Screen porches are a great way to enjoy your local outdoor environment without the nuisance of bugs, direct sunlight, or harsh weather conditions. Finding a layout that works just right for you, however, isn’t always easy. There are countless products, designs, and ideas out there, and you simply don’t have the time to try everything. Fortunately, there are some tips that can help you narrow down your options. Once you consider all the factors involved in a plan, you can come up with effective screen porch ideas for your Maryland home.

Pick Your Furnishings

The furniture you pick for your screen room will have a direct impact on comfort. We recommend finding chairs, tables, and other features that fit your tastes before working on the other parts of the space. You can even plan the layout of your furniture by sectioning off a part of your home that has the same amount of space as your future porch. If you wait to pick your furniture until everything else has been installed, you may have a hard time finding pieces that fit in with the existing decor.

Evaluate Your Lighting Needs

Like most places in your home, how your porch is lit both by sunlight and artificial light can affect almost every other factor of your layout. The orientation of sunlight will change throughout the year, so you may want to consider plans that allow you to adapt as the seasons change. When it comes to artificial light, the setup of ceiling fans or recessed lighting will require electrical work, and that can’t be changed so easily. You’ll also want to account for how your porch will block sunlight for any rooms it’s adjacent to.

Entry and Exit

Your porch won’t be of much use if your friends and family can’t get in or out easily, so proper placement of doors for your screened porch is important. We recommend that you use aluminum as the material for your door. It’s light, durable, and functional. Wood doors can sag due to temperature and moisture changes, causing an uneven seal.

Know Your Budget

With so many screened porch materials being available on the market, there is a big difference in quality between certain products. Unless you have an unlimited budget, you probably won’t be able to get the absolute best material for every component. Your priority may be a great looking, but relatively expensive, wood floor and a bit cheaper trim. One material that you won’t want to cheap out on is the actual screen itself. Ask an expert which material will reduce glare and last the longest.

Screen Porch Builders in Maryland

If you have more questions or concerns about roofing, skylights, air circulation, or any other aspect of screen porch plans, the experts at Diamond Decks are ready to help. Contact our Maryland screen porch experts today to build a porch that fulfills your dreams.