This past Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day for early December, so I took advantage of it to get the porch almost finished on the framing side. The permanent porch columns are still on hold until the new concrete is poured, so for now a few scrap 2x6s are temporarily filling that role. The porch is nearly self-supporting, but I wanted extra stability to handle the first snowstorm and any eave drift.
After partially framing the porch earlier, I wanted to make sure all my siding lengths were correct before placing final orders. That step gave me confidence nothing would be miscalculated or missed.
Planning the Column Layout
One of the biggest advantages in this stage was using SmartBuild to lay out the columns in 3D before heading outside. Instead of wracking my brain in the cold, I could test different layouts virtually. After a few iterations, I settled on four columns spaced along the 38′ front wall of the porch.
Because this is a remodel, I couldn’t move the large 10×8 door opening in the main wall, so column placement had to work around it. SmartBuild made it easy to visualize spacing that wouldn’t obstruct the opening while still supporting the beam.
Material Choices and “Allowed Lengths”
SmartBuild also helped calculate the beam materials. Since I was hauling everything in my truck and installing it myself, I opted for shorter lengths—two 8s instead of a single 16. SmartBuild supports this through its “allowed lengths” setting, which looks at your material catalog and chooses the most efficient lengths with minimal waste.
In this case, I overrode the program’s logic to fit my circumstances. That flexibility—balancing automation with real-world reasoning—is exactly why SmartBuild works so well for remodel projects like mine.
The Hiccup: Missing Materials
Of course, no project is without a hiccup. In our latest SmartBuild release, we added features for post wraps, beam wraps, and ribbon returns for porches with metal-wrapped beams. Unfortunately, that feature wasn’t fully functional weeks back when I created my material take-off, so the 2x8s needed for those wraps didn’t make it into my order.
I should have caught it myself, but it’s another reminder of how valuable automated processes can be in avoiding oversights. Even small misses can slow progress, but the system is evolving to make those errors less likely. In this Smartbuild rendering here, you can see the “ribbon return” as we call it, where the porch beam continues around the corner and extends back to the main building wall.
That’s all for now. Keep an eye out for more updates on my SmartBuild remodel project—I’ll continue posting weekly as progress allows.
All the best,
Royden Wagler
FAQs: Porch Framing with SmartBuild
Q: Why did you only partially frame the porch at first?
A: I wanted to confirm siding lengths and avoid ordering mistakes. Partial framing gave me accurate measurements before committing to the full build.
Q: Why are temporary 2x6s being used instead of the permanent columns?
A: The permanent columns won’t be installed until the new concrete is poured. The scrap 2x6s provide temporary support to keep the porch safe and stable through early snow.
Q: How did SmartBuild help with column placement?
A: SmartBuild’s 3D layout tools let me test different column spacing virtually. This saved time and ensured the columns wouldn’t obstruct the 10×8 door opening.
Q: What are “allowed lengths” in SmartBuild?
A: It’s a setting that lets SmartBuild select the most efficient material lengths from your catalog to minimize waste. I overrode it in this case to use shorter boards that fit in my truck.
Q: What was the hiccup with missing materials?
A: A new SmartBuild feature for post wraps, beam wraps, and ribbon returns wasn’t fully functional when I created my material take-off. As a result, some 2x8s didn’t get added to the order.
Q: How do you handle mistakes like missing materials?
A: I try to catch them manually, but automated processes like SmartBuild’s evolving features help reduce oversights. It’s a balance of trusting the system and double-checking details.
