What factors determine the cost of upgrading to a screened room?

If you own a classic screened porch, you know the pleasures only screened rooms can provide. For years, it’s given you and your family shade from the hot sun and cool rain. It has protected your family from pesky insects while allowing you all to enjoy the benefits of fresh, natural air. Your screen room has been the venue for countless family gatherings, celebrations, and lazy Sunday afternoons.

Screened porches and exterior decks are similar in many ways. They are both used for leisure and are attached to the exterior of a home. The major difference that distinguishes a screened porch from a deck? A roof.

The Scenario

Bill and Eileen are two of many Virginians who call Great Falls their home. They purchased their 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom house in 2002 and have since grown to a family of five with three young daughters. With the amount of room the property has, the couple will be living there for the foreseeable future and has already completed several renovations to its interior.

With a reinvigorated kitchen, a basement-turned-bar and game room, and an expanded master bedroom, the couple's attention has turned to their deteriorating 25-year-old deck that is showing signs of its age. As Bill and Eileen come from large families, they are looking for an outdoor makeover to support the scale of holiday gatherings they are accustomed to as well as birthday parties, play dates, and other events year-round. With their current set-up not meeting these needs, it's time to makeover their outdoor living space.

When it comes to screened porch materials, Zuri synthetic decking is a popular option. Made by Royal Building Products, it replicates the beauty of natural wood by incorporating grain textures with minimal pattern repetition to make each piece look like a unique piece of hardwood. However, because it emulates this characteristic so well, color variability can make it difficult to decide on what style of Zuri to use for a screened-in porch.

So you’ve decided to build a screened-in porch. You want the fun and enjoyment of being connected to the outside, but also the comfort of being protected from the elements – both weather and pesky little critters. Now you are mulling the next big question: should you go with traditional wooden decking or a synthetic decking material?