Glazing green oak beautifully is entirely achievable — it just has to respect the timber. Because the frame will dry, shrink and go on moving with the seasons, the glass must be free to float within it, bedded on flexible seals in a drained, ventilated rebate.

That post was cut and pegged into place while the Civil War was still being fought. It has outlasted every generation that walked beneath it, and it will very likely outlast us too.

If you have just bought a green oak porch, or frame — or you are about to — you may be wondering how to look after it. The reassuring answer is: far less than you would expect. Green oak is one of the most durable and self-sufficient building materials in Britain, with a track record of standing for centuries with almost no intervention. But it is also a living, natural material that will change in front of your eyes over the first few years, and knowing what is normal (and w

A clear, up-to-date UK guide to permitted development, building regulations and when you're free to build It's one of the first questions every homeowner asks before adding a porch — and the good news is that most porches don't need planning permission at all.