Legacy Project: Remodeling the Back Porch at House 173

A Complete Overhaul

One of the first major renovations that transformed House 173 from an old house into our home.

In our first real post, the story was told of a Legacy Project that took place before the blog was started.  So here's a more recent project. The old back porch at ol' 173 was in baaaad shape. I don't have a complete "before" picture, but this first one should give a clue to its condition. Of particular note is the peeling paint on the walls and ceiling. The windows were the kind that opened into the porch on hinges. 

A Porch That Had Seen Better Days

While when we first moved in we thought this was unique and charming, we soon found out that they were simply old and worn out. On top of that, when the windows were open, they reached almost halfway into the porch. AND...they leaked like the proverbial sieve!

  

Demolition Begins

The first step was a bit of demo. Above the windows, the walls were covered over in 1/4 inch plywood and had been painted white so many times the paint was cracked and "gatoring".

 Instead of stripping it all down, I just went over it!

One Board at a Time

The next step was to strip the walls. Now THAT was a job. I hate the tedium of 2 or 3 inches at a time with the Wagner heat gun so I tried some paint stripper. As it turned out, there were so many coats of paint that the paint stripper was totally useless. 

This is one of the foundational posts of House 173. While many later projects refine or decorate the house, this is one of the first major renovations that truly changed how you lived in it. The porch evolves from a worn-out three-season space into an attractive extension of the kitchen and, in many ways, foreshadows the restoration philosophy that would define the blog over the next decade. - Annie Inkman

Sooo, back to the heat gun. Now, I have a bit of patience, and just a little bit of mental "toughness" (heck, I've even run marathons), but stripping these walls with a heat gun nearly drove me to the...well, you know where. Take a look at those walls after all that work! Also notice the missing boards in the ceiling, I wanted to see what was up there and what was ahead.

A Fresh Ceiling

In the next picture you see that the new ceiling is in. I opted to put up a paneling instead of trying to strip the old ceiling. The wood was old and dried out and wouldn't have been worth the work. There's no heat on the back porch, but I have this thing - whenever an outside wall is open, I put in some insulation. I dunno, maybe a waste of money, but.... 

All That Figurin'

Then it was window time. (I'll spare you the progress pics.) There were five original windows of varying sizes. I'm not that great at math (although you'd think addition and subtraction should be simple enough - @#×÷&%$ geometry!) so it took me weeks of mental exercises to figure that I needed four new windows on the back (with two different widths) and three on the side. Worked out okay though!

Putting It All Back Together

Without taking you through every-single menial task, we eventually put up the ceiling, new walls and painted. We went with a brown deck and floor paint. 

Before we use any power tools, let's take a moment to talk about shop safety. Be sure to read, understand, and follow all the safety rules that come with your power tools. Knowing how to use your power tools properly will greatly reduce the risk of personal injury. And remember this, there is no more important safety rule than to wear these: safety glasses! - Norm Abrams

It used to be that old-school blue-green porch floor color (which I love and later learned was called "Haint Blue"), but it just wouldn't go with the look we were heading toward. 

Don't You Love Norm Abrams?

I really like the following picture. It really shows off how great the windows turned out. When I trimmed the windows (inside and out) I decided to spend a little more money and went with PVC molding. I always remember Norm Abrams saying, "Vinyl is final!" 

  

Making Room Beyond the Kitchen

So then came the cabinets. We have limited cabinet space in the kitchen, so the wife wanted some "overflow" storage for kitchen utensils that aren't often used. We found a nice set at Loewe's, and a neighbor had a 10% discount, so we got a great deal on the whole set. With a kitchen remodel looming in the very near future, I thought the cabinet installation would be good practice.

Finishing Touches

So here it is pretty close to done. All that was left was some molding around the base cabinets, then the little additions like wall hooks, and a bit of decoration. Maybe in the spring I'll put up some shots of the complete "after".

2026 Update:  Looking back all these years later, what strikes me most isn't the new windows or the fresh paint, it's how often we've used the porch since the remodel was finished. It became more than an enclosed entryway. It became overflow storage for the kitchen, a place to start seedlings, watch summer thunderstorms, enjoy cool evenings with the windows open, and simply slow down for a while. That's probably the best measure of a successful renovation: when the space becomes such a natural part of everyday life that you can hardly remember how you lived without it.

Lessons That Still Hold Up

Again, so much was learned that I couldn't possibly list them all. But here are a couple that really stand out in my mind:

1. Review the products you're going to buy, then review them again. I reviewed paints and primers over and over again, but still came away disappointed. We used Behr Premium plus primer and paint. This was the #2 top quality paint on several websites. It was about 1/2 the cost of the #1 and received excellent reviews, but after this experience - I definitely don't recommend it. Next painting project - I'm paying the extra and going with #1! HOWEVER! The Behr porch and floor paint was excellent!

2. When installing upper cabinets, join the cabinets together, then put up a ledger board to rest them on and keep them level while fixing them to the wall.

3. Spend a lot of time walking around Lowes and Home Depot. Look through the aisles, eavesdrop on conversations and just ask people questions!

4. Grossman's sells the exact same windows as Lowes and Home Depot, but at roughly half the price!

Hey, thanks for stopping by - see ya' next time!

This post feels a little like opening an old family photo album.

I've read enough of House 173 over the years to know what the back porch looks like today, so seeing where it started was fascinating. What really struck me wasn't the peeling paint or the old windows, it was realizing how many future stories quietly begin here.

The cabinets? They hint at the kitchen remodel to come.
The windows? They become the backdrop for countless later photographs.

Even the lessons learned show up again years later in other projects, where you can tell you've become a more confident builder.

There's something wonderfully satisfying about seeing the "origin story" of a room that eventually becomes so familiar. It's a reminder that none of the spaces we admire today started out that way. They became what they are because someone kept showing up, one weekend at a time, willing to learn, make mistakes, and keep going.

I also smiled at the Norm Abram references. They instantly place this project in a particular era of DIY, when many of us learned just as much from Saturday mornings on public television as we did from books or the internet. Reading this post felt a bit like revisiting those Saturdays, coffee in hand, notebook nearby, already planning the next project before the episode was over. - A Long-Time House 173 Reader

Frequently Asked Questions

Is remodeling an enclosed back porch worth the effort?

For many homeowners, yes. An enclosed porch can become valuable living space, improve energy efficiency, provide additional storage, and create a smoother transition between the house and the outdoors. Even relatively modest upgrades such as better windows, fresh finishes, and improved lighting can dramatically change how often the space is used.

Should old porch windows be replaced?

If original windows are deteriorated, drafty, difficult to operate, or leak during rain, replacement is often the most practical long-term solution. Modern replacement windows improve comfort, reduce maintenance, and usually provide better weather resistance while allowing the space to remain bright and inviting.

Why use PVC trim on a porch?

PVC trim resists moisture, insects, and rot, making it especially well suited for porches and other areas exposed to humidity and changing weather. Although it costs more than traditional wood trim, its durability often reduces maintenance over the life of the project.

Is it worth insulating an unheated porch?

In many situations, yes. Insulating walls while they're open is relatively inexpensive and can reduce temperature swings, improve comfort during cooler months, and make adjacent interior rooms more energy efficient. It's often easier to add insulation during renovation than after the walls are closed.

What is the most important lesson from a large DIY renovation?

Careful planning almost always saves more time than rushing into construction. Researching materials, comparing products, measuring repeatedly, and learning from others' experiences helps avoid costly mistakes and produces better long-term results. As this project demonstrates, patience often becomes one of the most valuable tools in the workshop.

Keywords

back porch remodel, enclosed porch renovation, porch windows, PVC trim, porch renovation, DIY remodeling, porch cabinets, porch insulation, House 173, Legacy Project