Be sure to check out any building requirements in your area. Obtain a permit before you begin work.
Mobile Home Roof Structure
If your mobile home will stay in place for a long time, consider attaching the porch roof to the mobile home structure. Talk with mobile home dealers about how your mobile home was manufactured. Follow their suggestions about attaching the porch to wood or metal beams. The weight of a porch must be secured via special bolts to mobile home framing.
Design and Materials
Draw a very detailed plan before you shop for materials. The roof of the porch must either tie in with the mobile home roof line exactly or be constructed to stand slightly above it. A sloped roof should be one foot higher on the end next to the mobile home to shed rain properly. Purchase salt-treated lumber to build all components of the porch. Secure the framework together with both nails and screws. Install solid support posts that are no smaller than 6 by 6 inches.
Decking and Base
The foundation that will support the covered porch must be a concrete slab at least 12 inches thick. If you build on wooden decking, reinforce all components of the foundational posts. You don’t want to build a nice roof covering on a substandard base. The biggest enemy of wood decking is moisture from rain and snow. Brush on several coats of waterproof deck stain or paint on exposed wood to protect your investment.
Cover Construction
When you get porch framework into place, it can be tempting to use plastic or metal to create the cover. It’s better to install plywood sheathing over rafters topped by asphalt shingles. Build in overhangs and install guttering and downspouts as well. Covering the porch with traditional house materials of plywood and shingles makes it easier to turn the porch into a screen room or glass room later on.
Extra Features
Use leftover framing material to enclose one end of the porch, if you desire. Build in one end section to create a privacy screen from close neighbors and to hold shelves or a storage cabinet. You can turn the porch into a family gathering area at certain times of day by placing a TV on a shelf area. Frame in the lower area of the enclosed end of the porch to store grilling equipment. When you build the porch cover, consider expanding the roof beyond the porch decking into the side yard to create a carport.
The Drip Cap
- A porch on a mobile home can provide room to expand living areas or entertain guests.
- You can build the porch in a simple fashion to provide shade for relaxing, or you can expand the design to include dining and cooking space.
- The foundation that will support the covered porch must be a concrete slab at least 12 inches thick.
- You don’t want to build a nice roof covering on a substandard base.
- The biggest enemy of wood decking is moisture from rain and snow.
- Build in one end section to create a privacy screen from close neighbors and to hold shelves or a storage cabinet.