This Columbus screened porch is one of our favorites to date! With its warm cedar siding exterior, and equally as warm rustic wooden touches on the porch’s interior — this porch screams coziness!
The popularity of screened porches spans decades and continues to increase as homeowners realize just how much benefit they can add to a home, outdoor living space and lifestyle. Screened porches have evolved past the days of flimsy screen and plain-Jane framing with very little character. As their popularity increases, their design and the elements that go into building a screened porch have become higher-quality and higher-aesthetic!Whether you are buying a car, hosting a dinner party or building an outdoor living space, the details matter, and they can make a big difference in the final outcome. From colors and texture to shape and space, choosing the right finishing touches can transform your outcome from fine, into exceeding all your expectations. Take, for example, the way Archadeck of Columbus added a custom wooden barrier in front of each opening for the screen in order for the homeowner’s dogs to look out without compromising the screen. And, the wider than average finish on the window seal area, we did this so the homeowners could use it as a convenient drink rail. They say that necessity is the Mother of invention, and these custom touches are proof!
For me, the finishes inside the porch are what makes me want to have a drink or read a book in the room. Screened porches are a unique type of space because they really are both indoors and outdoors. You are inside a structure, but outdoor-friendly materials have to be used because rain, pollen and some other outdoor elements can get inside. In this screened porch, the homeowners opted to use a cedar knee-wall as a continuation of the cedar used on the exterior of the addition. This cedar was left natural whereas the exterior was painted. I think you will agree, the warm tones also make the porch welcoming.
The homeowners are thrilled with their new outdoor living space. To me, it’s a great example of how design can make all the difference. The combination of the screened porch with the rustic touches and the special attention to details so that every member of the family can enjoy the space makes all the difference.
Contact Archadeck of Columbus today to discuss our stunning porch and screened porch designs. Our consultation is completely free. You can reach us at (740) 879 – 3730 or email us at westcolumbus@archadeck.net.
Somewhere on a traditional suburban street in Dublin, OH, there is a screened porch that transports the homeowners back to that sweet, intimate cabin in the woods where they spent so many nights in front of the fireplace.
Yes, it’s a screened porch. With a stone fireplace. In Dublin, Ohio. And they love it.
The clients asked Archadeck of Columbus to create a cozy, warm, cabin-like screened porch to take the place of an old wooden deck. So this Dublin outdoor living project falls into the category of deck-to-screened-porch conversions. Looking at it now, you won’t think, Oh, that used to be a deck. Instead you’ll think, I want a screened porch like that!
To begin the construction, we removed the original deck and built the new structure from the ground up. For the floorboards and stairs, the homeowners chose TimberTech Terrain composite decking boards in the brown oak color. These boards are low-maintenance, durable and texturized to display the beauty of real wood graining. The selection is both beautiful and practical because the material resists mold, mildew and moisture damage —great for a screened porch!
Looking up, you can see that the porch roof has a shallow pitch to avoid hitting the second-story windows overhead. We installed a standing seam metal roof that works well for this pitch and also has the advantage of being a “cool roof,” meaning it is light in color and won’t absorb heat from the sun.
Of course, the centerpiece of this project is the traditional wood-burning fireplace. While the appearance is that of aged brick, perhaps reclaimed from an older home, we actually built it with (new) concrete stones. It definitely contributes to that cabin-in-the-woods vibe we wanted to convey.
Inside, the fireplace’s granite hearth is nestled amidst cedar and pine. The mantel is cedar, as are the screened room’s posts and beams, while the ceiling is tongue-and-groove pine that will be painted. Outside, you can see the cedar trim, posts and beams and cedar skirting with a small door to access a storage area under the porch. There are two outside storage doors, one on each side of the fireplace.
The overall effect is that of a cozy cabin in the woods, and the homeowners can visit their remote cabin getaway any time just by stepping from the house onto the screened porch. This fireplace will warm many a chilly Ohio evening.
If you have an out-of-the-ordinary escape destination in mind and want to incorporate it into the outdoor living space at your home, contact Archadeck of Columbus for a design consultation today. You can reach us at (740) 879 – 3730, or email us at westcolumbus@archadeck.net.
Sometimes it is the small things in your outdoor living space that can make the biggest impact. Take for example the pergola. Pergolas give you the capability of creating that outdoor room feeling with a minimal investment.
The pergola is among one of the fastest growing elements in backyard building. All you have to do is visit Pinterest, turn on the TV to HGTV or peruse through your favorite home & garden magazine to discern their appeal. In addition to being a favorable aesthetic for your backyard, pergolas also promote coziness within an intimate environment. And it is certainly no secret that adding a Columbus pergola to your outdoor living space can provide loads of ambiance, too!
Pergolas add shade and definition to any outdoor space.
Gone are the days of classifying two posts with a board across the top as a pergola! At Archadeck of Columbus, our pergolas can be custom designed and built in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles and in a wide range of materials including classic wood and low maintenance vinyl. Our pergolas can be finished with all the electrical accouterments that are available in outdoor areas such as patios and porches such as lighting, ceiling fans, and more!
One of the unique facets of the pergola’s design is that there are no set standards so your pergola can really become a creative piece that you can add your own personal touches and character. A great example of the use of diverse materials is the pergola we built in Columbus that aluminum powder coated trusses across the top …
Aluminum powder coated trusses on pergola.
Most homeowners prefer to implement their pergola addition as a secondary layer of a multi-faceted outdoor living combination. For instance; Pergolas work as a great medium for adding definition and dimension to a deck, they can also be attached to other structures such as covered porches, patios and even screened porches. Let us not forget that pergolas can be used as viable shade structures. The amount of protection they deliver is based on the design itself. By building the pergola with 3″ wide lathing (the top portion of the pergola), and installing these on a 20-degree angle we can increase the measure of shade and sun protection.
Contact Archadeck of Columbus today to design and build the pergola of your wildest dreams. When it comes to the design and functionality possibilities of the pergola, the choices are endless!
The prospect of adding a custom outdoor living structure, or combination of structures, to your home and property just naturally sparks excitement. That is why I am often stumped when a customer has their preliminary plan in place and decides to “wait until spring” to begin their project. It is from my experience within the world of outdoor living that a common misconception among many homeowners is we don’t build in the fall and winter. In actuality, nothing could be farther from the truth.
When is the best time of year to embark on an outdoor living addition you may ask? The answer may be more surprising than you may think. Many homeowners are under the impression that outdoor structures such as decks, porches or patios are best to build during the warm weather months. The truth is that Archadeck of Columbus builds year-round and anytime that best suits yourcircumstances and budget is the right time to build. However, there are certain advantages to moving ahead with your project during the cooler months…
Enjoy your space sooner and be “sitting pretty” in time for spring
There are many advantages to building in the cooler months. Along with shorter lead times you will also get a space that is up and running in time to enjoy for the upcoming holidays, spring and the beginning of the outdoor living season.
Wood loves cooler weather
Since the humidity level is much lower during the fall and winter, any wood used during construction of your project will season quicker. Seasoning involves the drying out of wood making it ready to accept stain or paint better. When a project is built during the warmer, humid months the usual wait time to stain or paint is a few months.
Increased productivity
Another plus to cooler weather construction is productivity. A crew that is working in the humid 95 degree weather, even in the shade, is less productive than one that is working outside during milder weather. Less heat means more stamina and less time lost to hydration breaks for the crew. This translates to the likelihood that a job that is completed sooner.
Save more in the long run
Prices for building materials generally increase during the early part of the 1st quarter. Moving ahead with your outdoor living project now instead of waiting will ensure you are locked into this year’s pricing modules. In addition, outdoor furnishings and accessories sometimes reflect deep discounts as retailers make way for holiday merchandise. Outfitting your new space may also mean a savings!
It’s not good to fool with Mother Nature
Since our average temperatures remain above freezing in Columbus for most of the winter, chances of inclement or freezing weather impacting your project are minimal. The advantages of fall and winter construction outweigh any deficiencies brought on by Mother Nature. As with any construction project there will be damage to the turf caused by foot traffic. In a fall/winter project the turf is more apt to recover quicker because it has the time to overwinter in time for spring taking in valuable nutrients present in precipitation. Some turfs are dormant during the winter and this will aid in quicker recovery as well.
If you are on the fence about deciding when your outdoor structure project, keep in mind that lead times during the outdoor living season can be in excess of 8-12 weeks. In the winter it may be 4-6 weeks at the most. This quick turn-around will ensure you get the full benefits of your outdoor space when you are ready, and with less impact on your lifestyle. Contact Archadeck of Columbus to schedule your free consultation today and get the ball rolling on your outdoor dreams. (740) 879 – 3730
westcolumbus@archadeck.net.
When you think of the term “hybrid” the first thing that probably comes to mind is a plant, or maybe even one of the cutting edge hybrid cars that can operate on gas or electricity. The term hybrid is formally defined as “a thing made by combining two different elements; a mixture” and we can’t think of a better way to describe our recent outdoor room addition in Dublin, OH.
This four season room addition gets its interior design inspiration from the great outdoors with the rustic wood walls.
Typically, outdoor rooms can be classified in four different ways — all of which are composed as a roofed structure.
A sunroom is a room addition in itself and consists of many windows. A sunroom is attached to the home and is conditioned, meaning heated and cooled, just like the other rooms within your house. Then there is a four season room, which is classified closely to a sunroom but is not considered a room addition or part of your home. A four season room can be attached or detached from the home and can be conditioned, but also has the capacity to be closed off when not in use. Third is the three season room. These structures can be designed attached or detached from the home. Three season porches/rooms are built with screen and in some cases windows and/or a convertible window panel system such as EZE Breeze system that enables use screen and/or panels for closure within the space. Last but certainly not least is a screened porch which consists of a roof and screened openings to protect from inclement weather, insects and debris.
Interior of Dublin, OH, “hybrid” outdoor room.
Our recent outdoor room addition in Dublin, OH, doesn’t fall into the traditional categorization but instead combines elements of both a 3-season and 4-season room. With this in mind, we are referring to it as a “hybrid” outdoor room. There are many factor that make this room unique. The first aspect that is unique to this design is the use of Anderson casement windows. These windows are hinged on the side and the sash opens horizontally opposite the hinge. This type of window allows for full ventilation from top to bottom of the window opening and the extended sash can catch the breeze and direct it into the addition for better air flow. The second aspect is this room, though attached to the home, acts as a detached outdoor room as it is only accessible from the outside through a pair of elegant carriage doors.
No detail was overlooked when perfecting this project either. The interior of the room is finished in beautiful cedar, and on the exterior we installed coach lighting on either side of the painted redwood carriage doors. The shingles were meticulously chosen to match those on the existing home as was the brick skirting used on the room addition.
Dublin, OH, Hybrid Outdoor Room.
This project not only includes the outdoor room addition, but also a low-maintenance deck to help transition the room to the back of the home. The deck serves as a place to enjoy the fire pit and grill out when the weather is right. The low-to grade design helps define the entire space and is built in TimberTech Legacy decking so maintenance is a breeze! The deck also includes lighting to increase function and ambiance in the evening.
The homeowners’ main objectives in building this addition was to be able to sit outside without the nuisance of bugs. We can attest to their happiness in the completed project as it serves as a backyard escape complete with lighting, ceiling fans and even a ceiling mounted TV.
Before and after in Dublin, OH:
Our hybrid has really changed the look of the rear of this Dublin, OH, residence and has changed the way these homeowners live outdoors. The finished project is a winner in their book, as it combines all the elements they love into a hybrid outdoor living oasis!
The Archadeck of Columbus team.
If you are thinking about the addition of an outdoor room, or other unique outdoor living space, contact Archadeck of Columbus today at (740) 879-3730 or via email @westcolumbus@archadeck.net to design and build your project!
We’d all love to spend our summer days in the garden, reading a book by the pool or just taking in the fresh air with a cold ice tea on our patios. But often times we forget to think about the risks of spending too much time outdoors in the sun without proper protection. Numerous medical complications like Melanoma and Cataracts can occur when sun protection is disregarded.
Disregarding the sun’s damaging rays are nothing to take lightly. These serious complications have life threatening concerns that need immediate attention. Melanoma occurs when the pigment-producing cells that give color to skin become cancerous due to overexposure to sun or sunburn. Broad-spectrum sunscreen is used as a temporary protector against the sun but is frequently only applied once throughout the day which becomes inefficient over time if you plan to spend a full day outdoors.
The month of July is observed as National UV Safety Awareness month. Archadeck of Columbus wants to ensure you are worry free when it comes to spending time outdoors. Instead of spending your time indoors in fear of the damage UV rays may cause, invest in long-term protection for your backyard. Archadeck can help protect you and your family by adding a covered patio, screen porch or a 3 or 4-season room addition. Whether you enjoy gardening or sitting in the breeze to read a book these are perfect options to get you the ultimate protection while still enjoying the freedom of being outdoors.
Covered patios and screen porches offer a shaded more private area for you and your family to escape to during lunch when the heat is in full swing. Even with an existing hardscape patio, Archadeck can custom design a covered structure over the top to help provide proper UV protection. With a screen porch you get triple protection. Screen porches provide the benefit of sun protection but also becomes a defense against allegans such as pollen and mosquitoes and other nuisance insects.
Adding a 3-season or 4-season room is like taking a piece of the outdoors and bringing it inside. A 3-season room can be designed and built with an Eze-Breeze® window system. Eze-Breeze® allows your outdoor structure to quickly switch from glass windows to screen panels letting in the cool Columbus breeze. 4-season rooms are designed with HVAC systems to keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. These additions protect you from direct sunlight while still being able to enjoy the panoramic views of your backyard garden and landscape with floor to ceiling windows.
It is fairly easy to forget to follow the standard recommendations for sun protection such as continuously adding a strong broad-spectrum sunscreen or wearing sunglasses throughout the day. That is why Archadeck of Columbus wants to help you and your family with long-term sun protection by adding a covered patio, screen porch or a 3-season or 4-season room onto your backyard.
The Archadeck of Columbus team.
Contact Archadeck of Columbus today at (740) 879-3730 or via email at westcolumbus@arcahdeck.net to get out of the sun by designing your custom outdoor structure. We would look forward to connecting with you!
Existing deck before Archadeck of Columbus began 3-season room addition.
Our clients had hoped to build their Dublin 3-season room on the structure of an existing deck that was in disrepair. This was certainly a great idea and a cost-savings tool that we use on many of our redecking and upgrade projects. Unfortunately, in this case, we found during our professional inspection that the foundation was not strong enough to use. And so we went with Plan B.
New three season room!
While it is always nice to save some money, pulling out an unsound foundation offers a few benefits. First, and most importantly, you are looking out for the safety of your family and everyone else who visits the new room. Second, it frequently gives you some additional longevity on your project, whether it is a Columbus screened porch, 3-season or sunroom. Replacing the foundation also gives you extra flexibility when it comes to deciding on the “footprint” of the project. You can expand or alter the shape from your original deck easily when starting from scratch.
Interior of Dublin, OH, 3-season room.
Screened porches are the center of much of the social activity in this neighborhood, so when our customers were ready for an upgrade they had a good idea of what they wanted. Their ideal space was a 3-season room that has both screens and windows so that they can enjoy the space nearly every day of the year. They chose Jeld-Wen Low-E windows which are extremely energy efficient and will save them money in the long term. They also wanted hardwood flooring to give the room a rustic feel.
Interior of Dublin, OH, 3-season room showing king truss detail.
Archadeck enhanced the rustic theme with cedar wrap and trim, as well as exposed tongue & groove wood on the ceiling and interior walls. The decorative king truss is a thing of beauty. It’s a stunning visual focal point for the entire room. From the outside you will see vinyl siding installed to match the existing home with cedar trim that will weather beautifully over time. Deckorators made the balusters for the exterior railing.
This three season room and patio prove that plan B can stand for beautiful!
Because we were starting essentially with a clean slate, Archadeck of Columbus was also able to install a curved Unilock paver patio for eating or barbecuing. In one fell swoop this family traded one tired deck for a 3-season room-paver patio combination that will be the hot new place to visit and socialize in the neighborhood this spring, summer, and fall.
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, email us at westcolumbus@archadeck.net or visit our website at columbus.archadeck.com. We look forward to connecting with you.
The year in review takes a bow as Archadeck of Columbus explores the top 10 design trends in screened and open porch designs; the final installment in our design trend series for 2013 and beyond.
An outdoor fireplace adds to the rustic charm of this wooden screened porch in Delaware, OH.
As we look back at the year in review, porches were hot! Screened porches and open porches were very popular in 2013. We see that trend continuing into the New Year as well. The number one reason homeowners love porches is because they are a functional and beautiful way to provide shade in your outdoor living space. The need for shade is a necessity in many cases, especially in yards facing South or West. In many cases, porches are a way to allocate a more permanent shade structure than the use of an awning or shade curtains in an outdoor living space.
As the final installment in our series on design trends, Archadeck of Columbus explores the top 10 design trends in screened and open porch designs…
#1) Paver flooring used in a screened porch setting – This is what as referred to as a “screened patio”. These spaces have all the function and appeal of a porch with the only difference being the grade of the structure and floor medium used. Paver and hardscape patios can be the foundation for a wonderful screened or covered/open porch addition. These outdoor living spaces are often built on the ground or at a lower grade than traditional screened porches, but can also include an elevated design.
#2) Wraps are very popular – Wrapping consists of covering areas such as posts with a more aesthetically pleasing wood. We often wrap areas that are visible in your screened porch with cedar or paulownia to give the space a rustic appeal. Custom trim is also widely requested.
The open rafter detail of this porch gives it a rustic feel and the warm wood tones the homeowners used further the charm.
#3) Cathedral ceilings are a must – Cathedral ceilings within screen porches interior are a hot commodity. The pitch of the roof dictates ceiling height and since our most utilized roof styles for screened porches in the Columbus area are the gable and hip, it sets the stage for a cathedral ceiling. Cathedral ceilings lend an open airy feel to your porch interior and create a sense that the space is larger than it actually is. Keep in mind, if conditions require, we can do a flat roof as well.
#4) Exposed rafters – Nothing adds character or style to a screened porch interior quite like exposed rafters. With the simple act of leaving the ceiling of your porch open (exposed), you create a panoramic focal point. In most cases, making the decision to enclose the rafters is more expensive than leaving them open because the additional trim that is required. In choosing an open rafter ceiling you will get a true original work of art in your space, and save a little green to boot!
#5) Ceiling finishes – We have a huge demand for tongue & groove products, including beaded materials. Among the most requested ceiling material for screened porches here in our region is cedar.
Another Columbus outdoor fireplace and screened porch combination.
#6) Fireplaces are hot! – Integrating an outdoor fireplace is hugely popular on our screened porch designs. Having an outdoor fireplace within your porch space helps create an atmosphere similar to an interior living room. Imagine being seated around the fire along with family and friends in a protected outdoor space that can be utilized throughout the year — magical. This type of magic can come with a hefty price tag depending on the type of outdoor fireplace you choose. Wood burning masonry models can cost $15,000 +, but gas inserts are also available which are a lot easier on the wallet.
#7) Televisions – When it comes to electrical within your porch, Archadeck of Columbus always ensures our porches are wired for electrical. This includes outlets, cable, ceiling fans, lights and switches. We try to ensure no creature comfort has been overlooked. With those comforts in mind, having access to mount a flat screen TV within the porch interior is our most popular porch accoutrement and is requested by a vast majority of homeowners as the “must have” item for their porch.
Notice the overstuffed, comfy furniture used on this screened porch in Columbus, Ohio.
#8) Perimeter seating – This is especially the case with covered or screened patio designs. Many homeowners are requesting perimeter area seating with a patio, for instance, to use for dining and other recreational functions. The key to gaining the most function from your porch is to always consider what your main function of the room is going to be. This will ensure it is designed with that function in mind.
#9) Porch furniture – We are seeing the use of larger-scaled furniture than of those used in the past in finishing out porch designs. Loveseats, couple chairs, and tables are often used alongside coffee and end tables to give the porch the feel of the ultimate outdoor room. We always recommend homeowners have some idea of the type, and scale of the furniture they plan on using in their space in order for us to design the space accordingly with plenty of turn-around room.
#10) Totally custom – Each and every one of our porches is totally custom to what the homeowners want and need for their new space. The size, roof style, finishes, flooring, and ceiling treatment are done according to your specification.
Michael Reeder, Archadeck of Columbus
If you are starting to think about adding a new open porch or screened porch to your Columbus area home for the New Year give Archadeck of Columbus a call for a free consultation. We can help you plan and design an outdoor space that suits your individual function with a cutting edge screened porch or porch addition.
(740) 879 – 3730 westcolumbus@archadeck.net
You can see more of our stunning porch designs by visiting our screened porch photo gallery, and our porches photo gallery, located on our website.
Archadeck of Columbus highlights our most recent outdoor room project in Newark, OH.
Since warmer weather and longer days have arrived, do you wish you had an outdoor room to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors in cool comfort all summer long? Do you wish you had a place to escape the dangers of the sun and pesky mosquitoes? One Newark, OH family recently added a 3-season room and achieves all of those objectives and more!
Even though our most recent completed project is an outdoor room, the lack of and HVAC unit means we refer to it as a 3-season room. However, the room is geared for comfort in all weather conditions with the Mitsubishi ductless heating and cooling system we installed. In addition, we installed ceiling fans to help the homeowners cool off on those humid Ohio afternoons. These heating and cooling systems are innovative in that they don’t require extensive HVAC tie ins to create an efficient means of keeping your outdoor room the perfect temperature when in use. This “per room” unit is controlled separate from the home’s interior HVAC system putting you in charge of how cool or warm you want the 3-season room to be at any given time. This approach also means the unit will not be in use unnecessarily when your room is not in use. This 3-season room also includes well insulated walls, floors and a heavily insulated ceiling. This insulation will help keep the room cool in the summer months and warm in the winter months.
The diverse use of windows in this space provides unobstructed views to the outdoors and ample sunlight, giving the illusion that you are indeed outdoors. This three season room was built using vinyl clad windows to match the windows of the existing home. These windows are double hung including the screens and really open up the view for the homeowners because they are six feet tall! The size of the windows and the stunning panoramic views give the space the feel of using window walls. The windows we used were placed in the roof beam. These and the columns between the windows are wrapped with Paulownia which we primed for painting. The trapezoid windows we used between the windows and ceiling space are fixed glass meaning they cannot be moved up or opened.
On the interior of the outdoor room we installed a 12″ knee wall and also placed plenty of outlets into this area. We also finished the ceiling in rustic cedar tongue and groove within the closed rafter design. The space boasts plenty of recessed can lighting which was a wise choice since the homeowner’s plan to spend quiet time reading in their new 3-season room. The homeowners have a standard steel door which goes out to their pressure treated deck adjoining this new space. We also built a Grand flared staircase built to grade.
If you are on the fence about adding that deck or outdoor room addition this season, now is the time to get started. We can schedule your design consultation and you too will be on your way to making your outdoor living wishes come true. Contact Archadeck of Columbus today for a free consultation(740) 879 – 3730 or drop us an email at westcolumbus@archadeck.net
Whether you are buying a car, hosting a dinner party or building an outdoor living space, the details matter, and they can make a big difference in the final outcome. From colors and texture to shape and space, choosing the right finishing touches can transform your outcome from fine, into exceeding all your expectations. Take, for example, the way Archadeck of Columbus added a custom wooden barrier in front of each opening for the screen in order for the homeowner’s dogs to look out without compromising the screen. And, the wider than average finish on the window seal area, we did this so the homeowners could use it as a convenient drink rail. They say that necessity is the Mother of invention, and these custom touches are proof!
Columbus Decks, Porches and Patios by Archadeck of Columbus 