# screened in porch



## MRstark44 (Mar 5, 2008)

so, I have a customer who is interested in turning her porch into a screened in porch. Unfortunatly, the columns are circular, and she wants the screened system to be built out of azek. this is a brain buster for me. i have never worked with azek, other than using it as trim boards. i have no idea if you can even build frames/construct things out of it. i have gone through my brain, and my fathers, and we can't really figure out how to make it work. 
My final idea is to request that we turn the columns into square ones, since she cut out 3 porches she liked from magazines and they all had square columns!!


So, im opening the discussion up to yall. hope you can help me out. heres some pics!


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## tazmanian (Jul 22, 2010)

good quandry - would like to see what you come up with. will give it some more thought and see what we can come up with.........it is a pretty porch. does she want to keep the railings if you change to square - make it feel more open with the screen?


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## tcleve4911 (Mar 26, 2006)

What if you build the "frame" inside the plane of the columns and rails. 










From the exterior, you will still see the strong lines of the round columns and rails.
From the inside, you can do some nice finish details so it doesn't look so structural.
Just keep your framing to a minimum. 2x2 instead of 4x4 for example.
Lots of moldings.........

Just my ideas of how I would treat that if it were mine.....


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

tcleve4911 said:


> What if you build the "frame" inside the plane of the columns and rails.
> From the exterior, you will still see the strong lines of the round columns and rails.
> From the inside, you can do some nice finish details so it doesn't look so structural.
> Just keep your framing to a minimum. 2x2 instead of 4x4 for example.
> ...


Exactly what I was thinking. Try and sell her on a design agreement. That is if you know how to use some sort of design program.


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## MRstark44 (Mar 5, 2008)

The railing is suppose to be removed, and the screens are to be permanent. (although i will build to allow for replacement of the screens). the screen can have supports lower than the level of the railing, because i noticed that when you sit at the table, the railing is at eye level. so all supports should be below the railing height and above eye height for say a 6 foot 6 man...


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## tcleve4911 (Mar 26, 2006)

Cole said:


> Exactly what I was thinking. Try and sell her on a design agreement. That is if you know how to use some sort of design program.


Mock ups!!!!!
Get a $29 screen door and stand it up in there so she can get a "feel" for it


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

No ideas, but what a nice photo! You should give Gus your camera?:laughing:
Steve



MRstark44 said:


> so, I have a customer who is interested in turning her porch into a screened in porch. Unfortunatly, the columns are circular, and she wants the screened system to be built out of azek. this is a brain buster for me. i have never worked with azek, other than using it as trim boards. i have no idea if you can even build frames/construct things out of it. i have gone through my brain, and my fathers, and we can't really figure out how to make it work.
> My final idea is to request that we turn the columns into square ones, since she cut out 3 porches she liked from magazines and they all had square columns!!
> 
> 
> So, im opening the discussion up to yall. hope you can help me out. heres some pics!


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

You sure would lose alot of space with this setup, but I don't see any alternative?
Steve



Cole said:


> Exactly what I was thinking. Try and sell her on a design agreement. That is if you know how to use some sort of design program.


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## tcleve4911 (Mar 26, 2006)

As far as losing space.
The idea is to be able to sit outside without the bugs.

Screened porches don't need to be large.
They need to have the correct furnishings and layout.


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## FRAME2FINISH (Aug 31, 2010)

i have milled azek for stairs to give it a custom look and it turns out nice, but i found to get the same profile i do all of it to the same depth and it pops nicely, youwon't match what they do at the factory atleast i couldn't,

are the columns straight or tapered? there is a vinyl product you can put on and spline the screens right into it and then it also has a cap that covers it all making it easy to replace screens. and makes it pretty to look at. if you have tapered coulumns you can scribe them into the columns very easy if ya know how to it just takes time,


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

MRstark44 said:


> The railing is suppose to be removed, and the screens are to be permanent. (although i will build to allow for replacement of the screens). the screen can have supports lower than the level of the railing, because i noticed that when you sit at the table, the railing is at eye level.


That would most likely be a code violation, unless you will be using high strength screening capable of resisting 200 pounds of sideways force. Probably a good idea to run it past your local AHJ.


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

I would suggest Outdoor Mosquito Netting Curtains For Porches and Patios


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## Aaron Berk (Jul 10, 2010)

FRAME2FINISH said:


> i have milled azek for stairs to give it a custom look and it turns out nice, but i found to get the same profile i do all of it to the same depth and it pops nicely, youwon't match what they do at the factory atleast i couldn't,
> 
> are the columns straight or tapered? there is a vinyl product you can put on and spline the screens right into it and then it also has a cap that covers it all making it easy to replace screens. and makes it pretty to look at. if you have tapered coulumns you can scribe them into the columns very easy if ya know how to it just takes time,



This sounds like the real solution, and the one that I would do. 
Keeping a guard rail (even if not code enforced) would work to your advantage. Screens below your belt line take a beating, kids, bouncy balls, moving a chair to forcefully......


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## parkers5150 (Dec 5, 2008)

Take it easy on me cuz i've always lived in Cali. and we don't see too much of that style of architecture around here. before i offer a possible solution.... my question is, are those columns tapered?????


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## FRAME2FINISH (Aug 31, 2010)

to me it doesn't appear as they are tapered,and it really doesn't matter,if you are apro you should know how to scribe, if not i guess ya have to start somewhere, it will take time but can be done to perfection imo.

how would i do it, go by a cheap compass theyre a buck, bend the tip so it isn't pointed, itwill getinto the nooks and crannies better, level the piece adjacent to where you want it to be.

if it is tapered hold the bottom to the piece and say it's 2'' away at the top,set your scribes to that, keeping it level draw a line, cut to the line and it should be poifect, if not try it again you weren't level, you can scribe the bottom block the round part, everything on there,

if you can't figure your time do it t&m thats the best way, the deck looks quality done so it may fit every piece so you will only need to scribe once,

check them and maybe tweak each one if needed. learn this and you will seperate yourself from the close enough guys, it has several applications that it canbe useful for, i even do it for drywall, why use mud when you can cut the material tight?


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