Screened Porches

Having a screen porch (or screened porch) added on to your home not only adds a new room, it also adds a whole new dimension to your backyard. Screen porch designs vary greatly from small additions to large full-size rooms.

While screen porches can be fairly expensive to add – as any addition is – it is less expensive than adding a sunroom since screened porches are meant to be open to the elements. You don't need to worry about weather proofing the walls, nor do you have to knock an entire wall down on your home. Most screened porch plans don't even require you to open a space for a new door – if you like the idea of adding screened in porches, simply add it over your existing back or front door.

If you already have a porch that you would like to screen in, there are instructions on how to screen a porch. You can find these on the internet, or, if you would prefer to speak with someone personally, you can ask at your local home remodeling store.

While adding on to already existing screen porches is relatively simple, building a screen porch from scratch is much more challenging. If you don't have a lot of experience with building, you may want to consult a professional contractor. Find a screened porch design that you like, and then discuss the cost with your contractor. He will be able to tell you whether or not he can build a screened porch like the one you admire, or whether adjustments will need to be made. Or, he can help you pick from other screened in porch designs.

A lanai screened porch is more like a screened in patio than an actual porch. This is a good idea for those who have a patio space that they want to enclose. In some places, there is very little difference between a lanai and a regular screened in porch. Both have screened walls and a roof, and both can be added on to existing homes. However, some lanais are not screened in, so before you address the issue with your contractor, be sure you know what you want. Look for pictures of screened porches that you like on the internet. Just remember that when you are searching, a tent screen porch is not the same thing as screened porches that you can add to your home!