# Need some mud room ideas.



## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

I need some ideas for finishing a mud room with a pretty meagre budget.

This is the design I have for a deck and screened porch. The screen porch was an attempt to help them stay on budget and dry in the area around the entry. They decided that they will spend a bit more to get a fully dried in mud room shell.









After the design/proposal meeting they want to do the mud room but asked for it to be left rough inside, no insulation, cedar decking on the floor, etc. I'm not really down with that option unless they insist. The HO also said that they probably won't finish it for a long time, he's very up front. The house is a bit rustic so I was playing with some ideas. Cheap isn't really my strong point, however.

Since fully finishing the inside would require doing the electrical at the same time for CO, I was looking at having it be more timber frame style and open wall cavity with a tiled floor(vinyl if the budget needs it). I had already figured on a T&G roof deck with fir studs so I thought I could just bring that down the walls and use 4x stock instead of 2x to make it look less unfinished.

Thoughts?


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

How are getting past the insulation inspection for the interior for the CO?


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## Creter (Oct 13, 2009)

Is this to eventually be a mud room with a wash sink, washer and dryer or is it a kick off your shoes before you enter the house mud room?


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

Creter said:


> Is this to eventually be a mud room with a wash sink, washer and dryer or is it a kick off your shoes before you enter the house mud room?


It's separate from the building envelope. The existing siding and exterior will remain on the common wall. No plumbing and, hopefully, no additional electrical beyond lighting. 

I know I left a lot out but sometimes it's easier to answer questions than write a novel.

We're going to be calling this a porch, KAP. It will be fully dried in and their intended use is more as an entry/storage space but it's a porch. Sorry for the confusion.


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## Philament (Dec 9, 2014)

Rough cut board and batten can look nice from the inside and would work well with the timber frame/rustic look you're going for. If there's a mill close by it's not too bad price wise. Your T&G idea would work well too though. Either way, if you're going the timber frame route, I think you'd need to put timber frame braces in as well because you won't be able to rely on panel goods for racking strength. I usually do 2' down and 2' over on the braces for a timber frame of that size. The braces can mess with the look you're going for or where you can put openings, so you might want to look into what they require in your area.


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## jstanton (Mar 25, 2012)

This may sound stupid, what about screens and Plexiglas panels? I like the look of the handrail all the way around. Not too much $$$ if they want to enclose later. Everyone would kick off the shoes before opening the door.:clap:


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## Creter (Oct 13, 2009)

jstanton said:


> This may sound stupid, what about screens and Plexiglas panels? I like the look of the handrail all the way around. Not too much $$$ if they want to enclose later. Everyone would kick off the shoes before opening the door.


Heading down that thought path myself on this one. 

Sometimes those do at a later time things by a homeowner never materializes.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

jstanton said:


> This may sound stupid, what about screens and Plexiglas panels? I like the look of the handrail all the way around. Not too much $$$ if they want to enclose later. Everyone would kick off the shoes before opening the door.:clap:


Not stupid at all. This was my first design with that in mind.









They have been dreaming of the mudroom for a long time. I think it's actually a bigger "want" than the deck replacement so I'm not about to quibble if we can match a design to their budget. They have pretty good idea of what it's going to cost so I think it will work out.

I don't really have a way of rendering it out quickly so I'm doing my best to describe it. If they accept the proposal it will get drawn up in Sketchup but that's a lot more time consuming than these mockups in RLA.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

I like your first design better. Dont forget Tempered glass. Like mentioned you will need so bracket to replace the lack of plywood. Maybe some 4x4 exterior corbels to look like they are supporting the roof, then 4x4 corbels visible through the glass that connect to your 4x4 posts???


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

x2 on the tempered glass.

Any type of sheet acrylic will scratch when cleaned.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

Dang it. I'm really not doing a good job describing this. They don't want what I have drawn, they want a three season porch that will function as a mud room. It's got lousy exposure and they need storage so it's only probably only going to have 4-5 windows and a full light door. Regular DP50 windows.

I'll punch out a modified drawing to at least show approximately what the shell will look like. It's the interior finish that's stumping me.

Sorry guys.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

What siding is on the house?


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

Ok, here's more what they're thinking. I can just punch it out and take the money, but he's a referral from a terrific landscaper who specifically mentioned that I have a good eye for design. I'd like to deliver on that, if they'll let me.

I plan on offering some options for finishing the exterior of the porch a bit differently than the rest of the house. It's weathered WRC shingles and I also just don't like the way it would look integrated into the siding on the rest of the house but on piers with a skirt.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

griz said:


> What siding is on the house?












I don't really see a color working so I'm thinking maybe cedar board and batten or clapboard. It'll take a decade for shingles to match up or a couple years and a lot of dough if I buy recycled shingles or use weathering treatment.


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## BlueRidgeGreen (Apr 21, 2012)

EthanB said:


> I don't really see a color working so I'm thinking maybe cedar board and batten or clapboard. It'll take a decade for shingles to match up or a couple years and a lot of dough if I buy recycled shingles or use weathering treatment.


I see a bumpout porch of color as exactly what that place needs.

Right color...bridging the tone of the new decking with the existing gray lady.......seems like it would look great.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

BlueRidgeGreen said:


> I see a bumpout porch of color as exactly what that place needs.
> 
> Right color...bridging the tone of the new decking with the existing gray lady.......seems like it would look great.


I'll take that under advisement. I didn't love the look when I modeled it. The deck will be STK cedar so a LOT of that color going on. I think a big part of it for me is that the design, per the owner's request, no longer has that centered door and roof detail so it looks more like an addition than a porch.

Any thoughts on the inside?


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## BlueRidgeGreen (Apr 21, 2012)

EthanB said:


> I'll take that under advisement. I didn't love the look when I modeled it. The deck will be STK cedar so a LOT of that color going on. I think a big part of it for me is that the design, per the owner's request, no longer has that centered door and roof detail so it looks more like an addition than a porch.
> 
> Any thoughts on the inside?


I see what you mean about the "addition" look.
I agree.

As a distinct porch I like the color.
With the second "addition" look (continuous wall plane).....iffy.

Inside????
Tough parameters.
Existing siding left on common.....
Unfinished with a pleasing finished look........:whistling

Seems like the timber frame is a good start.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

It's going to look like an addition. You better embrace that. A hipped roof might look good and set it apart, but I'm guessing it's out of the budget. 

If about the only decoration you'll have on the inside is the exposed structure and inside of the cladding, then it's timber frame style, IMO.

You can get a pickeled look on OSB with some interest with wiping off paint, but it just looks like OSB in the end. If you're putting some kind of house wrap on, it's going to look like the house wrap...

For a long time, the cheapest way (and most rustic) to clad something like that around here was to use pine slabs, which are cut offs from the lumber mills when they're squaring the logs. It's all live edge and pretty funky looking. Years ago you could get them for free, then there was a nominal charge, now it's pretty much all used at the large mills - small ones still have it available if you make arrangements.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

Thanks for all the thoughts guys. It's funny. I thought my design problem was the inside but it's really the outside. I was pretty happy with the original design so that's what keeps sticking in my head when I think about it. Once I actually rendered out what they wanted, I don't like the look of it at all.

To your point Hdavis, I rendered it with a hip but it seemed to look better as a straight gable, I also went back to the combination roof from my first drawing, which I think would actually be the easiest for me to design/build. I also held the exterior wall back a bit from the main house plane so it would look more like a separate section(Thanks BRG!).

Let me know what you guys think. I don't normally have this much trouble but I tend to stumble around after the my favorite design is shot down. I found some great images of cedar board and batten, both natural and painted, that would look great against the existing siding and I feel pretty good about the inside for my proposal. I landed on doug fir T&G for the sheathing and flooring with 4x fir framing. I have options for a tile floor or pre-painted A/C ply for the wall sheathing if they want to break up the color a bit.


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

Do you think you can clear that front left window on the second story if you mimic the salt box style roof?


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