The Ultimate Guide To Screened-in Porches (including design ideas)
All you want is to enjoy a moment in nature—to listen to the birds sing and feel a warm breeze on your face—without being attacked by mosquitos.
Is that too much to ask?
At Fortress Construction, we don’t think so! That’s why we build beautiful screened-in porches, so you can have the beauty and comfort of a deck without worrying about bugs.
Plus (spoiler alert) there are many other benefits to screened-in porches. Let’s get you on your way to enjoying them!
Benefits of a Screened-in Porch
A screened-in porch is a type of porch with screens covering all openings. In many ways, it’s the perfect marriage of indoor and outdoor space, allowing you to enjoy fresh air and sunshine without the inconvenience of bugs and debris.
Pros of Screened-In Porches
The pros of screened-in porches are obvious: no one likes getting mosquito bites and wasp stings. And sometimes, you want to eat a meal outdoors without having to shoo away flies.
Screened porches encourage you to spend time in fresh air. It’s easy to sequester yourself indoors during the sweltering summer months, but that’s not healthy! Going outside helps you get vitamin D, reduces anxiety, improves your sleep, and boosts your immunity.
Screened-in porches also add much-needed space to your home, making you feel more free and less cramped. Whatever you lack, a screened porch is your solution. It can be used as an eating space, gathering space, or even a bedroom.
Finally, a screened porch adds value to your home—not just in terms of money, but in terms of personal use and enjoyment!
Cons of Screened-In Porches
Despite the many advantages of screened-in porches, there are still a few cons to be aware of.
First, screens slightly affect the view as you gaze through them.
Second, although there are many unique and beautiful screened-in porch designs, you may not like the look of screened-in porches. Typically, people opt to put their screened-in porches on the back of the house or off to the side, where they enjoy them without worrying about curb appeal.
Finally, screened-in porches cost more than other porches. Unfortunately, screening in an existing porch is not always possible because many places have different permit requirements for regular and screened-in porches.
Is a Screened-In Porch a Good Investment?
Whether or not a screened-in porch is a good investment depends on two factors:
- Does your area have a huge bug problem?
- How much are you and your family personally bothered by the bugs?
A screened-in porch will give your home a higher resale value. In fact, the average return on investment of a screened-in porch is about 84%. Of course, that depends somewhat on how popular screened porches are in your state—if you live in an area with lots of bugs, that number will be even higher!
But besides the financial investment, you should think about the investment in your personal joy. If the bugs in your area keep you from relaxing outdoors with your family, a screened-in porch will add priceless value to your home, especially if you’re planning to live there for a while.
Designing Your Screened-in Porch
Are you excited about getting a screened porch but overwhelmed about where to start, what your porch should look like, how big it should be, and what materials you should use?
Don’t worry; we’re here to help you!
Let’s walk through the different design elements of a screened-in porch.
Where Should I Put My Screened Porch?
Sometimes it’s easy to figure out the best location for your screened-in porch. If you already have a porch or deck off the back or side of your house, you’ll likely opt to just screen that in.
But sometimes, it’s less straightforward.
In these cases, ask yourself, “what problem am I trying to solve?”
If you want a place to hang out and entertain guests, building your porch off the living room makes sense. Place it near the kitchen if you're going to eat on your porch. If you want an old-fashioned sleeping porch, build it away from the main living area and nearer the bedrooms.
Finally, think about what part of your house gets the most sun, and what direction the wind typically blows. You want to design your porch for maximum comfort.
But remember: A good contractor will help you think through all these decisions, making the process easy!
How Big Should My Screened Porch Be?
If you’re screening in an existing porch, you won’t have much choice about how big your screened-in porch is. But if you’re doing a major construction project, think critically about how big you make it.
Consider the purpose of the room: are you looking for a quiet place to get away from the hub-bub, or do you want extra space for hosting?
Think through how many people you’ll be able to host on your screened-in porch. Compare it to the size of your living room or dining room—how many people can you currently host in your space? Ask your friends how many people they host and what size their rooms are to get a feel for what size you should be aiming for.
A good rule of thumb is to make your porch slightly bigger than you think you’ll need because even though it costs more upfront, in the long run, it’s much easier to make your porch bigger now than to enlarge it later.
Even if you are looking for that cozy space, you can always make one corner of your porch into a cozy nook, but you can’t magically add space to something that’s too small.
Screened-In Porch Flooring Ideas
A screened-in porch may feel more like a home addition than a porch at times. Still, when choosing flooring, remember that it has to withstand moisture and extreme temperatures.
Most screened porches use wooden or composite decking materials. This approach gives your porch a classic look that won’t go out of style. It also provides excellent drainage, and if you want a cozier look, dress up the space with an outdoor rug.
But if you want a more unique look, go for it! A screened-in porch is compatible with many types of flooring, including:
- Porcelain tile. If you like the look of tile flooring, porcelain is preferable to ceramic because it resists water better.
- Slate tile flooring. This type of tile gives your screened porch a cool patio look.
- Brick pavers. This flooring is ideal for homes that already utilize a lot of brickwork. One popular trend is to lighten your brick pavers with a mortar wash.
- Indoor/outdoor carpet. Currently, it’s much more popular to use wood or composite decking with an outdoor rug rather than carpeting the whole space. But if you love wall-to-wall carpeting, some types are designed for outdoor use and can be safely installed in your screened-in porch.
Remember, your screened-in porch is your space. Choose the flooring that feels the most inviting to you!
Screened-In Porch Ceiling Ideas
When deciding on a ceiling design for your screened porch, ask yourself:
- What do the rest of the ceilings in my house look like?
- What price does my contractor quote for different ceiling designs?
It’s good to be practical with the ceiling design. Choose something that fits the feel of your home as well as your budget.
That being said, here are some ceiling styles that are currently popular:
Note: as you plan your ceiling, figure out what lighting fixtures you want and whether or not you want to add ceiling fans.
Taking Your Screened-in Porch to the Next Level
You can do so many exciting things with your screened-in porch!
Here are some ideas to bring your screened porch to the next level.
Choose Great Furniture
Furniture is the #1 thing that makes your screened porch a homey place you long to spend time in.
Your screened porch should have plenty of comfortable couches and chairs. Since your porch is still semi-exposed to the elements, upholstered furniture can get musty and moldy, so make sure to choose items designed for outdoor use. The good news is you might be able to get by with leaving it on your porch year-round since your porch is so sheltered from rain, snow, bugs, and animals!
Consider adding a dining room table and chairs to your screened porch if you have room. There’s something wonderful about sharing a meal outdoors with friends and family!
Finally, tie the whole look together with a great outdoor rug.
Add a Fireplace
Adding a fireplace to your screened-in porch offers unparalleled coziness.
Even better, you’ll still be able to use your screened porch during winter months!
Add a Hot Tub
Your screened-in porch is an ideal place for a hot tub; you get all the benefits of relaxing outdoors without being bothered by bugs!
If you don’t have the budget for it now, you can always add your hot tub later. But talk to your contractor about it anyway, so they’ll construct your porch with enough strength to support the weight of a hot tub.
Make an Old-Fashioned Sleeping Porch
Sleeping porches have fallen out of fashion with the advent of air conditioning, but they’re one way to save on energy costs while giving you a sleeping experience like no other.
No matter how you choose to use your screened porch, we have a feeling it’s going to be awesome!
Choosing a Contractor to Build your Screened-in Porch
Are you ready to build the screened porch of your dreams?
It’s time to hire a contractor and get the job done.
When searching for a good contractor, here are some things to look for:
- Good communication
- Experience
- Eagerness to answer questions
- Transparency
- Willingness to work with you to design a porch that suits your needs
- Good reviews and references
If you live in Northern Virginia, consider giving Fortress Construction a call! We’ve been constructing porches that exceed our customers’ expectations for over 22 years.
Besides building screened-in porches, we also do:
- Deck resurfacing and remodeling
- New deck construction
- Patio and hardscape construction
- Three-seasons porch construction
If you live in one of our service locations, give us a call today for a free estimate!
We’d love to hear from you.