The screen’s the limit with this summer-ific project
We love lingering on our porches in warmer weather, enjoying the breeze and the flowers, but not the debris or insects. If your porch becomes a top target for buzzing pests, learning how to build a screened-in porch can help solve your problems. With the right fiberglass materials, this is an effective project to create a functional indoor-outdoor space. However, screening in an existing porch structure is an advanced-level DIY project, requiring many tools and carpentry experience.
Note that this step-by-step guide covers how to screen in an existing porch or deck structure. Consider hiring a local sunroom contractor to build your screened-in porch safely and efficiently instead of DIY-ing this backyard addition.
Before you start work on this project, follow these prep steps to gear up for screening in your porch.
Screening your porch is a relatively minor project but it may require a building permit based on your state and local regulations. Keep in mind that building a screened-in porch from scratch will definitely require a building permit. Additionally, look up HOA (Homeowner’s Association) guidelines in your neighborhood to see if you need permission for a screening project.
Evaluate your porch, deck, or patio, and decide how much you want to screen in. Since a porch typically has a permanent roof over it, it’s the easiest screening project. Sunrooms and similar spaces may also have roofing materials and make good subjects for screening. Our step-by-step guide will outline how to turn an existing deck or patio space into a screened porch.
If you’re building a screened-in porch literally from the ground up, then you’ll need to start with the foundation itself. In that case, we suggest you follow our guide on how to build a front porch or how to build a deck. If you have the space, a simpler project like pouring a concrete slab can also provide a foundation for a screened-in porch.
Bring out your tape measure to capture the dimensions of your porch space. You will want measurements for height and width on all open sides where you plan on screening. If you’re dividing sections into different panels, measure each section separately and note its specific measurements.
You know you want screens, but what kind? The most DIY-friendly porch screens are fiberglass, which are affordable and highly weather resistant. Those with rambunctious pets should consider pet-resistant fiberglass screens, which typically add a vinyl coat to protect against scratching. Order base strips and caps along with screen materials, or purchase a kit that includes all necessary pieces.
Aluminum screening is a sturdier option, but it’s also more expensive and susceptible to corrosion over time, which is why we suggest fiberglass screens. Copper and brass mesh are also alternatives, but come with similar issues. For framework, choose durable wood like cedar or treated lumber. You can also use composite boards or redwood.
In some cases, the porch entrance from your house is sufficient to enjoy a sunroom-style screened-in area. But in many cases, you’ll also want a separate exit into your yard. If that’s the case, you’ll want to use an existing screen door or choose a spot to install a screen door. The good news is that installing a screen door isn’t nearly as complicated as a full front door project, and you can typically complete it in an afternoon.
Your porch or deck may already have rails in place. If so, the primary beams of railing can serve as a very valuable framework for screen panels, so try to leave those in place. However, you should remove balusters or spindles from the lower railing section to create a gap that’s large enough to install screens.
It’s best to start fresh with a clean porch or deck. You can use a pressure washer or a rag with a mixture of water and light detergent, plus a follow-up wash with the hose. Either way, scrub down your entire space to remove all dirt, grime, pitch, and pollen. If you notice any splintering parts while cleaning, you may want to sand them down before beginning installation. If your porch has worn down, think about resealing it prior to starting the project.
These wooden frames don’t have to be complicated, especially with pre-treated wood or a beautiful, durable wood like cedar. Use your porch measurements to divide porch spaces into sections and note with your pencil where to place boards. Use your saw to cut boards precisely according to your measurements. 2-inch by 4-inch boards are typically the best option to create a base for your screening materials, although thinner boards may be necessary on some porches.
Porch and deck materials may vary greatly. Stone, fiber cement, and similar materials are difficult or impossible to screw into, which is why you may need to install boards first to create a framework for screens and a door. Or you may want to divide broad spaces into smaller panel sections for better durability and aesthetics, which also requires a new framework.
Use external screws and your portable drill to attach framing boards to your existing porch floor, rooftop, and beams. Space sets of screws around 24 inches. When dividing spaces by attaching boards to your beams, you must use brackets and a level to make proper adjustments.
When finished, you can also choose to apply wood caulk to any external-facing gaps in the framework you have created. Remember, you’ll need to remeasure spaces for base strips after you install the framework.
Measure your base strips, mark, and cut them with your snips according to your dimension measurements. Place base strips at the outside edges of your porch or wooden framework. If the base strips came with fasteners, use these to attach the strips to your porch. Otherwise, use wood screens and your portable drill with a screw attachment to screw the strips in.
At the corners, make sure screen strip grooves meet. It doesn’t have to be incredibly precise, but you may need to do extra snipping. Fiberglass screen base strips have some inherent flexibility. It’s important to avoid screwing strips in too firmly, which will warp them.
Unroll your fiberglass screen material, measure it according to your panel dimensions, and cut it into sections with a utility knife or scissors. As a general rule, you want to cut screens about 10% larger than your measured space, or give it at least several inches of extra screen to work with on every side.
Spline is a type of rubbery string that’s designed to lock into the base strip grooves. Always choose a spline that matches your type of fiberglass base strips. When you’re ready, start working from the outside and place the screen against the base strip groove with several inches of extra material hanging over on inside.
Start with the top section of your fiberglass base. Begin running spline along the groove, gently inserting it over the screen, so the screen becomes locked in place. Pull the screen tight as you complete this step. There are spline rolling tools that can make this process much smoother, and your spline may have come with one. Otherwise, you can use a thin object like a paint edger to ensure the spline is properly inserted.
Work your way down the sides of the base strips and finish with the bottom strip. Don’t worry if the screen seems too loose. One advantage of these materials is that you can remove the spline from the side and insert again, pulling tighter to get your screen in place.
If you are installing a bottom layer of pet-resistant screen, cut and include this screen facing inside, about three feet high, along with the normal screen when you reach the last part of the panel.
That few inches of extra screen material is useful when placing the spline and tightening the screen. When you have the screen where you want it, cut the excess material away with a utility knife or scissors. Try to cut as closely to the screen sides as possible for an even look.
Fiberglass screen base strips usually come with caps to install on the outside of the screened-in porch. If not, you should purchase compatible caps. Like the strips, you can measure these caps, cut them with snips, and place them on the external edges of your strips. Similar to spline, these caps should lock into place, although you may need to tap them in as you go.
With your screens fully installed, clean up and admire your work. If you plan to include a screen door as part of the project and haven’t installed it yet, now’s the time! Otherwise, you can start setting up chairs, plants and other peaceful screened-in porch ideas.
While adding screens to an existing porch takes some work, it should be doable for most homeowners as long as the porch base is established. The supplies and kits are easy to install with basic tools, and setting up the screens is a user-friendly, intuitive process. The cost of DIY adding screens to a porch is much less expensive than the total cost of building a screened-in porch, which is $2,000 to $3,000.
However, some circumstances create situations where you should consider hiring a local porch contractor. For example:
Uncertain about framing: If your porch needs a lot of framing work and you don’t feel comfortable doing that yourself, hire a sunroom contractor instead.
Other screen type: Instead of a fiberglass screen, you want a more complicated installation with brass, stainless steel, or other types of screens with metal borders.
Need to build porch or deck: Building the deck or porch space in addition to screening is a more complicated job suitable for a pro.
Yes. The screen will still collect dust, especially on the outside during windy conditions. You can keep it clean by wiping it down gently with a wet cloth every few months. You will also need to maintain your screened-in porch by repairing any screen rips or tears as quickly as possible.
Problems with screened-in porches can include tears, especially after storms, or in accidents involving chairs, energetic kids, or pets. One benefit of fiberglass screens is that it’s easy to replace. You can measure out a new screen sheet, remove the caps and spline, and install a fresh version.
They can be, as different screen types have different effects on visible from inside. You can choose “high visibility” screens to maximize see-through capabilities, but they may not be as durable as other options.
A thorough cleaning is usually sufficient. But if you live in an area with more extreme winters, you may want to cover the screens with protective panels or drapes to help keep them safe.
