Wooden front porches have charm to spare and can make a welcoming first impression on visitors. Unfortunately, wooden floorboards typically succumb to the elements over time (before, at right). For this project, rather than simply refinish the porch’s painted floor or replace them with more wood, these key components were rebuilt with new, long-lasting materials (above). The result is a durable update that retains the appeal of individual floorboards. As with all projects involving newer materials, it’s important to understand and follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and ensure that underlying structures are sound.
The long-lasting good looks of the porch’s new high-tech floorboards and trim panels, made from the same plastic material, give the porch a fresh, new look that will also be easy for the homeowner to maintain for years to come.
 | Remove the old decking with a prybar. |
 | Because the floor joists on this front porch were parallel to the house, and the Eon decking was running the same way, the joists were blocked with pressure-treated 2x8 lumber. If you’re building with pressure-treated material, it’s best to use stainless-steel fasteners to help resist the highly corrosive effect of the preservative. |
 | The plastic decking material came with clips and screws for fastening it to the joists. Also included was a special slim driver bit, which fit between the deck boards to prevent damage to board edges when driving the screws. A row of clips along the wall holds the back edge of the first board in position. |
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