Building A Porch?

[big rockpile]

Thinking of putting a large Roofed Porch on back of our house. Going to use mostly 2X8 Treated Pine Decking Lumber.

We thought about screening it in but if there is anyway for Bugs to come up through the floor they will so screening wouldn't do much good.

I'm thinking put Metal all around the bottom should keep most Bugs down for the most part. Thoughts?

big rockpile

[Clod Kicker]

After considerable thought, first of skirting with that crossed lath backed by screen, I thought of spreading landscape cloth over the joists before laying the decking boards on. It would drain any water, keep the skeeters out, and might last a few years. Screening is another possibility under the decking, but might cost more $$.

[Brighton]

I would tack landscaping cloth under the deck long before I paid for metal or screen wire!!

[mare]

how about some kind of flooring, kinda like the green astro turf or low carpet. maybe use plywood and paint it. if you use screening under the deck it should work but will dirt build up over it?

[Raymond James]

I used the plastic wood no splinters. No swell when it gets wet. Mosquitos not that much of a problem for me so not screened . If I was going to screen lay the ground fabric down overt the joist.

I like the boards with spaces between them rather than a solid floor. I have a solid floor on one of the porches I try not to come in that door during a winter storm. I use one of the porches with the boards so that I do not track in snow.

[big rockpile]

Mosquitos and Gnats are real bad with being in the woods and water around.

I thought about leaving it open underneath but wife said kids would get up under there.

big rockpile

[Clod Kicker]

Not if you build it 6-12" above ground level; then you would only be hosting small critters like skunks, coons, and toads. Unless you seed it with mothballs. Got a whole bunch of moths handy? A jeweler's loupe and tweezers would help, too...

[ceresone]

Since you want a nice screened porch--I'd definitely go for the screen under before I laid the deck boards on it-wish I had mine.

[MushCreek]

The only problem with screening under the deck boards is all the dirt that falls through the cracks and then sits on top of the screening. You wind up having to vacuum all of the cracks periodically. Dog hair is a particular problem.

I'm not sure what else you can do- maybe removable screened panels that you could take out for cleaning? We are planning an elevated screen porch some 10' off of the ground, and I don't want to close in underneath it.

[ceresone]

Wondering about pouring a concrete slab--then building the porch? might solve several problems--just pour it with drainage.

[joebill]

The answer used to be cheap linoleum over the floor, but there is no more of that as far as I can tell.

I'd talk to a pest control company. They have stuff they can spray under structures to discourage bugs. If you do that, you may have to skirt it to stop human and critter access....Joe

[blooba]

Originally Posted by big rockpile

Thinking of putting a large Roofed Porch on back of our house. Going to use mostly 2X8 Treated Pine Decking Lumber.

We thought about screening it in but if there is anyway for Bugs to come up through the floor they will so screening wouldn't do much good.

I'm thinking put Metal all around the bottom should keep most Bugs down for the most part. Thoughts?

big rockpile

How far off the ground is this gonna be?

If its right on the ground you won't have any issues with bugs, maybe mice or something but not bugs.

If its a few feet off the ground bugs won't really fly up thru the cracks too much but you could put roofing panels on the bottom of the deck joists (angled away from house) to keep underneath clean and dry for storage.

[Raymond James]

I was just coming back on here to mention they sell a under porch /deck product at Lowes. It is by the plastic corrugated roofing. It is supposed to keep the area under the porch/deck dry but would also keep out bugs.

If the area was used for storage or there were a double deck. I would consider doing that.

[joebill]

I have also seen under-porch areas covered with tarpaper. I do not know how well it worked....Joe

[wolfpacker]

Built a 14' x 16' screened porch onto the house in 2009. It is elevated about 5' off the ground. We stapled a heavy fiberglass screen to the bottom of the floor joist. It does collect all the trash that falls between the floorboards. When it has to be replaced I will built panels to mount underneath so I can take them down to clean.

[Wis Bang 2]

Tonuge N Groove flooring; wood or vinyl...

[big rockpile]

Ok New Game Plan different problem. We're going to just build Open Covered Porch. I was going heavy, Son says over kill.

I was going with 2X8 Floor Joist and Flooring, 2X6 Rafters, OSB, then Blue Foam Board, then Metal.

Son says do like everyone else. Still going with 2X8 Floor Joist because I already have them. 1X6 for Flooring, 2X4 for Rafters, 1X6 to screw Metal to. Says cheaper and do what I want He does plenty of this work in the area.

Oh the porch is going to be 10'X20'

big rockpile

[ceresone]

My Son is a Carpenter, as was my Dad--Son says most roofing is built with 2x4's now--but I'm old school--like 2x6's--or more

[ronbre]

i've built 3 enclosed porches (one pre housefire) ..love having them. We got salvaged sliding doors and windows to enclose the rear one and plexi and a glass door to enclose the front one, both have solid roofs.

We have more salvaged sliding doors and 2 large 6' wide windows that we plan to use to enclose our east porch off of our laundry door this spring..we already have a huge deck there but only want a small enclosed area..I plan to use corrugated double wall polycarbonate for the roof for this one as we want lots of sun for this porch..to help heat..we geta lot of solar gain from our front plexi porch even with the solid roof