Help with screened-in patio

6 years ago

Hello! I love sitting outdoors but hate my patio! I need help with figuring out what to do with it. Right now it gets filthy when the landscapers blow around the perimeter and dirt and debris come in. I would like to enclose it somehow to help prevent all the filth while still maintaining the fresh air coming in. I would also like to change the floors and colors. Any ideas?

Featured Answer

PRO

Renovation and Construction Services

6 years ago

Would a knee wall around the perimeter help? Say 3-4' high? It would help block the wind, allow for some utility outlets if you need it and it could be screened in above it. Dirt would really have to be airborne then to come in. Something like the photo would look nice. And the wall where your grill sits could eventually be turned into a fireplace.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (17)

amykath
6 years ago
Wow! You are so lucky to have such a wonderful space! It is huge.

Here is a link to a zillion ideas. For starters I would find a paint color you love and then go from there.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/screened-in-porch-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_726~a_34-542
DYH
6 years ago
Right now it gets filthy when the landscapers blow around the perimeter and dirt and debris come in. I would like to enclose it somehow to help prevent all the filth while still maintaining the fresh air coming in

The only solution is very expensive. Have operable windows or shutters installed that can be closed.

My sunroom has windows with screens, but is heated and air conditioned, so it's a year-round rather than three-season space. I can open my windows when I want fresh air.
Related Discussions
White indoor shutters with dark brown window frames
Q
Comments (8)
One more question: If I use white shutters, does that mean I have to also have white doors inside the house? Should the internal doors match the window frames or the shutters? There will be a slide and fold door between the living room and an ante-room, which will be of glass with upvc frames; my furniture in my living room have dark brown cane frames, and I have a black antique Chinese lacquer screen, on which are various colours of jade pieces, and a large opium bed of dark mahogany, and also a black grand piano, and the floor is a honey brown Thai Teak on which would go a couple of Persian rugs.
...See More
Front porch and awning
Q
Comments (1)
Try a pergola over the door and one over the windows in the middle. You can have lucite or plastic or fiberglass roofing installed on top of it to keep rain out and vining plants for shade.
...See More
Need help for Patio idea!
Q
Comments (3)
Work with a landscape designer/architect. Likely, some sort of retained, back filled walls will be necessary to create an area large enough to place a table with chairs & umbrella. If you entertain multiple generations, keep your patio to a single level. I would suggest integrating planting areas within the patio area, to introduce color & eventually partial shade. Designing a pergola into this composition would be a nice addition to. Get the blessings of any governing/HOA body that you need approvals from, which your design professional of choice should be able to facilitate for you. Happy Houzzing!
...See More
Living Area Layout - Dilemma
Q
Comments (8)
Hi Dagobert Duck (interesting name), I am assuming that this is a townhouse in Asia, as you mention the dry kitchen and wet kitchen (terms used mostly in Singapore) and also from the visible lift on the plan that you shared. I would definitly advice you to keep the dry kitchen and place the dining table close to the dry kitchen or close to the bay window on the left. The space here is rather large and can easily accommodate a regular 2 metre table with 8 chairs. If you are concerned about the view of dining table as you enter the house, you could always place a round table near the entrance to block off the view. I agree with Elaine about placing the furniture away from walls. Place a bunch of fresh flowers or art/sculpture above the round table like in a hotel entrance. So the the first view you see when you enter the house is the table with flowers. Its difficult to give you any further advice as we have no idea what your final vision of the place is? Feel free to contact us in Singapore if you need further advice? Hope you will have the home of your dreams soon.
...See More
auntthelma
6 years ago
Can you tell the landscapers to be more careful?
Fori
6 years ago
What a great room! What is your climate like?

You probably do have to do something about the leafblowers before bothering though. They can be so bad.

I fired my landscapers because they wouldn't stop blowing. Twice. : /
PRO
Dig Doug's Designs
6 years ago
some ideas
maddielee
6 years ago
What is the ground cover outside the screen room? We rarely have much dirt blown in ours because of our thick lawn. Maybe change your landscaping and see if that helps, it really is a nice space.
graywings123
6 years ago
I have that problem - stuff blowing in through the screens. I have thought about taking pieces of plexiglass, making a frame for each piece, and then setting them in the lower sections of my porch. Thinking is as far as I have gotten, however.
PRO
Anglophilia
6 years ago
Screened porches get dirty. It's unavoidable. Having grown up in KS, with the constant wind and a screened in porch (where we lived in the summer - no AC), I remember my mother dusting the danged thing multiple times daily. I have a friend on Martha's Vineyard who finally enclosed hers - got up Friday night and spent most of Sat morning cleaning the screened porch and all the furniture. They're lovely but they are high maintenance.
PRO
Revolutionary Gardens
6 years ago
Definitely in need of updating but what a great space! I agree with the above, a knee wall might be your best bet. One of the benefits of a knee wall on a screen porch is you can finally get outlets on that side of the porch. Still, it's a screen porch. It's going to get dirty. We did a masonry repair job for a client a few weeks ago. We covered the whole screen porch with plastic and taped the seams, and somehow dust from the grinders still found its way in. I think a light coating of funk is the standard condition for a screen porch.
Stacy Oakey
6 years ago
dealing with the same problem. we are considering either a knee wall, or else the motorized garage door sized screens that slide up and down, so that it is technically only screened in when we are using it. that way, the dirt can blow out, the snow won't push on the screens in the winter, and we also have some mossy corners during the rainy season we are looking to avoid when the water builds up. that is my preference. it would allow more of a hosting out once in a while.
DYH
6 years ago
I've had screened porches with knee walls and during pollen season, everything was coated with yellow. If landscapers are blowing, they'd stir up dust if they point the blowers toward any side of the porch.
lefty47
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
HI -- Your space is almost the same as mine . Just build some solid 36 inch high fencing wood walls around the bottom . Put down some wall to wall outdoor carpeting. I would keep it all white inside and add color and interest with the furniture and decor .
dlly9660
Original Author
6 years ago
Great ideas, thank you. We are in Miami so a screen is a must if you want to spend any time outdoors during mosquito season, which is most of the year! I think we are leaning towards the knee wall. Around the perimeter is just dirt now, my patio is in a shaded area so not a lot of grass grows around it. Next project will be the landscaping around the house.
just_terrilynn
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I had a similar size screened room in my last home. We ended up pouring an additional pad around it and bricking with same flooring as the interior section. I think we came out 15 ft but can't remember. Where your small dining table is we had a large table with big padded chairs. There was a big outdoor rug underneath and pretty lanterned candle holders. I had big potted real plants here and there. Further down along screen wall was two armless chairs with a small cocktail table between. You could put a matching rug runner there. Outside on the new slab was chaise loungers and little ckt tables. For some reason that outside matching brick area made the inside seem wider. I also had no more problems with debris coming in.

Do your kids play with all the toys out there? My kids liked the riding stuff/things with wheels but didn't really play with most of the large bulky other toys. You could do a big toy box that could double as bench seating. Or, use a buffet for bottom storage.

Oh, I almost forgot. We put a wall mount TV out there. I live in Florida though.
l pinkmountain
6 years ago
I have a very similar porch. We have the debris problem, it is a constant battle. We use some older pieces and a lot of outdoor furniture that can stand the dust and dirt. Also everything is washable out there. A wall would be great if you can afford it though.
littlebug zone 5 Missouri
6 years ago
I have a similar screened in porch, but I DO have a knee wall. Doesn’t help much with dirt, dust or pollen. And when my landscaper (ME!) mows, there’s no keeping everything from blowing in.

I’m working on expanding the planting bed so it’s deeper around the porch. It’s only about 3 feet deep now, so it’s very easy for the mower to blow dirt/dust from that far.

Also, I have outdoor drapes and sheers. They block some, but then they are very dirty, too.

Help with screened-in patio

Renovation and Construction Services

Comments (17)

amykath

DYH

Related Discussions

auntthelma

Fori

Dig Doug's Designs

maddielee

graywings123

Anglophilia

Revolutionary Gardens

Stacy Oakey

DYH

lefty47

dlly9660
Original Author

just_terrilynn

l pinkmountain

littlebug zone 5 Missouri

COMPANY

EXPLORE HOUZZ

CONNECT WITH US

Help with screened-in patio

Comments (17)

Related Discussions

dlly9660Original Author

COMPANY

EXPLORE HOUZZ

CONNECT WITH US

dlly9660
Original Author