Adding a screen porch to your home is definitely a wonderful addition that can be pretty luxurious and that you would surely appreciate. While you can easily hire a company to get it done for you, it is possible to complete the entire project alone. You basically have to frame the screen porch, attach it to the property and then add the unique finishing details you need. Much work and time will be necessary but so much cash can be saved in the process.
You will end up spending around $6,500 for the porch. However, the savings are of thousands of dollars. Make sure that you have a carpentry tools basic set, a drill and a good circular saw. You will need these in order to build your screen porch. Alternatively, use a power miter box and a table saw.
Do plan your project so that you can easily avoid many headaches that can appear. Do situate your screen porch properly so that windows are not covered and do plan everything that you can. You may need local building inspections for building permits.
Deck Square Building
On your house wall you want to mark ledger board place. Attach ledgers and make sure that they are leveled properly. Use string lines and stakes in order to outline deck frame based on standard dimensions that can be found on the internet. Before digging takes place, make sure that you mark underground utilities that may exist. You never know when one may exist and you know nothing about.
Perimeter beams are usually 10sX2 straight and you need 6. Cut them for 2 side beams to an appropriate length and then nail pairs together. Make sure that the nails are suitable and resistive. Nail joist hangers into house beams in order to make sure that they stay in place.
You will need to make sure that there is enough space available for the porch. Try to calculate everything properly. Remove fascia and soffit boards and do mark points where you have porch edges. Cut slots where siding meets porch walls and pay attention to cutting slots inside the walls if they are stone, brick or stucco.
Assemble Roof Trusses Through Jigs
Paint and prime truss parts, screen stops and wall frames. Always use high quality stain blocking primer. Brush acrylic coats for the exterior of the house. Prime all cuts when you do work since such regions can cause stains or absorb moisture. Roof boards that have oil finishes are always better.
Assemble roof trusses first. Your deck platform is basically your work surface. Screw 2 plywood sheets to decking and then cut triangular screws and blocks as trusses are assembled. Cut rafters and screw tops together. Check tops and ends so that alignment is perfect. All trusses have to be identical.
Framing The Walls
The framing material needs to look really good. A nice cedar of 2X6s is usually great. Clean, sharp edges have to be created. Cut crosspieces and studs so walls can be screwed together. Power miter saws are very useful but you can easily use circular saws.
Brace And Plumb Walls
After this, you will want to set trusses. Make sure that you have people that can help you in order to set up trusses. They will be heavy and you will need help. It is dangerous to do this alone. Leave braces in place as soon as you finish roofing. Set the number one truss against your home. Center it carefully and then go from there.
Tie-In Framing
Joining 2 roofs is really tricky. This is the really difficult part of the process. Tie-in framing starts by locating where peak will intersects with existing roof. Cut the roof plates and do screw roof plates together into rafters.
Install the roof boards and then finish gable end overhang through the installation of rafter pairs. Hold gable end rafters on the cut roof boards underside. Extend your trim around corners and then return everything around house roof edge. Always pay close attention to roofing and flashing details. You want the job to be 100% watertight. Do fill in all gable ends and use 2X4 frames in order to do that.
Installing Screen Doors And Screens
This is the last part of the building process. Try to use charcoal aluminum screening since it is long lasting and really strong. Unroll screens carefully on your work surface and then reroll every single piece. Staple and stretch every single section and make sure that excess screen can be cut off. Use belt sander or a sharp plane in order to trim doors. The process may be repeated as often as possible.
