How To Save Money On Your Screened Patio

For people that enjoy the outdoor atmosphere but afraid of many, it are better that they stay within a safe contained space, and a screened patio is a great solution for them. They will be able to enjoy the sun and the wind, as well as nature experience with free bugs’ attacks and keep themselves protected at the same time.

The patio will be a great addition to the house because it will increase the value of your house. Building patio requires investment and it can cost around 25,000-28,000 depends on the structure, materials and also the size. Screening a patio can also be done by the do-it-yourself approach. Especially if the patio already exists, this is a project that can be done by the average do-it-yourselfer and requires basic carpentry tools in most cases.

Screened Patio

Either building a new patio plus the screen or adding in an existed patio with the screen, either way, in general, there are rooms for saving the cost. Herewith are some tips that can help you to save money on this work.

1. Have a Screen Porch Plan
To build a screened porch from an existing porch, having a plan to start is a must. The plan for building a screened in porch need not be too detailed, but it should contain at least a basic scale drawing and measurements.

2. Codes, Building Permits, Home Owner Associations
Consult local codes department if you are building a screened in porch to see if you need to pull any permits. Chances are you won’t need any to build a screened porch unless you are adding additional electrical or structural features. It is also recommended to check also with your homeowner’s association and read your subdivision’s covenant if that applies to you.

3. Determine for Railings or Knee Wall
If you have a balustrade (railings) or knee wall (a solid bottom portion) on your porch decide if you are going to keep it. Exterior siding is placed over the framing to create a knee wall on the screened in porch at right. For safety reasons and to comply with building codes, your porch most likely will require some type of safety railing.

4. Choose Screening Material
Determine your screening material and it is advisable to research screening materials for selecting the right screening for your porch. In the market, there’s screening available to meet every need, from preventing no-see-um bites to handling rowdy pets! You will need to build the frames accordingly to fit your design. It’s usually more convenient and cost effective to use standard sizes when building a screened in porch rather than custom fitting your frames.
5. Determine the Size and Make or Purchase Screen Frames or Panels
To determine the screen frame size, the distances between existing columns or any additional columns must be known. Decide whether the screens going from floor to ceiling or only halfway with another screen frame on top because the screen materials can come in lengths of up to 9 feet!

If using homemade frames or just the columns themselves as the framing members, trying to stretch screen material wider than 4 feet takes skill to do it right. It is recommended not exceeding a 4-foot width. In general, the result is satisfactory and 48″ provides a sufficient viewing area. This is not the case with screen frame kits, which will give you a larger unobstructed view and this is another advantage of the kits.

6. Frame the Porch
Plan and screening materials are available. Then, determined whether purchasing screen frames, making them or just stretching the screening material from column to column. Based on that information, it is necessary updated your plan to reflect the right measurements.

7. Paint or Stain Framing
Applying paint or stain at this stage in the process is much easier than waiting till the screening is in place. It is recommended using the best and quality paint, stain, or sealer available on the market and acceptable to the planned budget. It may cost a lot upfront, but it will save money and time in the long run.

8. Attach Screening or Screen Panels to Columns and Framing
Lastly, using exterior deck screws attach the frames to the columns and framing on the porch. An important tip, if you want to save money and recycle materials when building a screened in porch, consider using old screen doors. Search out a salvage yard and see if you can find screen doors in good repair. Refinish them and build the frames to fit the doors for an instant screening!