Porches and Sunrooms: Planning and Remodeling Ideas

by Roger German

Overview

Porches and Sunrooms is the perfect reference tool for homeowners who are considering adding or renovating a porch, sunroom, or conservatory. Topics include planning and designing the "outdoor room" to bridge the indoors and outdoors, basic information on the room's structure, and details on what a homeowner should know to add it to the house. Readers will see real-life examples in hundreds of beautiful, full-color photographs, discovering what a difference a porch can make to the outside of their home, or a sunroom to their indoor lifestyle.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580112680
Publisher:	Creative Homeowner Press
Publication date:	10/15/2005
Series:	Home Improvement Series
Edition description:	First
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	286,303
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.88(h) x 0.63(d)
Age Range:	10 Years

About the Author

Roger German has been a builder and contractor for 30 years. During that time he has built, renovated, and restored numerous porches, three-season rooms, and sunrooms and been a certified installer of PGT sunrooms. Roger is the author of Remodeling a Basement, published by the Taunton Press. He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Table of Contents

Porches and Sunrooms

Table of Contents

Introduction...8

Design Possibilities...14The Planning Process...16• Make a Plan...17• Design Professionals...18

What Do You Want?...19• Fresh Air and Sunshine...22• Heat and Cold...24

Remodeling & Conversions...34• Deck Conversions...34• Looking Good...35

Conservatories...38• Conservatory Challenges...40

Design Practicalities...42• Building Codes...44• Setbacks...47

Doing the Work...53• Choosing a Contractor...58

Gaining Access...62Open-Air Porches...64A Look Back...67The Deck...71• Deck Substructure...73• Deck Materials...75• Deck Skirting...81• Ground-Level Porch Decks...82

Posts & Columns...84• Post Practicalities...87

Railings...94Stairs...100Roofs...103Ceilings...106Remodel & Rehab...108• Porch Furnishings...111• Landscaping...113Sunrooms & Three-Season Rooms...116Room Options...118• Porch Conversions...119• Converting a Deck...124• Patio Conversions...126

Three-Season & Sunroom Additions...129Custom-Built Rooms...132• Floors...135• Insulating a Floor...135• Walls...139• Insulating Walls...141

Windows...144• Three-Season Windows...146• Windows for Sunrooms...147• Windows: What to Look For...151

Doors...153Roofs...155• Ceilings...155• Insulated Ceilings and Roofs...157

Heating & Cooling...160• Using Existing HVAC...160• Supplemental HVAC...160• Humidity Control...161

Manufactured Rooms...163• The Process...164

Interior Decorating & Furnishing...164Conservatories...166A Rich History...168Design...170Materials...174• Materials for Frames...174• Glass...180• Blinds...180

Construction...184• Foundations and Floors...184• Utilities...185• Walls and Roof...187

Heating & Cooling...187Furnishing...188Repair & Maintenance...190Roof Flashing...192Caulking Joints...192• Regular Checkups...194• Choosing Caulk...194• Applying Caulk...195

Footing Problems...197• Perimeter Footing...197• Post Footings...198

Porch Decks...199• Paint and Other Coatings...199• Ventilation...201

Sunroom & Three-Season Floors...202Ceilings & Superstructure...203Posts & Columns...205Railings...208Windows...208Insect Damage...210Tracking Down Leaks...211In-Floor Heating...211

Resource Guide...212

Glossary...216

Credits...218

Index...220

Editorial Reviews

Finalist for ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Award.

From the Publisher