A great screened-in porch design is more than a roof and frame surrounded by protective material.
Whether you’re building a small screened-in porch for a bedroom or one for entertaining, you need to think about how you’ll use it. Know the purpose of your screened porch. Understanding how you’ll use your porch helps you decide how big you want it to be, what materials to use, and the types of amenities that will make your ideas.
- A screened-in room for entertainment, for example, may require a fireplace and widescreen TV, stereo surround sound, a larger seating area, and a popcorn maker.
- Designing a screened-in porch for intimate dining may require electrical wiring to the porch ceiling to accommodate a chandelier or fan-light combo.
- An exercise room will most likely require floor receptacles for electric treadmills or stair climbers.
- An office area may require additional direct lighting, computer surge protection, and perhaps storage.
Knowing how many people will be using the covered porch and their ages are also important factors.
- If you occasionally entertain large groups, consider creating a privacy nook for morning coffee or relaxing with a good book. This space can easily be integrated into a larger area for guests.
- If small children will be using the screened porch, be sure to install balusters (rails) to prevent them from damaging the screen material.
Finding the right location to take advantage of various factors such as view, wind direction, and sunlight are also important considerations in porch design.
- Position your screened-in porch to take advantage of existing traffic patterns.
- Position your porch to take advantage of the prevailing breezes. This will help keep it cooler in the summer months. If you live in an area with predominantly high winds, locate your porch on an adjacent downwind side of your home to catch the breeze, not the brunt of the winds. If that’s not possible, consider building knee walls and louvers or louvers as shock absorbers.
- Consider your view from the porch. Use large screen panels to view wildlife or children playing in the garden. You can opt for smaller panels if you need to block off your neighbors’ unsightly storage shed. Shutters also work well for this purpose.
- And finally, make sure your porch design complies with local codes and ordinances.
Your screened-in porch should provide easy access to areas of your yard or home.
- How will you or your guests access your porch?
- Will they have to go through the kitchen or can they access it from the dining room or living room?
- Plan for easy, sensible access from your porch to the patio.
- Do you have to walk around the porch to get to the garage, storage shed, or driveway?
- Before you build, consider how people will move from one area to another.
Do you want to know how to get some amazing ideas for your porch design? Look online for porch photo galleries. Some online sites have fantastic collections of photos to inspire you.
And finally, make sure you are aware of your local building codes, distancing requirements, and homeowners association rules. Knowing what is required before you build can avoid additional hassle and expense later. A fabulous screened porch design incorporates many more factors than just the structure itself. Plan wisely, and you’ll have created not only a fantastic screen porch, but one that everyone will easily enjoy.