Archadeck of Austin to the Rescue With Bug-Free Outdoor Living Relaxation and Enjoyment
Among the fine homes nestled in the Northwest Austin Robinson Park subdivision, one family in particular was being bugged by flying insects. Big time.
They contacted Austin porch builder Archadeck as designing and creating custom covered outdoor living areas and screened porches is just one of their many specialties.
While meeting with this NW Austin screened porch builder, the homeowners stressed the importance of maximizing natural light so as to not darken the home once the screened porch was added. This design solution focused on keeping the screened porch addition open and airy enough so light would still flow freely into the home.
As you can see in the photos, the residence had inset walls at the back of the house on both the left and right side, initially making it an odd setup to try to achieve the objective of keeping the addition open, and well lit.
So, Archadeck of Austin designed the porch addition with added ridge walls that extended the length of the structure and wall above the inset area to close it off to the ceiling.
This kept the inset area still feeling like a part of the room as the build team was able to construct a two-sided wall system – where one end was built with Hardie fiber cement siding and backerboard (outside) and the inside was also done with the Hardie to match the existing house façade.
At the exterior top of the addition, to give it a more polished and finished look, a shed roof was used instead of a gable roof due to the slope of the house and the inset area.
And being committed to excellence in the design and build, this Austin porch builder specialist noticed that the existing fireplace had some rot on it. To remedy the problem and add functionality and value to the new structure, the outer patio area was extended, removing the defective fire feature, replacing it with a new one and re-painting the entire chimney.
And being committed to excellence in the design and build, this Austin porch builder specialist noticed that the existing fireplace had some rot on it. To remedy the problem and add functionality and value to the new structure, the outer patio area was extended, removing the defective elements, replacing it with new and re-painting the entire chimney.
As for material specifications, the screened porch interior now has a cedar knee wall, tongue and groove, with a two by ten top cap.
And to address the concern of allowing more natural outdoor light into the new addition, as well as filtering it into the home, VELUX® skylights were an integral component of the new screened porch addition.
To create the illusion of custom ceramic tile, a concrete overlay process was used on the floor to complete the transformation.
So, if outdoor insects are starting to drive you buggy, do something about it. Allow Archadeck to provide a custom outdoor living solution so well designed and built that it will look like it was always there, with “light and airy” being the operative words.
Not only will you enable your family and friends to enjoy your great outdoors carefree and longer into the evening without annoying interruptions of shooing away bothersome bugs, you’ll be adding value to your home should you someday decide to sell.
Call Austin porch builder Archadeck today and discover how outdoor enclosures can shine a whole new light on outdoor living. Or better yet, talk to us online right now. We’re confident you will be glad that you did.
Our Recent Addition in Circle C Ranch Proves That Change is Good!
This week’s featured project story takes us back to Circle C Ranch in South Austin, TX, where we totally transformed an existing backyard poolside patio and increased the aesthetics of the existing pool surround.
Transformed outdoor living space in Circle C Ranch, from a cramped hot pergola to a comfortable and spacious covered porch!
When our talented lead outdoor living space designer, Jim Schallon, initially met with these Circle C Ranch residents they expressed their dilemma of not having enough room, or shade, to fully enjoy their existing backyard space. The space consisted of a pergola that was built atop their backyard patio that lacked space or harmony, and offered very little shade value. With these considerations in mind, Archadeck of Austin came up with a new design that transforms the look, feel and function of this South Austin backyard!
- This image shows the existing pergola, which was cramped and hot, prior to breaking ground on the new design:
- This images shows the completed covered porch addition. Notice how the new design expands the functional area out and beyond that of the homeowner’s original outdoor living space:
The entire project included removal of the existing pergola, including the original support columns, and building a new patio cover which extends further and wider than the previous outdoor space. The new space adds more outdoor living area, plenty of shade and is easily accessible from three entrances into the home. The original space only provided covered accessibility to two of three interior doors that provide entry onto the patio. In order to build the design according to plan, removal of the entire rear brick facade of the home was necessary. We carefully rebuilt the entire back brick facade paying special attention to match the exterior to the original, we also constructed the new brick support columns using the same masonry color and style. These columns were then topped off with Western red cedar posts to blend with the beautiful cedar tongue & groove ceiling on the inside of the patio cover.
Along with the rustic beauty of the cedar details, the interior of the new transformed space includes an “eat in” style bar area that serves a myriad of uses; from outdoor dining to entertaining guests poolside. The new addition allows plenty of natural sunlight to reduce the chances of light being lost on the areas inside the home with Velux skylights installed into the ceiling of the new space. We also included plenty of recessed lighting and three ceiling fans to help air circulate on those balmy South Austin afternoons.
The improvements to this backyard did not end with the patio cover. Archadeck of Austin took this project a step further by improving the flow and tranquility of the homeowner’s backyard pool by unifying the addition from the top of the stairs behind the pool. We made sure to match the flagstone we used for this integration to the existing flagstone original to the area. The whole area now flows together as one, fun and relaxing outdoor room!
Before:
After:
The completed project has totally changed the way the homeowner’s use and enjoy their backyard. This transformation was certainly a change for the better.
Jim Schallon, senior designer Archadeck of Austin.
If you have an existing outdoor space that is no longer functional for your current needs, or if you are ready to build the outdoor living space you have always dreamed of, contact Archadeck of Austin to get started on your outdoor living space project today. You can reach us by phone at (512) 259 – 8282 or via email at jim.odom@archadeck.net.
Austin Decks, Pergolas, Covered Patios, Porches, more 