DIY Porch Update for $150

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.

This front porch reno was actually so quick and easy I couldn't believe it was really that simple. Plus the porch looks bigger now. And we did it all for $150.00 and some sweat equity.

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.


Taking out the old black front rail and adding new wider stair treads is actually stage 1 of my update. The second stage will happen in the Spring.


We will remove the wrought iron support post and side rail by adding some larger posts which will flank both sides of the porch. Plus add a new side rail and handrails to the stair.

But for now, here is a before of what it looked like.


A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.


With the front rail taken out.

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.




A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.


Using stair treads bought at a local home improvement store, “G” shows how he removed enough of the concrete to allow the new treads to go right over it. He used muscle, and a grinder. He simply cut lines into the stairs and chiseled out what was needed.


A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.


We could have rented a jackhammer and completely removed the old stair but hubby wanted to use it as a mounting surface for one side.

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.

All of the wood we used was pressure treated.

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.


If you look closely, you will see a 2”x 8” backer board for the left side of the treads and risers. This is where he secured the left side.

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.


Starting to look like a plan!

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.

Below shows the new stair before stain and before “G” cut the left side down to match the 3” overhang we have on the right side. His wonderful (crappy) circular saw finally broke on us.

Something tells me he won’t be buying another Dewalt power tool again. He likes things that last more then 4 years.

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.


A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.

Here is one coat of some leftover stain we had lying around.

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.

The stain is still wet in some areas, today the temperature only hit 76 degrees.

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.


I am seriously loving the dark brown, but it may need a second coat. I am giving it a week or so to ponder.

We have plenty of time before winter hits.
I hope!

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.


A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.




A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.

Its is an absolute joy now walking up and down the stairs. They are evenly spaced in height and wider!

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.

Cost for this project was just under $150.00 and that is the cost of the wood. The tools, stain and muscle we keep in stock here.

A quick and budget friendly Do It Yourself Project to enlarge the front porch in one weekend.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some front porch sitting to do.