Porches – Columbus Decks, Porches and Patios by Archadeck of Columbus

What a Difference a Front Porch Makes … Just Ask These Clintonville, OH, Homeowners!

If you are in need of a front porch makeover—or back porch, screened porch, side porch, any porch—take a look at this sweet front porch for some ideas. Columbus porch builder Archadeck of Columbus has elevated the fine art of porch!

Home showing entry before project. — Home showing entry before the project.

Originally they had a 4×4′ concrete stoop under a small awning. They did some porch-sitting here because, yes, even a small stoop can accommodate a couple of chairs. But now … Oh, my, this home is smiling!

Before we could tackle the front porch project, we assisted the homeowner with addressing structural issues in the basement. The walls were bowed in and the concrete pad leading to the front door was pulling away from the house. In order to proceed with the new front porch, we needed these structural issues to be resolved. We researched basement companies, and the homeowner hired one of them to make sure the foundation wall was in good shape.

For the floor of the new porch, the clients chose TimberTech Terrain decking in the silver maple color. You probably recognize TimberTech as a composite building product used on decks and chosen especially for its low-maintenance qualities. It works on porches, too! On an open porch like this, the building materials will be exposed to the elements, so the homeowners wanted a porch that would not need sanding, staining and sealing. TimberTech promises that, plus these boards will resist stains, scratches, fading, mold, mildew and moisture damage. It’s an especially durable product because each board in TimberTech’s Terrain product line is capped on all four sides with a protective polymer shell.

We wrapped the porch’s posts and beams with trim by Boral, a synthetic wood-grain wrap that is also more durable than wood. Boral is rated for ground contact so it won’t rot, and it also resists cracking and splitting. What’s more, Boral accepts stain and paint better than some materials.

The cedar tongue-and-groove porch ceiling is beautiful and, if you ever feel like staring straight up, a lot nicer to look at than the underside of a metal awning. We roofed the gabled porch cover to match the home’s roofing shingles. We want the porch to look original to the home, not like an afterthought.

Around the porch we installed cedar railings with black aluminum pickets. These railings define the sides of the porch and then they reach down the steps like open arms to welcome visitors. This cheerful, open porch is like a big smile of delight on the front of this home. The homeowners are in for many luxurious hours of porch-sitting over the years to come.

Whether you need to upgrade your porch or start from scratch with a new open porch or screened porch, contact us today at (740) 879 – 3730 or email us at westcolumbus@archadeck.net.

Unique Screened Porch Conversion Thrills These Powell, OH, Homeowners

If you had any doubts that Archadeck of Columbus custom-designs the outdoor living projects we build, here is the one-of-a-kind project to illustrate that fact. We converted a covered porch in Powell, OH, to a screened porch including custom-built sliding barn doors with screens. Where have you ever seen that? These screen doors are truly original. The project also called for a new built-in enclosure for the homeowner’s grill, with a granite countertop, under a shed roof. Truly unique, and truly the perfect design for this stately yet charming home.

The clients were using a covered porch they had built themselves. The angle of the sun flooded their porch with burning rays at a certain time of day. The homeowners had taken to using dark curtains to wall off the porch when they needed to block the sun. Unfortunately, the curtains also blocked airflow but did not keep pesky insects out of the porch. For these reasons, the clients were looking for a more protected space for shade, to better escape insects and to shield them from inclement weather.

Enter Archadeck of Columbus, your Columbus-area screened porch builder. We were able to fulfill all of the homeowners’ requests and deliver a unique outdoor living space built adjacent to their existing paver patio.

The homeowners wanted a paneled look for the screened enclosure. We built a paneled knee wall around the portion of the porch that had previously been open and added a screening product called Screeneze for the porch’s new screens.

Screeneze is an amazing type of porch screen that is not made of aluminum (the material traditionally used for screening). Aluminum creases too easily and is flimsy, sometimes giving the screen a wavy look and making it vulnerable to damage by birds, branches or falling objects. Screeneze has elasticity and is so strong that if you throw a baseball into the screen, it will revert back to its original shape within minutes. Because Screeneze is so strong, it allows for more distance between posts, giving the family a cleaner, less interrupted view from their porch. This is our go-to screening product when the client is looking for a wider span of screen openings than is standard. Screeneze offers several different screen materials, and for this project, we chose SuperScreen (now called TEXTILINE® nano 50) made of coated polyester. This material features increased resistance to punctures and tears as well as better protection from pet damage, UV damage and mildew.

For the porch doors, we continued the paneled design to match the knee wall , using cypress to custom-build a pair of sliding barn doors with screens. These screened porch doors, wider than standard porch doors, are one of a kind. (Well, literally two of a kind, since there are two doors.) The paneled barn doors give this porch a French country chic look, perfect to match the adjacent rustic patio setting.

In addition to converting the open porch to a screened porch, this project called for a built-in cabinet to house the homeowners’ grill. We built the cabinet portion surrounding the grill with dimensional block pavers to match the seating wall on the adjacent patio. The counter around the grill is a beautiful granite countertop with plenty of room for the grillmaster to lay out utensils, seasonings and platters of food.

Finally, we added a small shed roof over the newly-built grill area as protection from rain. The new ceiling over the grill is cedar tongue-and-groove. Typically you wouldn’t put a grill under a wood structure; however, the homeowner uses a pellet wood grill. The manufacturer’s recommendation for clearance over this type of grill is much lower you would have for a grill with an open flame.

To complete the project, we ran electrical wiring and installed outlets for the grill controller box and a TV, and we installed an outlet for cable TV. The Powell, OH, homeowners are thrilled with their new screened porch and love the screened sliding barn doors.

Your Archadeck of Columbus design consultant is ready create a unique, custom-designed outdoor living project for your home. Whether you’re starting from scratch or want to modify your current outdoor living space, contact us today at (740) 879 – 3730 or email us at westcolumbus@archadeck.net.

This Columbus Screened Porch Proves Neccessity is Indeed, the Mother of Invention!

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.

Small porch delivers big impact for these New Albany, OH, homeowners

“Just the right size” means different things to different people, but Archadeck of Columbus believes all that really matters is what it means to you. Sometimes what you want is a table for two and a sweet, little deck to put it on. Add a roof to that deck, and you have a covered porch – with a table for two.

So often you see pictures of multi-level decks and expansive porches coupled with patios that seem to stretch on forever. On a big house, a super-sized outdoor living project fits the grand scale of the home and doesn’t look a bit out of place. Seeing so many pictures of these large projects may give you the impression that the best decks, porches and patios have to be that big. Not at all.

Today’s project illustrates how an outdoor living space doesn’t have to be big to have a big impact. These New Albany, OH, homeowners called Archadeck to design and build a covered porch just the right size for their bistro table and chairs.

The house originally had a 3×3 sq. ft. landing outside the sliding glass doors. It had railings, pickets and steps leading down to a stone paver patio. It had many of the trappings of a tiny deck, but it was a little too small for the bistro table.

Archadeck of Columbus designed the perfect-size seating area and added a roof overhead to make it a porch. The new space is 10×10, in keeping with the scale of the home – and in compliance with their neighborhood’s HOA restrictions.

One of the homeowners’ priorities was having a low-maintenance structure, so the materials we selected met that requirement. For the porch floor we used TimberTech composite decking in a combination of two colors, mocha and pecan. The white porch railings and the latticework under the deck are vinyl. The porch pickets are made of aluminum. For the rest of the structure, including the fascia and custom-wrapped columns, we used a newer material called Boral True Exterior. Finally, we used tongue-and-groove cedar for the interior ceiling of the covered porch and added vinyl siding to the upper outside end of the porch to match the home’s exterior.

New Albany OH Porch Builder — Interior ceiling detail:

By adding a porch to accompany their existing patio, these homeowners now have a combination outdoor living space. And it’s just the right size for them.

Your Archadeck of Columbus design consultant is ready to help you explore outdoor living options either large or small or somewhere in between. Contact us today at (740) 879 – 3730 or email us at westcolumbus@archadeck.net.

Can you incorporate your favorite getaway destination into your Columbus-area outdoor living space?

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.

Say goodbye to the screened porches of yesteryear!

It wasn’t so long ago that screened porches were built with utilitarian purposes in mind. Their job was to keep the bugs, and the rain, off of you. Historically, in rural areas and before air conditioning became commonplace, many people used a screened porch as a bunk room (sometimes referred to as a sleeping porch) on particularly sweltering summer nights.

Digging a little deeper into the archives, you will learn that the use of window screens started as soon as people began framing windows. References to window screens can be traced back to 1823. The earliest screens were made of wood, ceramic and stone. Their purpose was to provide protection from animal and human intruders but still allow some light and ventilation into a building. Cloth screens came along and provided protection from dust and insects and allowed some light to enter. During the 1840s, Gilbert and Bennett Manufacturing Co. of Redding, Connecticut, invented affordable wire mesh window screens.

I myself can remember fishing trips I enjoyed in my youth and the way the fishing camp I frequented utilized a screened room as their bait station. The structure consisted of a wooden floor with simple framed posts with screened openings. The sole purpose of the porch was to keep bait safe from flies. Definitely not a place you would want to spend the night!

Columbus outdoor fireplace on porch — Another Columbus outdoor fireplace and screened porch combination.

Fast forward to the modern screened porches homeowners crave today. Yes, they keep out bugs, allergens, debris and rain. However, they have become an extension of our homes and an oasis for outdoor living. Modern screened porches are now designed to include many comforting and convenient amenities like fireplaces and televisions, much like you would find in any other room of your home. The screened porch is essentially a more relaxed, casual room addition to the rest of your home.

Anyone who has experienced one has to admit that a screened porch is a wonderful addition to any house. A screened porch offers the breezes, scents, sounds and sights of being outdoors – but without the bugs and the blazing sun. Rough and tumble has its own charm, but these days most homeowners enjoy relaxing under the ceiling fan while listening to their surround sound audio system.

Why wait for the Columbus outdoor living space you are yearning for?

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 your circumstances 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.

Sun protection is not something that should be taken lightly…

DrySnap rain deck by Archadeck of Columbus.

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.

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!

Cover Story: Why Columbusites Love Porches

Rocking chair front porches of yesteryear — Rocking chair front porch of yesteryear.

There are certain outdoor living structures that are just must-haves and porches have remained at the top of this list for generations. There is nothing more American than the porch. Whether used as a refuge from the elements, or a place to relax and make memories with friends and family, the porch is a classic outdoor structure that transcends time.

“Porches are as synonymous with American culture as apple pie. While known in colonial times, they rose to nationwide popularity in the decades before the Civil War, and remained in fashion for almost one hundred years. Ironically, the very social and technological forces that made them both popular and possible were eventually responsible for their decline.”

— From Kahn, Preserving Porches

For over 15 years, Archadeck of Columbus has designed and built custom outdoor structures with functionality and beauty in mind for homeowners in the Columbus area. During our time in business few structures have remained as constant as the porch. Porches have been portrayed throughout history as a safe haven of protection from wind, snow, rain and nuisance insects and have been associated with the art of relaxation.

Delaware OH rustic screen porch with outdoor fireplace — An outdoor fireplace adds to the rustic charm of this wooden screened porch in Delaware, OH.

Porches come in all shapes and sizes, and their benefits extend the entire circumference of the home and even within the landscape. From the traditional “rocking chair” front porch, the open porch, screened porch and even porches detached from the home and used in a variable setting within the landscape — all are endearing to Columbusites!

Interior of open porch in Columbus, OH — This photo shows the lovely interior of this open porch we recently completed in Columbus, OH.

Archadeck of Columbus specializes in creating porches that are steeped in quality, beauty and overall outdoor enjoyment. We can deliver the beloved wooden porch of your past, or design your porch without the worry of constant painting or staining because of our diverse menu of low maintenance materials such as vinyl, PVC and other synthetics. We also pay close attention to the details that make each of our porches unique and superior to other designs. Our porches can be designed to include the modern conveniences that you yearn for such as ceiling fans, electrical outlets, recessed lighting and even an outdoor kitchen or fireplace. When it comes to choosing the details that set your porch apart from others, the world is your oyster. Archadeck of Columbus’ porches not only provide you with comfort and convenience, they can also improve your home’s curb appeal and increase your home’s value as well.

If you are ready to transform that blah front exterior of your home, or are ready to turn your vacant backyard into an outdoor oasis, a porch is the perfect answer! Contact us today to learn more about our versatile porch and screened porch designs at (740) 879 – 3730, email us at westcolumbus@archadeck.net or visit our website at columbus.archadeck.com.

A thousand small details add up to one stellar Columbus outdoor space

Take a look at the before and after of this stunning outdoor space

One glance at the “before” pictures and you can tell that this backyard space just wasn’t working. There were two small decks that came from two different parts of the house and there was nothing creating unity of space or purpose in between. Before, there was seating on three different levels, but everything was disjointed and awkward. The goal: create multiple beautiful spaces that could be enjoyed by parents and teens that encourages fluid movement throughout.

The clients originally started working with a lumber yard that also did some design work, but they lost confidence that the outfit was up to this challenge. One of our designers, Rob, stepped up to the plate and really hit this one out of the park. His solution of a covered TimberTech plank porch and multiple levels of Unilock Brussels paver patios hit every point on the customer’s wish list.

There are multiple decorative planting circles that create visual interest, define different spaces and give the owners a living creative outlet. Seating walls provide a casual place to relax and help keep landscaping in place. Gravel beds look decorative, but serve the added function of handling drainage. The fire pit has a gas starter and can burn either gas or wood– take your pick. The built-in grill is right outside the kitchen door and is convenient to inside or out making food transfer quick and simple.

Some of the critical details to the success of this project you might never notice; had to do with water management. The design of the patio or deck is what everyone sees. But as an outdoor designer, it’s our job to know about and take care of what everyone doesn’t see. In this case, that was water management.

The grade of the yard meant that we had to give lots of thought to water movement. We used a catch basin trenched into the woods to do the heavy lifting. We used a rubber roof system above the porch to handle rain and snowfall. The owners wanted everything to be easy to care for, that included having an irrigation system built in to the landscaping and planters. We also took care of rerouting hot water and dryer venting. We attended to every detail from start to finish.

So, if you are ever lucky enough to be invited to a barbecue at this Powell porch and patio combination, make sure you get a chance to admire the huge grand staircase that leads to the landing patio– you might stop at the bistro table there for a drink. Or, if the mosquitoes are biting, use the remote to start the ceiling fan. It does a great job of shooing them away. You might want to play around a bit with the lighting too. It’s on a dimmer and the owners made some very attractive lighting choices, replacing an old sconce and adding some stylish new fixtures.

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.