dc porch rules

8/8/2019 DC Porch Rules

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PORCHES AND

STEPSONHISTORIC BUILDINGS



The porches and steps of Washington’s historic residentialbuildings are two of their most important characterdefiningfeatures. Functionally, they provide spaces to sit, entertainfriends, as well as allow access to a building. Front porches andsteps often present a formal appearance to the street and containornate detai Is. On the other hand, rear porches and steps are oftenmore informal and utilitarian in appearance.

Porches consist of several different components: the struc-ture and decking; the stairs and railing; the supporting columns or

structure; and the roof. Each of these components may be foundin a variety of materials including wood, brick, metal, stone andconcrete. Front and rear porches may be open without a roof orsidewalls, havea roof but nosidewalls, or beenclosed byscreensor side walls. Most Victorian era rowhouses in Washington have

cast iron stoops and railings, while many Victorian era detachedhouses and twentieth century rowhouses have porches withwood posts, columns and decorative millwork.

Porches and steps are usual ly character-defining features on residentialbuildings.



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PorchesPorches may be located on the front, rear or sides of free-

standing residential buildings and rowhouses. Some porches areopen, with only a floor and railing. Others have roofs that provideshade and protection from rain and snow. Still others, foundprimarily on rear elevations, may be enclosed by screens, win-dows and various types of wall materials, or they may bescreened.

Front Porches on Rowhouses

Rowhouses constructed in the late nineteenth and early

twentieth centuries often have front porches stretching half-wayor fully across the facade. The porches a re usually constructed ofbrick piers and wood columns, with wood or concrete floors,although other materials are found. Railings are almost alwaysmade of wood. Most porches on rowhouses originally containedflat or sloped roofs with beaded-board ceilings. Many of theoriginal roofs have been removed over time. Sometimes thedetailing and ornamentation on front porches is very elaborate,other times the porch is quite plain in design.

Histor ical ly, many rowhouses had front porches with roofs.



Rear Porches on Rowhouses

Open, enclosed and screened rear porches are found onmany historic rowhouses. Some were constructed at the sametime as the building, while others were added later. Many havebeen extensively remodeled primarily by enclosing the openporches to create additional interior space. Typically, the detailsand ornamentation on rear porches are less elaborate than that

found on front porches.

Rear porches are often screened or enclosed.

Porches on Free-standing Buildings

Porches on free-standing residential buildings are foundon front, rear and side elevations. They are constructed in a widerangeofstylesand materials. Dependingprimarilyonabuilding’sstyle, a porch may be one or two stories high, located only at themain entry door, stretch fully across the front facade, or even

continue along the side elevation. Porches on free-standingresidential buildings are usually covered by a roof. Porches onrear elevations are often also covered by a roof, or they may beenclosed or screened. Typically, a porch’s roo f, columns, ceiling,floor and railings a re made of wood, while its piers are made ofbrick, concrete, cast block or stone.

Freestanding residentia l buildings often have character-defining porches.

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StepsNineteenth century Washington rowhouses were often

constructed with a raised basement which allowed light and airto enter.(l) Generally, these rowhouses did not have porches;instead, they had ornate stoops, steps and railings of cast orwrought iron. Less frequently, brick or stone stoops and steps,with cast iron railings were used.

Iron steps are a particularly distinctive feature of earlyrowhouses because of their intricate details and ornamentation.Sometimes the steps are perpendicu lar to the facade, separatingthe entry from the sidewalk. In other cases the steps are locatedparallel to the facade, bringing the front wall close to the publicsidewalk. In still other cases, the steps are located in the publicspate.(2)

Mas s produced iron steps and railings are com mon

on nineteenth century rowhous es.

Distinc tive brick or stone steps and railings are

found on mnay larger nineteenth and early twenti-

eth century houses.

1) . A raised basement is alsoknown as an English base-ment.

2). For further information onsteps located in public space,see Landscaping Landscape

Features and Secondary

Buildings in Historic Districts.

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Iron steps were mass-produced in the last century. They

included decorative patterns in the risers, such as stars, floralmotifs and geometric or woven patterns. Some stairs will havethe name of the manufacturer stamped into the design. Otherstairs, particularly those on larger houses or other substantialnineteenth century residences, had distinctive stone and brickstoops, steps and railings.



Historic porches and steps are important to defining thecharacter of buildings. In some cases, historic porches and stepshave been removed or inappropriately altered. In other cases,porches or steps that did not exist historically have been added;or a building owner may be considering adding a new porch orsteps or altering existing ones. Before any alterations or additionsare undertaken, abuildingownershouldconsultwith the HistoricPreservation Division.

Removing Front Porches

If not properly maintained, porches may deteriorate to thepoint where their removal and replacement is required. Unfortu-nately, in the past many building owners removed all or part of adeteriorated porchwithout replacing it. In other cases theoriginalporch was replaced with oneo f inappropriatedesign or materials.

An original porch that has been removed should bereplaced with a compatible porch. The design of the replacementshould be based on documentary or photographic evidence. Ifsimilar historic porches exist in the neighborhood, they also maybe used as a basis for the design of the replacement. Existing,badly deteriorated porches should not be removed without being

replaced. Existing porches that are not compatible with thedesign of a building should, if possible, be removed and replaced

with one that is compatible with a building.

Replacing missing front porches will enhance the character of a building.

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Altering Front Porches

Alterations, such as removing an existing porch roof or aportion of its floor, changes the character of a building and isalmostneverappropriate. Similarily,addingoutdoorcarpetingorother non-traditional coverings to porch floors is rarely appropri-ate. These and other alterations to front porch floors and roofs

changes the appearance of the main facade, compromising abuilding’s historic charac ter. If these or other inappropriatechanges to the porch, floors or roofs exist, they should be removedand the porch returned to its original appearance.

Inappropriate lterations o porch floors and roofs detract from the

character of a building.

Enclosing Front Porches

An open front porch is sometimes enclosed to provideadditional, year-rou nd living space, or screened to keep outinsects. Enclosing a front porch is rarely acceptable because itdrastically alters the appearance ofthe porch and the main facadeof the building. Adding screens to open front porches may beacceptable if the screen is designed and installed in such a waythat the open appearance of the porch is retained.

If a front porch has been enclosed or screened in the past,the property owner should consider returning the porch to itsoriginal open design. However, before doing so the ownershould first determine ifthe existing design is compatible with thedesign of the building or if it has achieved significance in its ownright. A compatibly designed enclosed or screened porch is onethat has proportions, scale, materials, details, colors and othercharacter-defining features that are appropr iate to the building.



Enclosing a front porch is rarely appropriate since it will change the

existing character of a building.

Removing or EnclosingRear Porches

A building owner may wish to alter a rear porch byenclosing it with windows, walls or screens. Because rearporches are often not visible from a public street, such alterationsmaybepossible. However, thedesignshould becompatiblewiththe scale, proportion, materials and other character-definingelements of the rear elevation. The design should also retain thesense of openness exhibited by the original porch. Removing arear porch without replacing it is almost never appropriate .

Altering Front Steps

Steps and railings have sometimes been removed andreplaced with ones that are not compatible with the character ofa building. If so, the inappropriate steps and railings should beremoved and replaced with ones of compatible design. In othercases, theorientation of thesteps has been changed . Forexample,steps that were originally perpendicular to the facade are nowparallel. It is particularly important that the original orientation ofthe steps be maintained. Similarly, other inappropria te alter-ations, such as covering front steps with outdoor carpe ting, willdetract from the appearance of a building and should be removed.

Maintaining the existing orientation of front steps is important.

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Canopies are found on some

histo ric apartment buildings.

I IExisting details and ornamenta-

tion should be retained and ifnecessary repaired.

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Adding Porches and StepsAdding a front porch or steps to a historic building, except

in those cases where the original has been removed, will signifi-cantly alter the appearance of the front facade and thus is notappropriate. On the other hand, adding a new porch or steps toa rear elevation may be appropriate if the scale, proportions,materials, details and other characterdefining elements of thenew porch o r steps is compatible with the character of the rearelevation.

Adding Awnings or Canopies

Awnings are not typically used on the front porches ofhistoric residential buildings. However, when awnings are used,they are operable so that they can be opened and closed. If a

historic porch awning or its frame is still present, it should beretained. If a historic awning is missing, the design of its

replacement should be based on photographicorotherdocumen-tary evidence. Adding a new awning to a rear porch is possibleif its design and materials are compatible with the rear facade.Unfortunately, mostawningswhichexiston historic buildingsarenot original to the building. Often they arefixed and not operable,

and are constructed of inappropriate materials such as metal,plastic or fiberglass. Inappropria te awnings should be removed.

On the other hand, canopies a re found on historic apart-ment, commercial, institutional and government buildings. Anexisting canopy should be maintained and repaired if necessary.If missing, it should be replaced. The design of the replacement

should be based on documentary or photographic evidence.Similarily, if a new canopy is to be added to a historic building,its design should be compatible with the facade of the building.

Removing or Replacing Details

and Ornamentation

Removingexistingdetailsandornamentationfrom porchesand steps, without replacing them, is not appropria te because

brackets, columns, railings, moldings and other details andornamentation significantly contribute to theircharacter. Replac-ingdeteriorated details and ornamentation in a material that is notcompatiblewith theoriginal, such as replacing awood column orrailing with metal, is also not appropriate . If the deterioratedportion can not be repaired, the replacement should be in thesame material or an appropriate substitute material. The replace-ment shou ld be designed to be the same as the original inproportion, scale, texture amd other defining characteristics.



Porches and steps are subject to various forms of deterio-ration. Wood elements may rot or become infested with insects.Brick and stone elements may erode, spall, or their mortar jointsmay deteriorate, and cast and wrough t iron elements may cor-rode.(3)

Building owners should regularly inspect and maintainexisting porches and steps. When deterio ration is first detected,the building owner shou ld consult architects, engineers andcontractors knowledgeable in the materials and methods ofconstruction of historic po rches and steps. In most cases,consideration should first be given to repairing only those areasneeding attention, using in-kind materials, that is, using the samematerial as existing. If the deterioration is more extensive,replacing the entire porch o r steps in-kind should next be consid-ered. Only after repair or replacement in-kind has been deter-mined no t to be technically or economically feasible should theowner consider using a substitute material that is designed to becompatible to the existing.

woodWood porch columns, ceilings, floors, railings, and steps

were historically painted to protect them from the weather. Whenpaint blisters, cracks, flakes or peels, that protection is lost. Loosesections of paint should be removed by hand-sanding and barewood primed before repainting. If possible, thesametypeofpaintas the existing (oil or latex) should be applied. Using the sametype of paint creates a better bond between the new and old paint.

Surfaces that are heavily encrusted with paint, particularlywhen details and ornamentation have been obscured, should bestripped to the bare wood before repainting. This is best doneusing an appropr iate chemical stripper. Power sanding, sand-blasting or using hea t guns or other methods likely to damage the

wood should not be considered.

Wood elements constructed prior to 1960 may containlead-based paint. Before stripping and repainting a historicbuilding, the owner should have paint samples tested by areputable testing laboratory. If lead-based paint is found, theowner should contact an approved paint contractor to removeand properly dispose of the lead-based paint.

3). Spalling is the flaking-off ofthe surface of brick or stonecaused by water freezingunder the surface. For moreinformation, see Walls andFoundations of Historic

Buildings.

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Carefully sanding painted woodsurfaces will expose historicpaint colors.

4). Cleavage planes are the

lines along which a stonecleaves or breaks naturally.

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Selecting a new paint color for a wood porch and steps isoften a difficult decision. One method is to use the historic paintcolors based on analyzing the various existing coats of paint.Another is to consult the numerous books available on appropri-ate paintcolorsfor period residential buildings. The paint schemeselected for a porch o r steps should complement the colors of thefacade and those of neighboring buildings. This is particularlyimportant for porches and steps on rowhouses.

If a wood porch or steps has not been properly maintainedit is probably deteriorated. In cases where the damage is minor,the affected area may be treated with an appropriate woodconsolidant, such as epoxy, after the application of a fungicide.If details or ornamentation are damaged extensively, they may beremoved and replaced using the same or a similar species ofwood, finished and detailed in the same manner as the existing.If structural wood members are damaged and require replace-ment, the details and ornamentation should be carefully removedprior to replacing the damaged s tructural members. The existingdetails should then be reinstalled.

Brick and StoneBrick and stone elements of porches and steps may erode

or become dirty through airborne grit or pollutants or be defacedby graffiti. Brick and stone steps may become worn through use.Brick and stone is also subject to spalling or the mortar joints mayerode.

Spalling is the result of water penetrating behind thesurface of brick or stone through pores and cracks. In cold

weather the water freezes and expands, causing the surface tospall or break away. Spalling may also be the result of the type ofstone used or because the stone was improperly laid. Forexample, certain sandstoneand limestone isveryporous and thussusceptible to water penetration. In other cases the stone may

have been laid with the cleavage planes exposed, allowing waterto penetrate the surfaceJ4) Spalling of stone and brick may alsobe the result of sandblasting or other inappropriate cleaningtechniques that remove a stone’s protective surface.

Lightly spalled stone may be patched using appropriate

cement-based materials. However, it is often difficult to matchthe color of the existing stone and over time the patch may

becomemoreevidentasitweathersdifferentlyfrom thestone. Analternative to patching is to slow the deterioration by applying anappropriate stone consolidant. Heavily spalled stone and spalledbrick should be replaced in-kind.

The mortar used in brick and stone porches and steps isalso subject to deterioration. When the joints have becomerecessed l/2” or more behind the original surface, a buildingowner should consider repointing, or tuckpointing, with newmortar. The mortar used to repoint historic brick and stone should



be chemically similar to the existing. It is particularly importantthat modern high-strength Portland cement mortar not be used torepoint joints originally containing low-strength cement mortar.To do so may lead to other maintenance and repair problems. Oldmortar should be removed from its joints by hand tools. Usingsaws and other power tools will chip the edges of the brick andstone. New mortar should be profiled in the same manner and beof the same color as the existing.(S)

Cleaning Brick and Sione

Dirt and pollutants may contribute to spalling and otherforms of brick and stone deterioration. Cleaning brick and stoneelements of porches and steps will not only reduce potentialmaintenance problems, but will also improve the ir appearance.Cleaning brick and stone should begin with the gentlest effectivemeans possible, proceeding in careful steps to more aggressivemethods until satisfactory results are achieved. This is done toprotect the physical and visual integrity of the brick or stone, since

overly aggressive cleaning methods can erode surfaces and causeextensive maintenance problems.

The gentlest cleaning method should be tested on a smallinconspicuous area of the porch or steps todetermine its effective-ness. If the gentlest means does not produce the desired results,the next most aggressive means should be tested, and so forthuntil an effective means is found. The gentlest brick and stonecleaning method is water washing with detergent, using a hand-brush. If this proved to be unsuccessful, the owner should nexttry power washing with water an d steam starting at low-pressureand gradually increasing the pressure until the dirt, pollutant orgraffiti is removed. The most aggressive method to safely cleanbrick and stone is chemical cleaning. Selecting an appropria techemical cleaner for the substance to be removed and for the typeof brick or stone is very important. Controlling run-off from thechemical cleaner is important. Sandblasting, or blasting with grit,plastic beads or other substances, should never be considered.

Concrete

Concrete steps or porch floors may chip, spall or erode,making them difficult or dangero us to walk on. Minor damagemay be repaired using patching concrete textured, colored andfinished as the existing. Extensively damaged concrete steps orporch floors should be replaced in-kind. Precast concrete stepsshould not be used unless they match the existing in design,texture, profile, color and other defining characteristics.

Cast and Wrought Iron

Cast iron steps, wrought iron railings and other cast orwrought iron features of porches and steps should be painted to

5). For further discussion ofmortar joints, see Walls and

Foundations of Histo ric

Buildings.

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protect them from corrosion. Building owners should haveexisting paint tested for lead before stripping cast and wrough tiron elements. Old pa int may be stripped by hand-sanding or byusing an appropria te chemical stripper. If the metal componentis detachable without harming it or adjacent materials, thecomponent may be removed and dipped in an appropriatechemical bath. After clearning, cast and wrought iron shouldimmediately be primed and repainted. Historically, cast iron and

wrought iron were painted black.

Substitute MaterialsWhile it is always best to repair and replace historic

porches and steps in the original material, in some cases it is nottechnically or economically feasible to do so. In such cases,property owners may consider using a substitute material. Whenselecting a substitute material, building owners should pay par-ticular attention to the new material’s expansion, contraction andweathering properties as well as to its chemical properties. Sincematerials expand and contract a t different rates due to tempera-ture changes and sunlight falling on surfaces, installing a newmaterial with different expansion and contraction properties fromthe existing may cause the joints between old and new materialsto open. Similarly, materials weather at different rates, changingappearance over time. When a substitute material is consideredfor repair or replacement, its weathering properties should besimilar to the existing. New materials may also react chemicallyto adjacent existing materials causing them or the historic mate-rial to deteriorate rapidly.

Thefollowingsubstitutematerialsmaybeappropriatefor replacing components of historic porches and steps.Before proceeding with a substitute material, building own-ers should consult with the Historic Preservation Division.

Historic Material

-Wood

Substitute Material

- Fiberglass or railings, columns,and details only

- Stone - CFRC (glass-fiber einforced concrete),Polymer Concre te or Epoxy, Concretefor railings, columns an d details only

- Metal - Fiberglass or details only



The Distr ict of Columbia Historic Preservation Guidelines weredeveloped under a grant from the Historic Preservation Division, Departm ent

of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, Government of the Distr ict of Columbia.

They were funded in part by a grant from the United States Departm ent of the

Interior, National Park Service. The United States Departm ent of the Interior

prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, s ex, national origin, or

handicap. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any

program, activity or facility in this program, or if you desire further information

pleasewriteto: Director, OfficeofEqual Opportunity, NationalCapital Region,

National ParkService, U.S . Departm ent ofthelnterior, 1 lOOOhioDrive, S.W .,

Washington, D.C . 20242, (202) 619-7020. AN EQUAL OPPOR TUNITY

EMPLOYER M/F/H.

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