We have finally entered into the last month of 2021! With the end of another year comes the beginning of a new season: winter. While some prefer to stay indoors during the colder months, your screened porch can absolutely be transformed into a winter-ready hosting space with just a few minor adjustments. Read on to determine the best ways to prep your screened porch for the winter. 

Photo By: Dan’s Carpentry Inc.

Cover Your Screened Openings with Vinyl

While we mentioned this concept last year, we’re bringing it back because it is a fantastic way to keep the cold out, the warmth in, and allows you to utilize your screened porch all winter long. You’ll want a large amount of thick vinyl sheeting (enough to cover all of your screened openings), plenty of velcro tape, as well as a razor knife. 

Starting out, you’ll clean your screened porch thoroughly - you don’t want any leftover dust or debris trapped in your screened porch all winter long - and you’ll want the trim especially clean since that is what the velcro tape will attach to. Once the screened porch is clean, you will want to take exact measurements of each screened opening of your porch (then add a few inches in all directions so that you have enough). Once you have all of the supplies cut appropriately and by their respective screened openings, begin applying the vinyl sheeting to the trim in front of your screened porch openings, using the velcro tape. (Note: It is best to use one long piece of velcro tape for each side of the vinyl sheeting). You’ll finish off by checking for any gaps and applying extra tape where needed. 

We do recommend using two or more people for this process, as it helps to have one or more people pulling the vinyl sheeting taught while it’s being velcroed. We also recommend marking each sheet of vinyl to correspond with their respective screened opening so that, once taken down in the spring, they can be saved and reused for the following winter(s). 

Stock Up on Thick Blankets

Say goodbye to the light throw blankets of fall and hello to chunky, cable-knit blankets and warm, down comforters of winter. Screened porches need their blanket and comfort options switched out just as frequently as standard home living rooms, which is why it’s so important to stay-on-top of which season we’re headed into. Consider having one thick, heavy blanket for each of your immediate family members in your screened porch, plus additional accent throws on the backs of chairs and couches. This will ensure all family and guests can be comfortable and cozy while enjoying the screened porch. 

Introduce Wall and Floor Space Heaters 

That’s right: they don’t just make floor, stand-alone space heaters anymore! Make sure to warm your screened porch space right up this colder season with wall, floor, and stand-alone space heaters. There are wall space heaters on the market right now that can be heating all the time, only start heating when they detect motion, and ones that heat based on the detected surrounding temperature. There are floor space heaters on the market right now that can be built into existing flooring or crafted as the floor is being built. What it means: warm feet year-round! Lastly, as everyone knows, there are stand-alone space heaters that can be set up around any home or screened porch, customized to the desired heat, and moved regularly to achieve maximum comfort. 

Make sure you are warm and comfortable this upcoming cold season and remember that your screened porch can be customized to fit any season!

Let us know which strategies you plan on using this winter season on social media.

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