Drawing Up a Screened Porch That Isn't Just a Mutated Deck
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Q: DEAR TIM: The next project at my home is a screened porch. I have looked at many plans, but none of them really excite me. But after looking at some pictures, I have some good ideas about what I want in my design. What should I take into consideration in planning so that I end up with the perfect screened-in porch? -- Caroline M., Belmont, N.H.
A: DEAR CAROLINE: Good screened-porch designs are often hard to find. Most of the ones I have seen seem to be mutations of decks that are just thrown onto a home. There are many things to keep in mind if you want to do it right.
The first thing you need to consider is size. One effective way to create the floor plan is to buy the furniture you intend to use on the porch before you build the structure. Set the furniture up in your yard, spacing it exactly as you intend to place it on the finished porch. Be sure you have the spacing right, so people can walk freely around the chairs, tables and decorative items.
Use string to create the outline of the porch so you can see the shape and get fairly accurate measurements. My guess is that, to seat eight or more people comfortably, you will need a screened porch that measures at least 15 feet by 15 feet.
The outside design should match the style and character of your home. This means you should copy the roof pitch as well as the exterior trim details. The overhang of the screened-in porch should match your existing one, or be in scale if your home is two stories.
Be aware of interior hallways or pathways within the floor plan of the porch if you plan to have a door leading from the porch to your yard. A doorway will often consume 15 or 20 square feet of floor space inside the screened porch, especially if it is in a corner.
Consider a vaulted ceiling inside the screened porch. This design detail is magical, as it creates a feeling of immense spaciousness. A vaulted ceiling also helps keep the porch slightly cooler, as hot air will rise to the highest point of the roof and exit through ventilation devices installed with the roofing.
Your screened-in porch should include soft, indirect lighting that bounces off the ceiling as well as task lighting over a table. You want to be able to see what you are eating or what cards you were dealt as that poker game extends into the night.
Plan for adequate electric outlets in locations where you might place a television, sound system or other appliance. Avoid extension cords, as they can be dangerous.
You are going to get many benefits from your new porch, but be aware that there are undesirable secondary effects that catch people off guard. These structures are almost always added to a home. The natural light entering the finished room that abuts the screened porch is always significantly diminished. That room will be dark and gloomy, so it may need additional artificial light to compensate. You can add skylights in the screened porch to help get additional light into the house.
Be sure the walls of the screened porch are tall enough so that views are not blocked by the roof overhang, any beams that are supporting the roof and the actual finished framing around the screens. You may discover that you need a wall height of at least nine feet to ensure the views from the porch are obscured only by the screening.
Tim Carter can be contacted via his Web site, http:/
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