A porch is no longer an outside place at the entrance of a house that is only used for sitting for a while during summer evenings. Nowadays a porch or a part of the porch can be made into a fully functional area of the house. One can screen a porch by either using window frames with screens in them that are installed on window frames and can be removed and stored when not in use or there can be curtain screens that can be drawn and fastened to keep out unwanted visitors especially mosquitoes and moths. There is a large variety of screen material for one to choose from and they can be either plain or patterned. If one has the time and is a handyman then one can get window type screen frames made that will fit into the current porch or do a little redesigning of the porch so that they can have a screened porch. If the screens are to be removed and stored when not in use then one should get screen frames that have latches or easily removable screws.
The latch types are preferred as one just has to open the latch to remove them and store them. If one wants to get the net type of screens then one will require getting a curtain railing installed in the portion of the porch that is to be screened and get curtain type screens made that can be drawn and fastened. The screens should be fixed such that they do not get ripped if there happens to be a strong wind blowing also the screen material should be long lasting and durable as one does not want to see faded porch screens and has to change them periodically. Of course the screens have to fasten together very closely and Velcro or zips should be used as any gap will allow the mosquitoes a place to get in. if the porch has a railing then it would be a good idea to get the lower portion up to the rail permanently closed with a screen which could be of any screen material and the portion from the roof to the fence could have draw screens.
There are a number of screen porch designs that one can look at on the Internet and then decide the type of screens that one wants to get. Or one can go down to the lumberyard and get help. Porches can have wooden, aluminum or vinyl screen frames and some companies will even install them. If one is getting a porch constructed then it is easier to get it screened as the porch screening can be incorporated in the design of the porch itself. Instructions on how to screen a porch or to build a screened porch are available on the Internet. Instructions on how to screen a porch are going to differ depending on the design, shape and structure of the porch. If it is a wooden porch then the preference would be to get wooden screened frames and if it’s an aluminum porch then the choice would be aluminum.
The main purpose of the screen is to provide some extent of privacy and to keep pests at bay and for this the design of the porch screens is important. One needs to determine the usage that the screened porch is going to be put for. Is it going to serve as an area to relax or as a children playroom or a dining area all these factors will determine the type of screening that is required for the porch? Generally the porch is used to sit and wait for someone or just to sit and relax for a while. If it is to be put to further use then the screening and screen selection becomes important. The choice of using curtains or fixed screen frames is again dependent on the utilization of the porch. If it is to be used for most of the year or all year round then the framed screen porch would be a better choice. One could get a tent screen porch or a lanai screen porch and these porches are not too difficult to setup and come in a number of designs which helps making a choice easier. Having a screened porch expands the usable space of a house and can be put to good practical use.
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