Anyone have a manufactured home that came with a wrap around porch

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aennis82
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:53 pm

Anyone have a manufactured home that came with a wrap around porch

Post by aennis82 » Fri Sep 19, 2008 1:15 pm

I recently purchased a 28X72 Clayton home with a wrap around porch on it. I am hoping to find some ideas of how to block it. We thought maybe we could just block around the living space and do lattice or something around the outside of the porch, but we are not sure if that will work. Anyone have ideas or pictures of homes like this?

David Oxhandler
Posts: 1459
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 8:37 am

Re: Anyone have a manufactured home that came with a wrap around porch

Post by David Oxhandler » Sun Sep 21, 2008 9:42 am

We have had some confusion as to the nature of your question because of terminology. Blocking a manufactured home generally refers to setting blocks under the home to create a foundation system. I think what your asking about is what is referred to as skirting... closing in the area under the home.

A good answer would depend somewhat on what part of the country you are located. I am in Florida where frost is not a factor and the best system here is stucco. It can be made to look like brick, block or an outside textured wall. It is also the most expensive type, but looks great, lasts for decades, and is immune to damage from lawn mowers and weed whackers. The most economical skirting used in most parts of the country consists of vinyl panes that interlock to form a solid barricade.

Visit a few new home dealers or upscale parks and see what they are using. You dont necessarily have to purchase through them but they will have the best information about what type systems are in use in your area

I would avoid lattice. The best skirtings make a solid barrier. Even though part of your home is designed for outdoor living the floor system and underside is exactly the same as the inside sq footage. You want a solid barrier to prevent small animals from entering under your home, to save energy and in the north reduce the possibility of plumbing freeze ups.

Look under the porch area and you will see that there is a barrier... most often black in color, that the floor insulation rests on. Above the insulation there is a good possibility that there are some water lines... even under the deck section. Homes that I have worked on that dont have a solid skirt and permit the local cats, dogs, mice, squirrels to enter can have problems that you just dont want to deal with.

During dry spells I have seen homes where local raccoons and squires have discovered a water line and chewed thru it to get a drink. The pin hole made by a field mouse tooth is so small that the leakage is not noticed 'till it has cause mold, mildew or a wet spot on the bottom side of the floor decking that is rotting the floor. By the time this is noticed through a carpeted or vinyl covered floor you have a serious and expensive repair. I have also seen small animals nesting on the warm side of the insulation under homes. This generally goes unnoticed 'till a new born or even an adult gets lost above the insulation, cant find a way out and dies. You wake up one day with a stench in your home that is next to imposable to find. Read What is that bad smell & how do I get rid of it ?

If you are in the north consider a solid concrete skirting system. This is the best option available in areas where frost is a concern.

You can also see the following articles in our archive to get a fuller picture:

Air Tight Skirting?- Manufactured Home Repair & Renovation - Fri 08/17/07 08:49:12 am I have recently had the skirting system replaced on a singlewide mobile home in a northern climate. I used a simulated stone interlocking panel system. In order to better winter-proof the home, I had 2inch insulation board affixed to the back side of the metal frame that the skirting attaches to. Other than the access door, there are no openings. Is there such a thing as being too air-tight?... Replacing skirting- Manufactured Home Repair & Renovation - Tue 08/26/08 10:15:39 am Hello - I had some hail damage to my mobile home this summer and need to replace some of the skirting. The problem I am having is finding the same type of vinyl skirting that I currently have. My current skirting panels are 13 3/4 inches wide but everything I am finding is 16inches wide and interlock differently. My mobile home was made in 1992. I don\'t really want to replace all my skirting... http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?8,78698,78698 Replace metal skirting with HardiBoard- Manufactured Home Repair & Renovation - Tue 06/10/08 05:28:07 pm We have a 1974 double-wide whose paint (light green) is fading and oxidized. We have metal skirting ..handyman used Hardiboard instead of skirting. He has offered to replace all the skirting surrounding the house with this material, Any opinions on this switch-to-hardy-board would be appreciated.... http://mfdhousing.com/phorum5/read.php?8,78329,78329 Building A Skirting Access Door - by Mark Bower - Sun 05/25/08 01:00:18 pm  Many people do a great job of installing and up keeping their skirting, but fail to plan for a simple access to get underneath their home. Take it from me, makeshift doors are frustrating. If those access doors don't open because they are jammed, frozen, hinged, non-existent or whatever, they are... manufacturedhousingparts.com manufacturedhousingrepair.com manufacturedhousingsales.com manufacturedhousingservice.com mfd-specialties.com
David Oxhandler
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