When it comes to curb appeal projects that give you the best bang for your buck, a front porch update should be at the top of the list. Not only does a fresh, updated entryway look appealing to passers-by, but if you’re thinking about selling your home, an updated front porch or entryway can add to the value of your property by setting the stage for buyers to expect a well-maintained, quality home at the outset.
We purchased our 1999-built home in 2021, when it was 23 years old. For the two years prior to our purchase, it had been rented out as short-term vacation property and no one lived there full time. So, it was a bit rough. The home improvement list was endless, but we wanted to start with some projects that gave our house an immediate “face lift,” after which we would be more excited to come home.
Our front porch update included the following:
- Replace the outdated and dented steel front door and sidelight
- Replace the wood handrail which was so worn, you could get splinters from using it
- Replace the canned porch light with a light fixture that had some character
- Update the steps and porch with new decking
- Paint the exterior of the home, including the front porch area
- Add some planters for a colorful, welcoming touch
If you’re like us, before and after photos of DIY home improvement projects are so inspiring! Of course, there are often concerns about costs and disruptions associated with updating any part of your home. But, when you’re updating the front porch, as long as you have another entry to access the indoors, the mess and hassle of home improvement stays outside!
We were able to find all of the items we needed on Amazon and through Facebook Marketplace. Frank is a licensed and bonded residential specialty contractor, so we did not have to pay any costs for labor. The overall cost for a more welcoming entry to our home was about $2,500, not including the work and time. We completed everything except the exterior paint in two weekends.
We started the project by ordering a classy, but functional oversized rubber front door mat by Home and More Calloway Mils. The black mat is about 2 1/2 ‘ x 4′, which allows for plenty of coverage for muddy feet (both humans and dogs). Then, after reviewing building code requirements for stair handrails, we picked out a new 4’ oil rubbed bronze color handrail on Amazon, which Frank installed.
We wanted a porch light with character, in place of the canned light, but we couldn’t decide on a style. I wanted an outdoor lantern to hang from the ceiling, while Frank preferred flush mount. Eventually, we settled on a Tiffany style outdoor light fixture that introduced a bit of color, along with improved illumination.
The biggest part of our front porch upgrade project was removal of the existing door and sidelight and replacing them with a new-to-us door. We found a suitable replacement on Facebook Marketplace for a steal! With the help of a couple additional contractor friends, we took out the old door and swapped in the new one. Frank added trim around the inside and exterior, sanded and repaired some parts of the door, and I scrubbed and polished the stained glass in the door and sidelights.
The front porch and steps were also in pretty bad shape, so those had to come out. This was the second biggest part of our front porch update. Having built an amazing deck at our old house, Frank was up to the task! We shopped around at local lumber stores and eventually decided to go with a product that is similar to Trex decking, but is made with real pressed bamboo. Over another weekend, Frank worked his way backwards from the front door installing the new decking, down the steps and then over a concrete landing and steps that had been significantly damaged by snow melt products. The before and after was dramatic!
A few months later, when we decided on exterior paint and trim colors, we painted the front door to match the trim – a dark brown custom color we created by mixing Sherman Williams Otter Brown and Onyx paint. Painting the exterior of the home a lighter cream color instead of the dull tan shade that the house had been, really brightened up the entry and gave it a crisp, clean look.
Our project was complete once we added a couple of planters to the porch with evergreen shrubs, surrounded by annuals in the spring and summer. We bought these V-shaped resin planters from Amazon, one in the 30″ size, and another in the 28″ size. The “espresso” color matches nicely with the handrail and trim. These planters are classy, durable and lightweight, which makes moving and cleaning around them easy.
We are so happy with the fresh, updated look of our front porch and love the before and after photos!
If you have any questions about the process we used, products we bought comment below. If you would like some help updating your front porch and you live in the Central Oregon area, give us a call at 541-788-1095!
Disclosure: We may earn commissions from Amazon for our recommendations in this post.
