When we bought our house last July, we knew we wanted to convert the patio into a screened-in porch. It is kind of cool to buy a house you have lived in for a year. For those that don't know, we ended up buying the rental house we had lived in for one year paying rent. It was nice to be able to know exactly how we used different spaces and what we would change prior to closing day.
We hardly EVER used the patio because it's freaking HOT for one thing, and this is Savannah, GA which means SAND GNATS. Plus, Evans can fly right off (and she has fallen off a couple times) the raised patio which always worried me.
Our permit finally came in, so time to get to work!
The first step was to power wash the bricks. Initially I thought I'd stain them gray, but I kind of like the contrast now that it's so clean! I think once the furniture and everything gets in the space, I'll appreciate the nod to something old.
Next step was buying the loot. I wanted big thick columns, so we went with 8x8s. At least I think these are 8x8s? In any event, I like them.
The men got the columns up first...
Then some framing....
Then came each scissor trellis for the vaulted ceiling...
Then came the plywood for the bottom walls. We decided to do a small wall rather than screen to the floor for a couple reasons. The main thing they have in common is DESTRUCTION. Our dog Blakely likes to chew up screens (and everything else) and our daughter Evans, is well, just destructive. We figured having a small wall would help cut back on feet, toys, paws, etc. going through the bottom. It also adds some privacy which is nice to have. The wall is 32" which is still short enough to see over from furniture.
My hubby hard at work... No fingers lost yet.Since this is a homeowner project, like most everything around here, it's taking longer than it would hiring a crew. BUT it's worth it I think. In the end it'll be awesome!
No pain no gain?
The last thing to go up was the front gable trellis. It was a BEAST. So heavy and so awkward, but the guys got it up. Still, no fingers lost....
For supports, the columns have knee braces in the standard Y. My dad is going to curve them a bit and fill in the hole with plywood for a more finished look.
Should look a little more like this in the end...
And finished off like the top of this porch...
So this is where it stands right now...
Next step will be to cut the rafter tails shorter and close the rafters in with solid boards. Then we'll be applying siding/hardie plank to the outside wall and ordering the metal for the roof!
I've been told it'll be about 3-4 more weekends of work. We'll see, but I can't wait!!
