High-visibility scree n fabric is also made from fiberglass, but it features a very fine weave and thin fiberglass threads that provide optimal visibility. Fiberglass screen fabric is often what you’ll find inside a screen porch kit. It won’t rust or corrode, but it can be shredded by cat claws. Today’s screen fabrics offer a variety of options to suit specific needs.įiberglass screen fabric, which is available in a handful of different colors, is relatively soft and easy to work with. Screen fabric has come a long way from the days when your grandparents used rigid metal screening on their screen doors. Consider both personal taste and practical matters when selecting porch screen panels. In these cases, often all that is needed are frames to support the screens. That said, most homeowners who want to screen in their porches already have suitable covered porches on their homes. Professional construction of a covered deck or screened-in porch could run anywhere from $5,000 to well over $20,000, depending on the size and design of the project and whether you include custom-built railings, windows, and other upgrades. (Unless you’re skilled in framing, building a roof for your patio is not a DIY job.) The cost to screen in a porch increases substantially when construction-such as building a roof over an open deck or patio-is required to complete the project. We also assume that your porch has a roof. When we say that DIYing a screened-in porch is easy and not overly expensive, we assume two things: That you’re starting with a space that already has deck posts or walls to which you can attach the screens’ frames. If your porch needs a roof or additional framing, be prepared to spend a bundle. Depending on the dimensions and configuration of your porch, you may need to purchase multiple sections. Keep in mind that individual sections can usually be cut down to fit a smaller area but cannot be adjusted to fit a larger area. A kit that size typically sells for $250 to $300. A typical 8-foot-by-8-foot kit contains everything you need to cover an 8-foot-by-8-foot section on a covered porch. Looking for a middle ground between building a screened porch from scratch and hiring help? You may want to investigate purchasing a porch screening kit, like this one from EZ Screen Room, from home improvement stores and online retailers. Screened-in porch kits can save DIYers time and money.

If you hire a pro for the same project, expect to add another $300 to $600 in labor to the total average cost to enclose a porch. The materials to screen in an existing covered porch of approximately 200 square feet could run as little as $450, including the lumber needed for building screen panels, the screen fabric, screws, and paint to finish the frames to match the trim on your home. W hen you estimate the cost to screen in a porch, i nclude screening materials, lumber, and labor. When you’re ready to start work on your DIY screened-in porch, be sure to keep the following points in mind. We’ll help you decide what type of screened-in porch materials are right for you, and whether you should install it yourself or consider hiring a pro. The steps for how to screen in a porch are often straightforward, do-it-yourself-friendly, and simple enough to be completed in a single weekend.īefore you grab that screwdriver and get to work, read on to learn what’s involved in this sort of project. If you’re lucky enough to already have a covered porch and you are up to speed with basic carpentry techniques, you can save money by screening the area yourself. Best of all, screening in this space takes much less time and money than fully enclosing a porch. A screened-in porch can serve as a second family room, a place to entertain friends, and a spot for relaxing evenings with the kids.

Patio screen