Cedar’s natural beauty makes it a perennial porch favorite

Composite building products grab more than their fair share of the headlines in stories about Columbus decks and porches. This is probably because the industry is always rolling out new products, textures and colors. They also have large companies promoting them: think TimberTech and AZEK. This week I’d like to highlight the beauty, versatility and warm smell of natural cedar as we used it in a screened porch addition.

This client wanted to replace an existing deck with a Columbus screened porch that had a rustic look. No other product gives you the combination of traditional rough hewn construction and higher-end sophistication than cedar. The highly sought after grain pattern, color, and subtle scent are pleasing to humans, but discourage insects. We used the cedar to build an open gable roof with sweeping curved braces and exposed rafters that look elegant while letting in a tremendous amount of light. Another bonus of using cedar on this job was that we were able to pair it with cedar lap siding on the exterior that will be painted to match the rest of the home.

There were two design challenges with this job. The first was that we needed to build around an existing chimney, but this only added to the rustic feel of the porch. The other was that we wanted to preserve a bay window on an adjoining part of the house. To do that, we opened up the staircase to the Columbus paver patio just a bit. We also made sure to have a second window facing the bay window on the interior side to keep as much light as possible.

The interior of the porch has a knee wall with a drink rail just above it. This combination worked beautifully because their dog Sam can still see outside through the screened gap and guests have a place to put their drinks that is high enough that they are not in danger from a wagging tail. Sam also suggested that we use Screen-Eze in case he gets a little overenthusiastic one day–Screen-Eze has incredible strength and durability.

On a cool fall evening, I think the family is going to love sitting around their new fire pit on their Unilock Camelot paver patio (the color is Coffee Creek). There is plenty of space to use the seating wall or pull up a chair. When the weather gets a little fierce, I know they will enjoy sitting on the new screened porch and listening to the sound of the water hitting the rain bell that they installed in place of one of the downspouts–such a delightful touch to the home.

If you’re thinking about adding an outdoor living space to your Columbus backyard, give us a call to see how we can make creating your dream backyard an enjoyable experience, start to finish. The consultation is completely free. Call (740) 879 – 3730 or email us at westcolumbus@archadeck.net. We look forward to your call.

Author: archadeckofcolumbus

I began my association with Archadeck in 2001 when I was working for a subcontractor that Archadeck of Columbus was employing for patio installations. I had been working in the Landscape/Hardscape industry for quite a few years at the time and immediately noticed a difference in how Archadeck operated in comparison with other deck companies that we worked with. Over the years of working with Archadeck on numerous projects, large and small, I came to realize the importance of what they were selling; beautiful designs, top-notch craftsmanship and a world class customer experience. This is what drove me to start working for Archadeck in January of 2011 and eventually buying the company in 2016. My wife, Amber, and my son, Logan, could not be happier to be a part of such a wonderful organization. We look forward to the future as we build the outdoor living environments our customers dream of with the “world class” service they deserve! View all posts by archadeckofcolumbus