Whether you’re looking to refresh your existing porch or planning a porch addition, it is essential to choose the right porch flooring for your lifestyle and family.
When you choose Archadeck of Raleigh-Durham as your porch builder, you can count on our expert design team to help you determine which type of porch floor will best meet your needs, within your budget. Important considerations include material durability, aesthetics, your appetite for on-going maintenance, the unique location and footprint of your porch, and how much you want to invest.
Read below to learn more about some of today’s most popular porch flooring materials.
Traditional Hardwood Floor
We don’t recommend interior hardwood floors for a screened-in porch due to the temperature and moisture changes. However, if you love the look of hardwood floors and want them for your porch floor, we recommend tongue and groove porch flooring (except for porches built on a concrete or paver patio foundation). The benefits of choosing wood tongue and groove are that you can sand, paint, and re-stain if you decide you want to change the aesthetics. However, they do need to be sealed regularly to protect them from the elements.
Pressure-Treated Wooden Porch Floors
Pressure-treated wood decking is the most cost-effective porch floor available for exterior spaces. Pressure-treated pine needs to be cleaned and stained, painted, or sealed every few years.
Composite Decking
If on-going maintenance is a concern for you, consider composite decking. Composite decking by brands such as TimberTech or AZEK, only need to be cleaned as needed and do not need to be painted, stained, or sealed. Additionally, composite decking offers a softer feel for your feet than traditional wood.
.jpg)
Paver and Stone Porch Flooring
Traditional outdoor pavers and patio stones (such as Travertine and Flagstone) are a cost-effective option for porch flooring, especially if a porch is built over a patio. Pavers and patio stones are low-maintenance and durable, they withstand heavy traffic and moisture, and they are easy to clean when needed. For a more interior feel, choose a smoother finished stone tile such as Travertine. For a more rustic or outdoor feeling, Belgard concrete pavers offer a wide variety of styles and colors.
Vinyl Flooring for Screened Porches
Luxury vinyl plank flooring is gaining popularity inside homes and porches alike. This product looks similar to wood at a lower price point and with greater durability. Often referred to as LVP, luxury vinyl plank flooring is water-resistant, scratch-resistant, and easy to install. Not all LVP is manufactured to withstand the varying temperatures found outdoors, so it is vital to choose one that is made for outdoor use. LVP can be an excellent porch flooring choice for those who have children, pets, or are expecting a great deal of traffic on their porch, but would prefer an interior-looking finish. Vinyl plank flooring can be installed on a deck structure or on a patio floor.
Tile Flooring for Screened Porches
Interior floor tiles made from porcelain, ceramic, and granite can be an excellent choice for porch flooring due to their durability, clean finish, and their cool touch in warm summer months. Tiles do require a sub-floor, so if your porch is elevated the deck may need additional support structure to withstand the weight of the tile. With the need for a subfloor, grout, and potentially additional deck supports, tile flooring may not be the most cost-effective option.
Whether you are considering flooring for a front or back porch, screened or open, or even a three-season room – a range of flooring options can work for a range of spaces. You can count on the expert design team at Archadeck of Raleigh-Durham to help you make a choice that’s right for you. Call today to schedule a design consultation: 919-973-1523. We look forward to working with you!
