porch: building one

At the moment we have a flat-roof porch. basically there are big wooden joists that extend a couple of foot over the front door. On top of these is some chipboard or plywood or something similar which has felt on top of that. SWMBO would like this replaced with a sloping, tiled, porch.

Since half of the frame is there already, I was thinking all we need to do is fit a batten higher up the wall and another on the outside edge of the flat roof and run wood diagonally between them and fill with noggins. Is this more or less right?

If so, once I have a frame what about tiling. Never done that before. Do I just nail it on? is it easy? Are tiles expensive? Where do I buy them from?

I know you can get plastic sheets that I presume are cheap and probably require less support. Of course they probably won't look as nice. However, I think they are available in black. Has anyone seen any in "real life"? Does it look smart or is it best left for carports? We have got a flat roof carport, which I was as thinking of doing the same... but that's another thread.

Thanks.

What you describe sounds like an unsupported canopy If that is the case it is likely that the porch is only a rectangular frame bolted to the house wall and would sag at the front if you build a sloping roof on to it You should consider fitting 'gallows' brackets or posts at each corner to support the front edge

Flashing will be needed at the top and should be cut into a mortar course

Tiles can be set on roofing laths nailed horizontally to the rafters on top of the roofing felt A little thought is needed here to get the tiles to fit the roof size

Nail some rows with aluminium nails

Then all you need to sort is a fascia and guttering to collect the water running down the front of the roof (the flat porch roofs in my area were built with a lip at the front so that the water drained off of the end away from the door)

Everything available from a builders merchant or roofing supplies

Tony