How to Build a Screened-In Porch From the Ground Up
Screened in porch areas are beautiful outdoor dining or living spaces. These screened in porches can generally be used for three seasons, making them a valued investment. When you begin designing the plans for your porch make sure you consider how many people you want it to fit comfortably.
What You'll Need:
- 2-inch by 6-inch lumbar boards
- Metal grid work
- Concrete
- 2-inch by 4-inch pressure treated boards
- L-shaped angle iron
- Stainless steel screws
- 1/2-inch plywood
- Tarpaper
- Stapler
- Asphalt shingles
- Guttering
- Downspouts
- Splash-blocks
- Door hinges
- Stain
- Screening material
- Metal shears
- Wood trim
- To begin dig the lawn down around 6-inches to prepare for building a base for the screened room or porch. You’ll need to build a framework of 2-by-6-inch boards that will hold a concrete pour. Start rolling out the metal grid work into the framed box. You’ll want to do this before you add the concrete. Lastly, smooth off the concrete using 2-by-4-inch board and remove any excess concrete.
- Take off the boards that were put in place to hold the concrete pour. Draw a sketch or purchase a plan for the screened-in area. Build the framework using a 2-by-4-inch lumber board that is secured by the use of flat-head stainless steel screws. Connect the lower portion of the porch framing onto the concrete with angle iron on the inside of the living space. This is to prevent it from being seen from the outside.
- Add ½-inch of plywood onto the roof rafters. You can staple tarpaper over top the plywood, then nail on asphalt shingles. If desired, construct overhangs. You can also add guttering around the perimeter of the roof area. Insert downspouts as well as splash-blocks, they will assist in carrying the water away from the structure.
- Build a door for your screened porch and hang it with heavy-duty hinges. Paint all of the exposed wood or consider staining it before stapling the screening into place. Let the screening be the last component you add. This is to ensure no paint or stain gets on the mesh material. Cover all of the wood thoroughly using a few coats of stain or paint. Ensure that you allow each coat to dry thoroughly before adding the next coat.
- Using an electric stapler, install a nylon or metal screening, leaving around 2-inches of extra screen around all the borders. This is so it can grip tightly for stretching. Ask someone to help you pull out any of the wrinkles before stapling the screening onto the framework. You can fold the excess under or cut it off using metal shears. Lastly, cover it with wooden trim that has been previously stained.