later, when the roof frame is assembled, but it is more convenient to carry out construction work by walking not on the joists, but on a ready-made base. So it is recommended that right now you place an edged board across the joists and nail it to the beam with stainless steel nails. This can be a finished version of the floorboard or a rough one. Later, the rough boards can be covered with linoleum or another type of flooring.
Remark: how to make a warm floor in the veranda
If the veranda is not cold, but warm, then the procedure for constructing the floor will be slightly different:
1. Place the strapping on top of the foundation pillars.
2. We lay the purlin (if it is needed, and it is needed if the length of the board is not enough, which we will lay in the next step) so that the upper level of the purlin beam coincides with the upper level of the strapping beam (this can be easily achieved if you use the connection of the beams “in half a tree").
3. We stuff boards on top of the purlin and strapping.
4. We lay waterproofing material on top of them.
5. We lay logs on top of the waterproofing without any cutting. You can also make a cutting, and bend the waterproofing material into the resulting grooves and press them down with lags. We connect the logs with the second bottom trim (sometimes called the second crown).
6. Place thermal insulation material in the resulting niches. This can be expanded clay, slab or roll insulation.
7. We fill boards on top of the joists - this will be the finishing or rough floor of our veranda.
Wooden veranda. Stage 6. Roof installation
We already have a mauerlat or top trim and a central girder (also known as a bench). Now you need to install racks on the side of the wall of the house, so that later you get a pitched roof. First we set up the corner posts, then the intermediate ones. We connect the racks from above with a ridge girder, making sure that all racks are the same height.
Now we place the rafters with support on one side on the wall posts, on the other side on the Mauerlat (aka the top frame). You can lay the rafters with hollowing “half a tree”, or without - just attach them with corners or staples. Do not forget that our roof must have an overhang from the entrance to the veranda, as well as a small allowance from the side of the house wall so that rain and melt water does not flow down the back wall of the veranda. In addition, do not forget that it would also be a good idea to make a canopy over the stairs, at least over the top few steps.
Important: this article describes a highly simplified rafter system, which, however, is often used in the construction of summer houses, verandas, and gazebos. However, during work, especially if the veranda is very spacious, it may be necessary to install additional elements: struts (supports the angle between the rafters and the post), intermediate posts (also called legs or chairs), purlins and tie rods (connect additional intermediate posts) and other elements, which will reduce the pressure of the roofing pie and rafters on the posts and trim, and also maintain the clarity of the corners of the structure.
Veranda roof made of polycarbonate. On top of the rafters we attach a waterproofing material, which is secured with self-tapping screws. We fill counter-lattice boards along the rafters. They will play a double role: they will press the waterproofing harder and create a space between the finishing roofing material and the insulation, eliminating the possibility of rotting of the sheathing and rafters.
Next comes a layer of lathing, which is placed across the rafters and, accordingly, the counter-lattice. The final stage is fixing the roofing material and covering the sides of the resulting gables with a suitable material (most likely the same one that will be used to cover the walls of the veranda).
You can use a wide range of materials to form the roof of a gazebo. Further, if you have a warm veranda, all work is done from the inside of the house. You need to fasten the insulation between the rafters (can be nailed to the rafters), cover it with a vapor barrier layer (can also be nailed), and then lay the lathing of the ceiling system on top. It can be a rough version or immediately a final version for subsequent finishing.
Stage 7. Installation of doors and windows
If you will have a covered porch rather than an open one, now is the time to install door and window frames. We fix the boxes using self-tapping screws or nails. We fill the voids with polyurethane foam. During the outer cladding of the walls, it is better to remove the sashes (unless, of course, you have double-glazed windows) so that they do not suffer from vibrations when struck with a hammer or during operation of a screwdriver.
Modern interior solutions allow your imagination to run wild. Stage 8. Sheathing the outside walls of the veranda
The material for the cladding and, accordingly, the method of its fastening are chosen by the owners of the house at their own request. The main thing when installing the outer covering is not to forget about the waterproofing layer, which is attached to the counter-lattice attached to the vertical posts. Insulation and vapor barrier are installed from the inside, similar to the roof. You can leave the veranda open by building only a high fence.
Sunny glassed veranda. Stage 9. Finishing!
Now all that remains is to make sure once again that all the wood has been treated with antiseptic compounds and you can proceed to finishing the veranda. There is no need to comment on this part of the work, since there are simply countless options. Now, on their own veranda, home owners will be able to enjoy morning or evening tea, fresh air, peace and contemplation of nature.
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