Mobile Home Exterior Makeovers | Fixing Up The Porch
When it comes to mobile homes, not everyone is aware you can put porches on them. And when they do find out, most people think it’s too much work. But it’s not.
Generally, a porch doesn’t just add beauty and character to your mobile home. It adds extra living space. And if it’s covered, it can be used all year round. The more entertaining space the better! Let’s look at a few folks who have put porches on their mobile homes.
Taking your time
From the looks of it, Geneva and Buzz never stop working. As we’ve followed along on their mobile home renovation journey, one thing sticks out the whole time. Their can-do attitude. Therefore, make sure you don’t leave without taking some of it with you. It will help in your future renovations.
Building a porch doesn’t have to take too long. Which is good, because, on most houses, the front door is used very often. However, if you already have a porch, and are just redoing it, you can take a little longer. Lots of little baby steps mean big results.
Geneva and Buzz took their time renovating their porch. And by taking their time, we mean they did it over the course of a few years. Let’s look at how they went about it.
The first step they took was repainting their porch and then decorating it. In this case, they didn’t wait to decorate their porch until they were entirely done with renovations. Generally, this is a smart idea if you’re taking your time with renovations.
About a year after painting they added an awning, and then a roof to their porch. A year later, they removed the old steps and built new ones. Then they primed and painted the porch for a second time. After that, they added boards on the side for privacy and a faux window. Finally, they painted the floor and added a few fun touches, such as antique shutters, and more decorations.
Geneva and Buzz compared their porch process as “putting lipstick on a pig,” because they didn’t want to tear down the original porch. However, in the end, they were pleased with their results, so it’s a win-win!
Front and back
In our last makeover article, we took a peek into Elizabeth and Dale’s exterior makeover process. This time, we’re back to them again, as we look at what they did with their porches!
Because they bought an entirely brand new mobile home, it didn’t have any porches. So Dale and Elizabeth built porches on their home. That’s right! They didn’t just build a front or a back porch, they built both!
First, they hired a crew to build the porch for them, but then did the rest of the work themselves. This included putting up lattice underneath the porch, and also finishing the steps. Then, they hired a painter to stain their deck. After the stain finished curing, the porch was complete! All it needed was some decoration.
Try it for yourself
Generally, the only way to find out if you can do something is to try. And if you’re renovating your current porch, the job is going to be much easier than building a brand new one. So let’s try to understand better how you can best accomplish your makeover.
Renovating
If you’re renovating your porch, it’s best to evaluate how much work it’s going to be. Only you will know whether you need to replace floorboards, railings or steps. After you’ve found that out, your next step is painting.
Your paint colors will say a lot about you, so take your time and find a color you really love. Whatever you choose, if you’re going to repaint or stain your porch, one of the most important things is sanding. If your porch was previously painted and it’s peeling, make sure to get up the old, peeling paint before you repaint.
A power washer is an excellent way to get up old paint, and “sand” things down a bit. Just be sure to let the deck dry before you start painting.
In with the new
Rather than see it as a disappointment, if your mobile home didn’t have a porch to begin with, consider it a license to get creative. That’s right, the sky’s the limit! You can design and build however you want to. You can build the porch yourself, or hire someone to do it. In the end, you should end up with exactly what you wanted. So start planning, and make your deck the perfect thing for you.
Don’t be shy
One final piece of advice. Don’t be afraid to step out a little and do something bold or different. As long as it looks good, you will have accomplished something great! And after your exterior renovations are finished, move inside, and find out how to put up recessed shelves in your mobile home. After all, everyone can use a little extra storage space.