Let McWhorter Outdoor Living, an award winning Screen Room Builder and Designer in Clarksville, Maryland, share some of our screen room design ideas and tips.
Screen Rooms Portfolio : Click here
Our screen rooms feature: Click here
References & Testimonials: Click here
1. Use low maintenance decking and trim to minimize maintenance and match the siding and windows on your house.
To best compliment your home, any additions should be designed to appear as part of the original house, not an afterthought stuck on the back of your home. Screened rooms are noexception. With more colors and finishes available in low maintenance materials than ever,you can design your screen room to complement the décor of your home’s exterior, and looklike it has been part of your homes design all along. Let us show you samples of decking frommanufacturers like Azek and Trex for a wide variety of color options, with matching trim.
2. Focus on making the room completely insect proof, and most importantly, stink bug proof.
One step often overlooked in screen room construction is adding fiberglass screeningbeneath the deck boards. Insects are able to crawl up from under the deck through thespaces between the deck boards. Attention should also be paid to connection pointsbetween the room and the house, where the deck, walls, and roof are attached to the house.All existing siding should be removed at these points, and properly flashed for a water andinsect proof fit.
3. Use only Aluminum framed removable screen panels.
Removable screen panels allow the screening to be pulled much tighter, and make it possibleto repair torn screens without having to disassemble parts of the room to get the screensout. Panels can be brought to your local hardware store, rescreened, and reinstalled withsimple hand tools.
4. Choose a location for your room that will make the room convenient to use.
When choosing a location for your screened porch, remember to consider what you planon using the room for. For example, if you are planning to use the room to eat dinner inevery night, choose a location that is close to the kitchen. Don’t let existing windows anddoors limit your options, doors can be added almost anywhere to give access to the room.Remember to also consider second story windows and other obstructions when choosingyour location.
5. Consider electrical and media packages to enhance the screen room.
Your screen room should be as much a part of your house as your living room or kitchen.Adding electrical and media packages to your room can make it much more convenient to use and entertain in. Consider adding ceiling fans, recess lighting, indirect lighting, cableoutlets, phone/data ports, and built in speakers to make the room a great place to relax.
Most importantly choose a screen porch builder and designer carefully. McWhorter Outdoor Living is a licensed and insured contractor specializing in outdoor living designs and construction. We have built hundreds of screen porches in the central Maryland area,(click here for our screen room portfolio) and have many local references(click here for references). Contact us today for a free estimate and design consultation.