Expert: Richard Taylor, AIA - 7/12/2009

Question
Like Kyle, I too am looking to build a portico to protect a 3 foot door. I can figure out how to do it in general by looking at examples but what is the best way to attach it to the house?

Answer
Hi Margaret - thanks for your question!

How you attach the portico depends on a number of factors including the design of the portico and the construction of the house.

If the portico is self-supporting (it has columns setting on the porch floor) then the attachment to the wall isn't structural.

If the portico "hangs" from the wall, however, then the attachment has to hold the weight of the portico, and the "live load"  superimposed on it (regulated by the building code).

For a portico on columns with a sided house, the roof structure is more or less nailed or bolted right to the wall (must nail or bolt to the studs, not just the sheathing).  Be sure to properly flash the roof to the wall.

For a masonry house you'll have to remove the masonry where the roof structure will attach to the house and connect it directly to the wall structure as noted above.

If the portico hangs off the wall, then you have to do a lot more with the structure...generally it means beefing up the structure in the wall to carry the "moment" loading, and carefully specifying the attachment of the roof structure to the house.  Brackets below can help distribute this load, if they make sense architecturally.

If you don't have experience with this kind of construction, you need to get someone who has involved.  Done wrong, a "hanging" portico roof can cause serious damage to the house and can be a safety threat.

Hope this helps,

Richard Taylor, AIA
www.rtastudio.com
www.rtastudio.blogspot.com
www.rtaplans.com