Have you decided to add a screened porch to your Fort Wayne home? You may already have an idea of how big you want it to be and where you want it placed. What about its design? Screened porch design can be overwhelming because there are so many options—with more appearing almost every day. From flooring style to ceiling height, windows to skylights, and railing designs to fireplaces, you’ll have some decisions to make.
Some of our clients are familiar with the many design options involved in building a screen porch, but more of them are not. That’s where your Archadeck of Fort Wayne screened porch design consultant comes in! We’ll guide you through design decisions that will affect the way your screened porch looks—and how you will feel about it when it’s finished. By making your design selections, you put your imprint on your new screened porch with your personal style.
Screened Porch Flooring … Make it Weather Resistant
Picture yourself walking through the screened porch you’re planning, and then look down. What kind of flooring are you walking on? Many people will say wood or concrete. Those are two of your options, and there are many more. Consider composite decking boards, porch planks, tile, or even natural stone. If you’re screening a patio, your porch floor might be made of pavers.
Keep in mind that a screened porch is not considered a conditioned space. This outdoor room won’t be heated and cooled by your home’s HVAC system. Since a porch is open to the elements, including moisture and wide-ranging temperatures, whatever flooring you select needs to be weather resistant.
Screened Porches with Vaulted Ceilings Are Quite Popular
Visit the mental image of your screened porch again, and this time look up. What do you see overhead? Are you looking up just a few feet, or up into a lofty, vaulted ceiling? Do you see open rafters, or a flat ceiling? Many homeowners love the open and airy feel of a screened porch with a vaulted ceiling. Does that appeal to you?
Screened Porches with Windows … We Can Do That
A screened porch with windows is often called a 3-season room. The advantage of having windows AND screens around your porch is that you can enjoy your porch more days of the year. You’ll be grateful for this benefit during the cooler months.
Archadeck of Fort Wayne uses a product called EZE-Breeze to create versatile three-season rooms. This kind of screened porch has clear vinyl 4-track window panels that you can slide open and closed as you desire. In the summer, you can remove all of the windows, if you’d like, and store them until needed again. When it’s cooler outside, you can close the windows to keep the draft out. EZE-Breeze is a high-quality, sturdy window-and-screen system that many of our clients have included in their screened porch design.
