Before
After
Project Overview
Converted a homeowner's existing covered-but-open back porch into a screened porch with floor-to-ceiling Phantom retractable screens, ipe wood decking, and a new 320 sq ft paver patio extension with a built-in gas fire pit — usable from April through November.
The Challenge
The homeowners loved their covered back porch but couldn't actually use it from May through September because of mosquitoes off the neighboring wooded lot. They also wanted a fire-pit area beyond the covered porch so cooler months could be spent outside, but the existing concrete patio was cracked and dated.
Our Solution
We enclosed the existing covered porch with screen wall framing and installed motorized Phantom retractable screens on all three open sides — fully open in good weather, fully enclosed at the press of a button when the bugs are bad. Original concrete porch floor was replaced with ipe wood decking on sleepers for drainage and a warmer underfoot feel. Beyond the porch, the cracked concrete patio was demoed and replaced with a 320 sq ft natural paver patio in a herringbone pattern, with a centered 36-inch round gas fire pit on a buried propane tank line. A new step-down with paver-veneer risers ties the porch to the patio.
Scope of Work
- Permits for screen-porch enclosure and gas line work
- New screen wall framing with structural posts on existing porch
- Motorized Phantom retractable screens on three sides
- Demoed concrete porch floor, installed ipe wood decking on PT sleepers
- Demoed cracked concrete patio (320 sq ft) and disposed
- Excavation, base prep, and compacted gravel for new paver patio
- Installed natural paver patio in herringbone pattern with concrete edge restraint
- Buried 250-lb propane tank with trenched gas line to fire pit
- Installed 36-inch round gas fire pit with manual ignition and emergency shutoff
- Paver-veneer step risers tying porch deck to patio elevation
Materials & Products
- •Phantom motorized retractable screen system (3 walls)
- •Ipe (Brazilian walnut) hardwood decking on PT sleepers
- •Natural concrete paver units (herringbone pattern)
- •Compacted base aggregate and polymeric joint sand
- •36-inch round gas fire pit insert with lava rock
- •Buried 250-lb propane tank and trenched gas line
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a motorized retractable screen compare to fixed screens?
Motorized retractable screens give you the option — open the porch fully for a clear-sky evening, close it when the mosquitoes are bad or rain blows sideways. Fixed screens are cheaper up front but you live with them up year-round. For homeowners who actually want both experiences, retractable is worth the upcharge.
Why ipe instead of composite for the porch floor?
Ipe (Brazilian walnut) is one of the most rot- and insect-resistant decking materials on earth, has a high-end natural-wood look that composites can't fully match, and on a covered porch (no direct UV) holds its color longer. It costs more up front but is the right call for a high-use covered space the homeowners wanted to feel premium.
How long did this project take?
About 6 weeks on-site — the paver patio and propane line took two weeks, the porch demo and ipe decking took two weeks, and the screen system install plus final touches took the remaining time.