How to Restore, Update, and Screen in a Porch

This post is sponsored by The Home Depot

Today I’m very excited to reveal our new back porch!  I’ve partnered with The Home Depot to show y’all how to screen in a porch, restore tired deck boards, and install a fan!  So, hang out for a few, and follow along as I share this transformation!

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Here are the tools and items I used for this project:

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Porch Overhaul Check List

1. Clean Vinyl
2. Prep Painted Surfaces
3. Strip & Condition Decking
4. Install Fan
5. Paint
6. Stain Deck
7. Build Dividing Wall
8. Build Screening Frames
9. Install Screens
10. Install Door
11. Decorate

Just to let y’all in on the condition of our porch before this overhaul started, here’s where we started from.

1. Clean Vinyl

Like every good DIY project, there’s going to be some cleaning involved.  To tackle this job, I used Wet and Forget and a low pressure sprayer to apply the cleaner.   With an automotive detail brush, I scrubbed the surfaces and then sprayed everything down with a water hose.

In relatively short order, the vinyl looked practically new!

2. Prep Painted Surfaces

I’m pretty sure the paint on our handrails and trim was original to the house, which was built in ’97.  Surprisingly, it wasn’t completely peeled and blistered, but it was very apparent that a good cleaning was due!

I went with TSP phosphate free to clean off all the painted surfaces.  I applied it with a low pressure sprayer and gave the surfaces a light scrub with a Scotch Brite sponge.  The result was a nice and clean slate for new paint!

3. Strip & Condition Decking

We used Behr Wood Stain & Finish Stripper to remove the existing stain.  I applied it liberally with a polyblend roller and allowed the product to set for about 45 minutes.  Then, using a deck brush, I scrubbed the surface and up came the old stain!  Once the entire deck was scrubbed down, I broke out the pressure washer and hosed everything off.

I followed up with Behr All-In-One Wood Cleaner to prep the wood for new stain.  This product neutralizes any residual chemicals from the stripper and conditions the boards to accept new stain.  I used a roller to apply the product, and after 15 minutes, I scrubbed the deck.  Once that was finished, I sprayed everything down with the pressure washer once again.  I let it dry for 24 hours and was then ready for stain.

4. Installing a Ceiling Fan

We had our minds set that replacing the single bulb fixture with a ceiling fan was pretty much a requirement with this project.  With that determined, there was one small detail to take care of first!  I had to add a brace for the fan box.

Now, lets take a minute and learn about electricity…It can kill you!  If you aren’t comfortable with the wiring process, hire someone to keep you alive! 🙂

I first cut power to the light fixture, removed the old light fixture, and took out a couple strips of the vinyl ceiling with a SideSwiper tool.  I secured a brace to the nearest two rafters and then secured the fan box with the supplied fasteners and put the ceiling panels back in.

Now for the exciting part, installing our new Hunter Mill Valley Fan!  With about 15 minutes of work, our fan was assembled and lookin’ sweet!

5. Paint

To paint over the original oil based paint, we started off with Gripper primer.  This product works wonderfully and dries within an hour so you can get on with your painting quickly.  For paint, we used PPG Timeless paint.

We used a Shortcut brush brush for the details, a  4-1/2″ roller for all the flat surfaces, along with a Pelican bucket for painting all of the handrails and trim.

6. Stain

We went with PPG Timeless transparent stain in Oxford Brown and the color is amazing!  It’s light enough that you can still see the wood grain, but dark enough to look intentional.  It was dry to the touch in 30 minutes, and after 24 hours, we could walk on the porch to keep knocking out our restoration!

7. Build Dividing Wall

To partition off the screened portion of our porch, I framed out a wall that will hold our door.  I cut all of the pieces to size and screwed the assembly together into top and bottom plates that were the full length of the wall.

Once the assembly was complete, I cut away the base plate where the door opening would be using my multi-tool.  With that done, I lifted the wall into position and secured it with exterior construction screws.

8. Build Screening Frames

For screening in our porch, I made frames out of 2×2’s that could be easily installed from the porch.  To wrap the frames, I used Phifer Ultravue screen.   This screen is nearly invisible from just a few feet away and has barely diminished any of the light coming into the porch!

The process for installing the screening is very easy.  Simply lay out the screen over the frame and staple one side.  Gently stretch the screening on the opposite side of the first staples.  Return to the first side, gently stretch the material, and add more staples.  Repeat this process on the remaining two sides and you’re done!

Obviously, this material can be damaged by exerting too much force while stretching it, so just be careful and you won’t have any issues.

9. Install Screens

Now it’s time for this screened in porch to start really coming together!

Installing the frames is really easy.  Just grab a handful of 2-1/2 exterior construction screws and use the pre-drilled holes to secure the frames in place!

For the wall that was built, I installed the screen to the outside face and started from the top working my way down.  Just a little tension is adequate to keep the screen from sagging.

Below my deck railing, there’s about a 4″ gap.  This is far too small to bother building a frame, so my approach to sealing off this section from pests was to simply use a 2×6 secured to the bottom piece of the railing.

The last thing I did to finish up this process was to caulk all of the seams.  Even though the gap around the frames was rather small (about 1/8″), a small bead of caulk really stepped up the aesthetics!

10. Install Door

Before you can install a door, you’ve gotta have one!  We opted to build our door, which was a crazy fast side project, so be sure to check out the How to Make a DIY Screen Door tutorial!

For the hardware, we went with this door hinge that does a great job of closing the door without slamming it.  We also used a door handle instead of the common hook and eye closures.

11. Decorate

We ran string lights around the perimeter and absolutely love the soft glow it gives the space!  The 48′ string we used was the perfect length to wrap all the way around our porch!  We coupled that with an outdoor lighting switch.

We are so thrilled with the way this project turned out and hope this has inspired you to tackle your own DIY projects!  If you’d like to read more details on our renovation, go check out my Back Porch Overhaul post on The Home Depot’s blog!

As always, let me know if you have any questions, and until next time, have fun making something!

 

I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in a promotional program. As a part of the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.