Avoid removing or enclosing porches, especially those which face the public street.

Retain and repair original posts, rails, and trim, including lattice apron, wherever possible. Where replication is necessary, new elements should match the historic as closely as possible.

Rebuild steps with materials appropriate to the facade, matching the historic precedent as closely as possible.

Porches are an exterior living space and mark the transition between the private house and the public street. While many porches extend the full length of the facade, some wrap around the building or only cover the entry.

Original porch in need of repair and trim replacement.

Porch after rehabilitation and some trim simplification.

Replacement porch posts, columns, and rails should match the originals as closely as possible. Wrought iron posts and rails should be avoided except where they were part of the historic design.

Avoid enclosing porches, especially at the front.
Good answers to questions about porch conservation can be found in Preserving Porches, by Renee Kahn and Ellen Meager. (New York: Henry Holt and Co. 1990).