Victorian Porch Restoration Project: Complete

Learn More About the Victorian Porch Restoration Project in Wyoming, Ohio 

Wyoming, Ohio is a city with a rich history and roots stretching back to the early 1800s. Home of the Wyoming Historical Society, they played an instrumental role in listing the City’s Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Victorian architecture is predominant in the Village Historic District and there are many homes located in this part of town with rich pasts and stunning designs. 

The owners of this home reached out to me because they had been looking for someone who possessed the skill and knowledge to refurbish a home from this era. They wanted my son and me to look at their double porch and see if we could accomplish a complete overhaul.  

The double porch was over one hundred years old and was suffering from rot in a few places and had undergone a slew of mixed maintenance and repair over the last century.  

Beginning 

The process started with a careful selection of building materials including wood, composites, fasteners, trim materials, paint, epoxy, and more! 

Next, it was time to take some selective samples of the original spindles and strip them down to discover the original detail.  

This process was imperative as it allowed me to replicate each individual detail so I could craft replacement spindles, balusters, balustrades, and handrails.  

If you have followed Old School Craftsman for a while, then you know that attention to detail is a monumental part of what my team and I do every day. 

After sanding, treating, painting, and finishing all the replacement pieces, our team was ready for the next step, bracing and raising the porch roof and a full rebuild of the porch frame.

At this point, we discovered that we needed to pour footers for the patio. This process included excavating the foundation areas, working with the project architect and inspector to update the plan, and then finally pouring the new footers.  

The new frame was sturdy, and my team and I felt confident moving to the next stage of the job.  

To learn more about the setup of the job, click here! 

Middle 

During jobs such as these, communication is key. It is important to consistently update the homeowner about when we will be working on-site and when we will be in the shop. It is equally important to coordinate our working times with local schools and traffic patterns to ensure that our work is not impeding the homeowners or the larger community.  

As we worked, local residents stopped by to admire our work and ask questions about the project.  

Conclusion 

When the project was finished, I was extremely pleased with the work we had done. Both the upper and lower porch were finished in exquisite detail and the porch that once lay in disrepair now served as a warm welcome with a healthy helping of curb appeal.  

During this project, we partnered with Tom Wilcox Architecture, who referred this client to us. Find his website here to check out Tom Wilcox’s wonderful work! 

To finish things off, we carved a 22 (the house number) into the newel post. The rich African Mahogany beneath now shows through due to the carving. We finished it with an epoxy coating to protect and enhance the beautiful wood and keep it pristine for years to come. 

To finish things off, we carved a 22 (the house number) into the newel post. The rich African Mahogany beneath now shows through due to the carving. We finished it with an epoxy coating to protect and enhance the beautiful wood and keep it pristine for years to come.

Old School Craftsman Take Home Refurbishment a Step Above 

Myself, my son, and all the skilled partners we work with on our projects know the value of fine craftsmanship and detail. That is why it was such a sincere pleasure to bring the Victorian double porch back to life.  

I always love working with homeowners who take immense pride in home restoration, and that was certainly the case with this project. The homeowners we gracious and cordial and motivated to see this beautiful double porch restored to its former glory. 

If you are a homeowner looking to restore your home or create an artisanal add-on, then I would love to hear from you! My name is Brent Sears, and I am a master craftsman with decades of experience in bringing even the most nuanced projects to life. 

Click here to reach out and begin discussing your project today! 

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Please enjoy some photos we took as we worked.