Adding a Screened Porch or Sunroom to Your Home

If you look back into the history of the home construction you will find that most homes built around the turn of the twentieth century had one thing in common. They all had front porches where people could sit in the cool evening air (this was before air conditioning and television). This was how people socialized at the time, it was how they knew what was going on in their neighborhoods and how they escaped the heat of their homes. We have since migrated to our back yards to entertain, cook-out and basically to just enjoy the outdoors.

Most new homes have one of the features mentioned above on the rear of their home, but few new homes come with an covered and enclosed back porch. Whether it is a deck, a patio or a porch, all of them can be enclosed or screened with a minimum of effort. To clarify, a deck is usually a wooden structure built above the ground and is not covered. A porch (from the word portico) is typically a covered approach or vestibule leading to a doorway. The term porch has become a term for any covered area attached to a home for the purpose of lounging or entertaining. A patio is typically a paved (brick pavers, concrete or asphalt) area adjoining the home and is also for the purpose of lounging etc.

No matter which type of outdoor space you have, any of them can be converted into a screened-in porch. They also make good candidates for enclosing with windows for the purpose of making a sun-room. Sun-rooms are also called Florida rooms in some areas, why they are called this, I am not sure. Before you start with your conversion, you need to make sure that you can add a roof (if there isn't one already) and have enough slope to ensure proper drainage. If you are planning on using shingles, you will need at least a 3/12 pitch, meaning that for every foot length of your roof it should drop three inches. If you are using metal sheeting for the roof, you can get away with as little as a 1/12 pitch. Before you take my word for it, check the warranty terms of the roofing in which you intend to purchase.

Once you have decided on the pitch of your roof, you can start the structure of your sun-room/screened porch. Typically I like to use pressure treated four by fours and place them apart according to the width of the screen or the width of the windows/glass. Then I like to use pressure treated 2x10's doubled to make the headers. You can add a half inch piece of ply between the 2x10's so that the header is flush inside and out. Depending on which choice you make for your room, you will want to build a knee wall at least up to thirty inches high to prevent damage to the screen or glass by children and animals. The knee wall also allows you space to add electrical if you want. I recommend adding electrical outlets every eight foot or so, but make sure you follow local codes.

If you are building your room on top of a wooden deck, it doesn't mean that you cannot have a tile floor. To add a tile floor, finish your main structure along with the knee walls then add a half inch layer of plywood on top of the decking. Then use a half inch layer of concrete fiber board like you normally would for tile. Make sure to use the half inch material as you can expect more movement from your room than you would get inside your home. Tile will hold up but it is not the only option for a enclosed area. You can read my article on tile laying which is the most complete article on the subject that I have found. (I wrote it because I found other articles on the subject to be lacking)

Another item to consider if your building on top of a wooden deck is to make sure to beef up the piers which support your deck. If your deck is built on top of cap block (a typical application in the south) then jack up the deck and support with temporary jacks. Then you can dig down below each post and add solid poured piers. It is wise to seek the help of an engineer if your not sure how to properly support the additional weight of the room. When wooden decks are built in areas without codes it is common for the builder to simply nail the rim joist directly to the outside of the house. If you find this has been done on your deck, then you will need to add either lag bolts or through bolts (use half inch diameter bolts every sixteen inches) to attach the deck directly to the rim joist under the home. It is also wise to add joist hangers to help support the additional weight if there aren't any.

There are several products on the market which make screening very simple and clean. I have used them and they make short work of a project which can be quite difficult. If you screen without using a pre-manufactured system, try to fasten the top of the screen first the work your way down both sides at once. This will prevent pulling wrinkles diagonally across your frame. I suggest doing one or two test frames before you start the finish work so that you can get the hang of it. It is better to spend a few extra dollars on materials than to have to look at wrinkled screen which will negate any value you are trying to add. Once you have stapled your screen all the way around add a trim board to cover the staples. This will give you a nice finished look and will keep the screen from working its way loose.

When building a sun-room, people tend to forget just how hot these rooms can get in the summer. I assure you that the builder of your home didn't position the house so that the afternoon sun wouldn't fall on your new sun-room. That being the case, plan on adding an extension from your existing HVAC unit to keep the room cool in the summer. If your existing HVAC unit wont handle the load or if it is impractical to pipe in the duct needed from your home, then you can purchase a stand alone unit much like the heating and air units found in hotels. I have used these on a number of occasions and people seem to love them.

There is another option which has become more popular of late. This is the pre-manufactured sun-room that more or less bolts on in a day or two. If you are building the room for added value, I suggest spending the extra money and have a custom built room that matches the finishes of your home. If your building the room simply to enjoy and could care less about added value, then the pre-manufactured units just might be the way to go for you. The only drawbacks that I see to the pre-built units is that the anodized aluminum frames tend to turn chalky after a while leaving the finish with something to be desired. Some of them also use plexi-glass for a curved section that makes the transition between the wall and the roof. Plexi tends to scratch easily and if not cleaned with the correct product it will dull quickly. Over the long term the plexi will stand out as a different material. If you plan on purchasing this type of unit try to avoid the curved units and make sure that it is all glass with no plexi, you will thank me in the future for this one.

When adding an enclosure on top of a patio it is not uncommon for the owner to want the floor to be level with the interior floor. This isn't really a problem and it prevents stairs from taking up space in your new room. What you do need to consider if you decide to build a raised floor is that you have to have air circulation. I have seen this problem more than once. A homeowner builds a floor on top of a patio then encloses the space between the floors without adding vents. The eventual result will be moisture buildup between the two floors causing your new floor to rot at a rapid pace. Trying to replace floor joists with only two feet or less to work in is no picnic. Most contractors will charge you a pretty penny just because they can. You can avoid this problem with just a little foresight.

One final note, if you are trying to build your sun-room on a budget, you might get in touch with your local window replacement company. They will sell you the windows that they have taken out of other homes for a little of nothing. If you ask, they might even give them to you. If you decide to go this route, try and get all the same type of windows. If you can not, then you might try painting all of the frames with a high heat automotive paint designed for engines. This will last longer than regular paints on vinyl or on aluminum and will make your project look more professional. Well, I can't think of anything else right now concerning sun-rooms or screened-in rooms. If I did neglect something or if you think of something that you have a question about, feel free to comment and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Like I always say, do your homework....