Category Archives: porches

Kansas City porch design options including finish, color, amenities and more

In traditional porches from 30 or 40 years ago, ceilings were mostly flat and thus the ceiling was flat as well. Today most of our clients prefer a vaulted roof to give the room an open and airy feel.

The porch ceiling design options are affected by the height, shape, and design of the roof. The design options are also closely tied to whether you want a finished or unfinished ceiling.

Overland Park screened porch with cedar floor and deck posts

This Overland Park screened porch has enclosed rafters along with lighting, a ceiling fan and skylights.

Exposed or enclosed rafters

Some homeowners like the look of structural rafters showing but that may introduce some complications with electrical wire or conduits that are not easily hidden. Having covered rafters solves that problem because they allow more options for material choices to cover the rafters and achieve a different ambiance. Covering the rafters does not mean that a vaulted ceiling will be flat. It simply means the actual rafters will not be seen.

Ceiling finish

Lenexa KS porch with stained wood ceiling

If you are covering the rafters, there are a couple choices in how to treat a wood ceiling. The classical ceiling look is a white ceiling. It always gives a bright open feel to the porch and compliments just about any color design. Wood stained ceilings are still very popular and they give more of a lodge/cabin/outdoor feeling to the space/room. To give it more of a natural or rustic look, some people find natural wood tones to be very attractive. There are several natural woods that can be used including pine, cedar, fir, or other wood choices. Cedar is the most popular in the Kansas City area. In terms of texture, beadboard ceilings have a classical look that is complimentary to many different designs.

Other ceiling design factors and options

This white porch ceiling has exposed architectural elements that are wrapped for a finished look

Some roof construction will require beams or trusses depending on the load bearing design of the structure. Even if the roof requires beams or trusses, these can still be covered or “wrapped” for a nice finished look. In terms of amenities, your ceiling can include lights, fans, speakers, sound systems, custom lighting, track lighting and more. In addition to electrical amenities, your roof can include a skylight for additional room light.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you are considering adding a porch to your Kansas City area home, give us a call for a free consultation. We can be reached at (913) 851 – 3325 or by email at kansascity@archadeck.net. We look forward to your call.

How do you make your new screened porch look original to your home?

There are several factors that go into selecting the best design and architectural features to make your new porch or other outdoor structure look original to your home. Take a look at the photo below. You almost need to look at it for a few minutes to recognize that it’s the same home. The new screened porch was designed to work with the home and to look like it’s original to the home.

Here are some of the ways we make the new structure look original to the home.

From an architectural perspective, one of the first key factors is evaluating the correct roofline for the addition. This house had multiple rooflines as is often typical of custom homes. In our design, we came up with a roof that complimented the home and one that worked in durability, drainage, size, and shape. This home has both gable roof lines and hip roof lines. Our new porch incorporated a gable peak into the roof to blend the porch perfectly with the architecture of the home.

Because this project was very high in the air – 13 or 14 ft, and the roof is well over 27’ or 28’, it was important to take into account how the height reflects the scale because things look different at that height than from the ground. Height does affect scale and this was an important consideration with the design.

In order to compliment the house, the homeowner agreed we needed something other than ceiling and screens. We felt we needed kneewall to blend into the house. We used half kneewall and half railing. That lends to the architectural look on the outside as well as on the inside. In the picture above, the area between the supporting posts and the screen is the interior kneewall of the porch. The picture to the left shows how this combination kneewall and railing looks. The railing has Deckorator balusters and a custom built cedar railing. This particular porch has a beautiful custom fireplace integrated into the porch which allows the homeowners to enjoy their screened porch a little longer throughout the year.

The screened porch exterior has custom siding trim and is painted to match the exterior of the home. All of these elements such as roof design, scale, trim, color, and kneewall contributed to making this porch look original to the home.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you are considering adding a screened porch to your Kansas City area home, give us a call for a free consultation at (913) 851 – 3325 or send us an email at kansascity@archadeck.net

To see more pictures, visit our screened porch photo gallery on our Archadeck of Kansas City website.

Your new outdoor living space should be all about putting the pieces together to fit your family

Looking at the picture above, you’ll notice quite a transformation. What you might not notice at first glance is the large custom garden shed built to fit perfectly under the deck. This was one of the goals of the homeowners and this is one of the benefits of working with a custom design and build contractor.

When we first met with these Lenexa KS homeowners, they had an old deck with a garden storage shed off to side. They wanted a screened porch, a larger deck, a pergola over the deck, and a new garden shed designed to fit under the deck. We completely redesigned in size and footprint to include all these elements.

In addition to knowing which structures they were looking for, these homeowners also knew they wanted low maintenance materials including composite flooring for and metal railings for strength, durability, and low-maintenance. After considerable looking, they selected Fiberon Ipe color as the deck and porch flooring. They selected low-maintenance Fortress iron railings in black for both the deck and porch.

We built a gable roof screened porch for a light and airy feel. The wall posts are cedar and the T-111 ceiling is stained to match the ceiling. They wanted ceiling fans, outlets, etc. which we built into the porch. We used our standard heavy-duty screen. You’ll notice how nicely the black railings allow for visibility. Not only are they slender, but the dark color also moves your eye past the railing. The outside porch is trimmed with low-maintenance smart trim.

The deck on the adjacent porch has a cedar pergola over it for shade. Both the deck and stairs are in Fiberon’s Ipe color which has beautiful markings to look like real exotic hardwood.

The garden shed is fully waterproof. We custom designed the shed out of Hardie siding and trimmed it with low maintenance Smart Trim.

If you are considering adding an outdoor living space, give us a call at (913) 851 – 3325 or send us an email at kansascity@archadeck.net. We look forward to your call.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

Top 5 reasons to build your new Kansas City screened porch in the fall

Which month is one of the most ideal months to build a screened porch? Here are the top 5 reasons that the fall is a great month to get started on adding a screened porch, 3-season porch or sunroom to your home.

Have it ready for spring
Outdoor enjoyment in the colder months
Minimal interruption of your landscaping
Avoid new year price increases
Get started sooner

Have your porch ready for spring

The weather in Kansas City is different every year. While some years it’s not hot enough really enjoy the refuge of a screened porch until spring, in other years you may be ready to begin enjoying your porch in very early spring. Building your screened porch in the fall ensures that your new screened porch is ready for enjoyment no matter when the temperatures heat up for spring.

Enjoy your porch in the colder months

Many of our customers tell us that they enjoy their screened porch well into the colder months. There are many great electric and natural gas space heaters on the market that will provide enough heat to enjoy your porch in cooler months. If you have a multi-season porch, year round enjoyment is made possible with the help of a space heater.

Be good to your landscaping

The optimal time to do landscaping is later in the fall so it’s not so hot and your new landscaping is going to take root best. Building your porch in the fall helps to ensure that you have minimal interruption of your landscaping. In the fall, the ground is firmer because of less rain resulting in less disruption to your landscaping.

New year may mean new prices

As the housing recovery accelerates which it’s doing which it’s doing around the country, prices of building materials go up. The longer you wait, the higher materials will be priced. They’re based on supply and demand on national level which is highly dependent on the housing market. Building materials manufacturers often announce their price increases at the first of the year. By building in the fall, you can take advantage of the lower prices.

Get started sooner

Everyone wants to build their new outdoor room in the spring. As you can imagine, the construction schedule for reputable builders may require project start dates that are weeks out delaying the time you can begin to enjoy your new porch. In addition to longer wait times in the spring, long bailout times are accentuated by heavy rain which is more prevalent in the spring.

Fall into spring

Another consideration is to sign up in the fall to start building early in the coming year. This allows you to get ahead of the spring rush, allows you to build while the ground is still firm, and we may be able to take advantage of the lower costs of building supplies if you sign a contract before the new year.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you are considering adding a porch or covered room to your Kansas City area home, give us a call. Our consultation is completely free. Give us a call at (913) 851 – 3325 or email us at kansascity@archadeck.net. We look forward to your call.

The top 5 ways to make your new porch look original to your home

One of the first questions people ask when they’re considering adding a porch to their house is to what degree we can make it look original to their home. Nobody wants a new porch that looks “added on” or an addition that looks like a sore thumb. Here are the top 5 ways to make your new porch look original to your home.

Overland Park KS screened porch addition with challenging roof connection

Roof style –

Using the correct roof style to match or complement your home is one of the biggest factors in determining the degree to which your porch will look like it was built with your house. If you close your eyes and envision a typical porch, a rectangular (gable) roof or perhaps a flat roof may come to mind. But, one shape certainly does not fit all. There are many factors that help determine which roof is best for your new porch. One of these factors is matching or complimenting the other roof lines of your house. Your house may have a gable roof or a hip or shed roof. Likely your house has a couple different roof lines. But other factors come into play such as the placement of second story windows where you want to build your porch.

Other roof factors we consider when designing your porch roof are the pitch, soffits and overhang. All of these factors affect the look. We work to match or complement each of these elements.

Size/shape/proportions –

If the new porch is too big or too small or the proportions don’t fit to back yard and to house, it is going to look odd. Other factors include the size of your house, the size of your yard, and the relative proportions of the space available to work in and how the porch will be used. All of these factors come into play when we design the size, shape, and proportions of your new porch.

Color/texture/materials –

The aesthetic choices including the color, texture and materials will be a determining factor on whether the new porch looks like it was built with your house. This is especially true on the outside but also on the inside. Some of these factors include the trim materials, the types of paint/stain, and the look of trim compared to type of trim used on house.

Flow from the porch to the back yard

In certain yards, there is a distinct reason to put steps in one area vs. another. These reasons may include the proportion, size, or shape of steps. Other factors to how the porch steps transition to the yard include the angle of the steps and the connection to any primary destination in yard if there is one.

Landscape design –

Landscaping has a big impact on how things look when they’re finished. Adding landscaping around the porch that is complimentary to the existing landscape design will help in making the new porch look like part of the existing house.

As you can see, there really is no way for one solution to fit all situations. Every home is different and every homeowners has different wants and needs for their new porch. That’s why it’s important to work with a design and build company that listens to what you are looking for and designs a room to fit all of your needs including aesthetic, lifestyle, and more.

If you are considering adding a porch to your home, give us a call at (913) 851 – 3325 or send us an email at kansascity@archadeck.net. We look forward to hearing from you.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

Key considerations when deciding about an open porch or screened porch

AZEK pool deck with open porch and bench Overland Park KS

This open porch adjoins with the pool deck allowing ease of movement between the 2 living areas.

Open porches and screened porches have many similarities in that they are both roof structures, can both be attached or detached, and both provide sun protection. Here are some key differences you may want to consider if you’re determining which you want to add to your home.

One consideration is bug protection. An open porch, sometimes called a covered patio, will not provide bug protection without the addition of a bug protection device such as mosquito curtains. Depending on your yard and the elevation of the porch, mosquitoes and other bugs may or may not be a problem. If your open porch will be at the second-story level or above, bugs may not be an issue. They tend to stay lower to the ground.

Lenexa Open porch trimmed columns Timbertech floor Westbury Aluminum rail

This open porch in Lenexa provides a great view of the back yard.

Another consideration is that an open porch feels different. Without the screens there’s slightly more visibility and less privacy. But, if the porch is adjoining to a deck or patio, you may not want a screen wall obstructing easy communication or access between both living areas. Another reason you may not want to restrict access if you are entertaining in both spaces. The ambiance is different if the 2 spaces are separated by screens.

On an open porch, you have more trim work and column options. Posts can be trimmed to have a more finished look. They can also be farther apart allowing for different spacing between the posts. Columns become an option when you do not need to attach screens.

This TimberTech open porch in Lenexa KS has a very stately open feel and the design integrates into the style of the existing home.

If you are considering addition a porch to your home, give us a call for a free consultation. We enjoy working with homeowners to provide information that will help in making decisions. Give us a ring at (913) 851 – 3325 or send us an email at kansascity@archadeck.net. We look forward to your call.

Take a look at more pictures in our open porch photo gallery or screened porch photo gallery on the Archadeck of Kansas City website.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

A screened porch in Overland Park by Archadeck of Kansas City

These Overland Park homeowners had a beautiful backyard shaded with lots of trees. They had an existing deck that unfortunately would get covered with dirt and other items that fell from the trees. They were looking for an enclosed dining area that was protected from everything falling from the trees. They wanted to make sure they continued to have natural light on their new porch.

When considering building a screened porch or other room, It’s important to know whether you plan on using your porch for dining or seating or both. This family wanted a room for dining with their grill right nearby. They had an existing deck that was not stable so we tore it down. In addition to the porch, we added a small deck for grilling and that allows room for a small table and chairs.

For the interior of the screened porch, we used cedar for the flooring, the wall posts, and the railing. The owner liked the authentic look of real cedar wood so he wanted to use a bit of it. For the ceiling we used white beadboard with built-in lighting and 2 Velux skylights for that extra natural light.

We used the same railings on the deck portion and inside the screened porch which was Deckorator aluminum balusters. It’s important that the porch looks original to the home so the exterior of the porch was painted to match the exterior color of the house.

You can see from the interior view that the family can still enjoy the view of their wooded backyard while keeping their eating area protected from leaves and other things that fall from the trees. They can also enjoy bug protection with the screened room.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you are considering adding a porch, deck, or other outdoor living area to your home, give us a ring at (913) 851 – 3325 or drop us an email at kansascity@archadeck.net. We look forward to hearing from you.

We’ve all heard of low-maintenance decks. Are there low-maintenance porches?

There is no equation for what makes something low maintenance. Instead, there are many pieces and parts to any outdoor living area and any number of those can be built using low maintenance materials. Does that mean that by not using low maintenance materials that by default you have high maintenance? That’s not the case at all. We can advise you about which areas of your deck, porch or sunroom make most sense to use low maintenance materials. For example, while it is often a smart move to use low maintenance trim on the exterior of your porch or sunroom, you may not need low maintenance interior trim. There are a number of factors that influence that decision which we discuss at our consultation. Low maintenance materials are more impervious to weather and sun so any materials with direct contact with sun and other elements are often good candidates for construction using low-maintenance materials.

Design and installation affect maintenance levels

There are other factors that influence the maintenance requirements for decks, porches or any other outdoor structure. Design and installation also have a big influence on the maintenance requirement. Screening falls into this category. Since screening can be subject to damage by things like wind, hail, falling tree limbs, golf balls, kids or pets; it’s very important to carefully select the screen to use. With screening, you get low maintenance by having the right quality screen installed the right way. There are a variety of screens on the market. Some are more sensitive to damage than others. Through testing and experience we will recommend to you the best screen for your situation.

There are other design elements that determine the maintenance level such as roof overhang and proper roof drainage for weather protection. Proper design and installation of these elements provide more or less protection to walls, soffits, screens or windows.

For screen porches, low maintenance railing is a good choice because of its proximity to the screens. In railing, there’s a very wide selection of low maintenance materials including, composite, vinyl, aluminum, steel and combination railings. Metal railings are very popular. The combine looks and durability with maximum view and they have the slenderest profile. The higher end composites are the most expensive but also provide additional protections. For example, AZEK and TimberTech produce low maintenance railings with extensive warranties.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

In addition to decks, porches can certainly benefit from the use of low maintenance materials and we will walk you through which materials make sense for your new screen porch. Give us a call for a free consultation (913) 851 – 3325 or send us an email at kansascity@archadeck.net. Visit our screen porch photo gallery for ideas and inspiration.

An AZEK deck and open porch in Overland Park KS

Before picture

When these Overland Park homeowners called us, they had a nice outdoor area in their back yard but it wasn’t doing what they wanted it to. They had a nice pool they used extensively for grandchildren and family. They had small patio with no shade adjacent to the pool which was next to a gravel landscaping area that wasn’t very attractive.

The outdoor living area had no sun protection so they wanted to have a partially shaded structure for those not swimming to enjoy the pool without as much sun. They didn’t want any screens on the porch, just an open view to enhance the ambiance of their outdoor living. They wanted the porch to match their house and look like an extension of their home.

AZEK pool deck with open porch and bench Overland Park KS

Thinking about the flow from the house to the covered porch, there are a couple of things that are important. One is to have the walk-out from the house at the level of the house. Someone carrying food could easily trip if there’s a big step up or down. Another consideration is whether you want continuous shade or protection from the elements in that transition. To this end, we connected the open porch roof to the house so they can walk directly under the porch from the house.

The patio is well finished. It has ceiling fans, lights, and even heaters attached to the painted beadboard ceiling.

The owners wanted to add an extended outdoor living area with a view of the pool that did not include sun protection. So, continuing from the floor of the open porch is a low elevation deck. The deck and the attached bench are made of AZEK in the brownstone color. This light color also has a cooler surface. The deck is raised slightly so there is air flow under the deck to make the deck even cooler and easier on the feet on hot days.

AZEK brownstone color deck and porch in Overland Park KS

In the design process, our goal is to translate the goals of how you want to live into an area that meets each of those needs whether this includes a light decking color with ventilation for a cool surface temperature or a more elevated roof to a covered porch for a more open an airy feel. Share your outdoor living goals and desires with your contractor so they can truly come up with a custom solution that meets your needs and how you want to live. For a free consultation about creating an outdoor living area or area to compliment your home and outdoor living goals, give us a call (913) 851 – 3325, email us kansascity@archadeck.net or visit our website to view more pictures and submit a request for a free consultation.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

Why is every one of our porches different?

It would seem that a builder that has been building a great product in a specified market for over a decade would have the design perfected. After all these years and hundreds of screen porches, might it be logical that there’s a great “universal” design? What is great is that we refuse the concept of universal design because not only is every home different but every family is different. The first question we ask on a consultation is how do you want to live in your screen porch? This seems like an easy question. Most people would say they look forward to having an extension of their home where they can enjoy the breeze, fresh air, closeness to sunlight, and easier access to the sights and smells of their back yard. But this doesn’t answer how you want to live on your screen porch. Here are a couple of key questions:

Do you plan on dining on your screen porch?
Do you plan on having a seating area on your screen porch
Do you plan on having both dining and seating?
What direction does the back of your home face?

The answers to these questions will help determine the size of the porch, the placement of the porch, and may even help determine the flooring material.

We could go on and on but instead, take a look at a few pictures of screen porches we’ve built in this area over the last decade: