Creative Decks

Your Outdoor Living Specialist

"Design Drawings and Construction Plans"

Framingham, MA

508-877-1060

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How Hard is it to Convert a Screen Porch to a Sunroom?

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“Don’t get me wrong,” Annie said. “I love our screen porch. I mean, I really love it. That’s the problem. I am out there all of the time – I work from home a lot, and it’s a nice place to focus – but when it starts getting cold I have to give up that space and I don’t want to.”

Converting a Screen Porch to a Sunroom

One smart way to extend your outdoor living season is to convert your screen porch into a sunroom. Because sunrooms feature glass windows rather than screen, they offer better protection against the elements. At the same time, you’re still able to enjoy all of the natural beauty of the outdoors that you could see from your screen porch.

Sunrooms are very versatile spaces. In the years we’ve been serving the Metrowest MA area as a local deck contractor, we’ve had families who built sunrooms as family rooms, as spaces for entertaining, as breakfast nooks or dining rooms, as home offices, or just to have some additional space for the family to enjoy. Pets love sunrooms too!

Adding a Sunroom: More Curb Appeal!

As a homeowner, every time you renovate or improve your home, you have to consider if you’re making a smart investment. Sunrooms are one of the most rewarding improvements you can choose, both in terms of homeowner satisfaction and return on investment.

An attractive, well-built sun room adds to the functionality, beauty, and curb appeal of your home. If you’re converting a screen porch into a sunroom, you might be surprised at how much what seems like a simple change can really boost the home’s exterior. You also have a lot more interior design elements with a sun room, as you don’t have to worry about paint finishes, furniture, fabric and rugs being exposed to the elements in the same way.

The Zen Deck

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Zen is the practice of understanding life directly, without confusing thoughts or language to distract the mind. Many people enjoy the calm, restful feelings they experience in a beautifully-designed space that incorporates design principles used throughout Asia in contemplation and worship spaces.

Those same design principles can be used to create a beautiful, relaxing Zen-inspired deck for your Metrowest home. Here’s some ideas you may want to consider:

Shakkei – Key to Zen philosophy is the understanding that all beings are connected and that no one lives in isolation. In design terms, that means being ever mindful of the view. Your creative deck designer will work with you to take advantage of your yard’s best features when positioning and designing your deck.

Mizu – Whenever possible, a Zen garden will incorporate a water element. Water is representative of purification and cleansing. Its reflective nature is said to support a contemplative mindset. There are a number of ways to incorporate a water feature into your deck, including deck ponds, fountains, and even waterfalls. Your deck designer can help you find the option you’ll love.

Tenkeibutso – Technically the word for lantern, Tenkeibutso refers to the concept of illumination and how important it is for relaxing spaces to be well-lit. Be prepared to spend a little time with your deck designer choosing and deciding where to position your lighting features. It’s a critical component that helps you get the maximum amount of enjoyment from your deck.

Ishi – Ishi is the word for stone. Stone and other natural materials, including wood & carefully selected live plants, are central to Zen design. Some families choose to incorporate a Zen rock garden into their deck design – a unique look that makes a subtle yet profound statement about the family who lives in the home. Other ways to incorporate rocks into your deck design include placing larger rocks as contemplation focus objects – it’s very traditional to put these near the entrance of a garden as a sign of welcome.

Great Decks in Small Spaces

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One of the challenges of living in Metrowest MA is the fact that great houses sometimes come with fairly small lots. If you want to spend more time outdoors, but don’t really have a large yard, a smart small deck can be the answer.

The Design Makes the Difference

While a deck may be small in terms of square footage, it doesn’t have to be small in terms of functionality or family fun. The key to great small decks is great deck design. You want to work with experienced professionals who can help you make the most out of the space you have.

Creative deck design can mean having a deck that’s not the traditional elongated rectangle shape. It can also mean having a deck that’s more than one level, or even an elevated deck that leads off of a second-story entrance.

Maximize Your Outdoor Living Season with 3 Season Porches & Sunrooms

One of the advantages of working with an experienced local deck contractor is you can have a truly unique deck, designed and built to suit your family’s needs. This means you can have the features you truly want – such as a space for grilling or built in seating that doubles as storage – within the confines of the available space.

If you’d like to maximize your enjoyment of your yard, talk to your local deck designer about ways you can have a lovely outdoor living space you can use through most or all of the year. Popular options in the Framingham area include three-season porches and sunrooms. Custom design means your three-season porch or sunroom will complement and enhance the appearance of your home and provide a comfortable, useful living space the whole family can enjoy.

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Need Space Away from Your Family Sometimes? Build a Sunroom

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Kids are great, aren’t they? So full of energy and creativity, their rambunctious play fills the house with joyful noisy laughter. And of course, we all treasure our sweethearts. Having someone to share life’s triumphs with, and being able to support them through the twists and turns this world has for us – that’s what love’s all about. And it may be that you’re blessed to have your parents or in-laws sharing your home: what a gift to have so much wisdom under one roof.

Yet every now and then, wouldn’t it be lovely to get away from everyone? Just to have a little bit of peace and quiet in a pretty setting, where no one needs anything from you and all of the things on your to-do list can just wait? A space to enjoy a cup of coffee, or meditate, or just do nothing for a little while?

That’s where the sun room comes in. Your local deck builder can install a sunroom on your deck, or they can convert your existing three season deck into a sunroom you can enjoy all year long. Sunrooms are great: they add extra space to your home affordably, feature lots of natural light, and are the perfect setting for Mom or Dad to have a little time to themselves.

Everyone in the family can enjoy the sunroom. For the kids, it’s a great place to unwind. If your kids been having a hard time finding a quiet place where it’s possible to concentrate and get homework done, the sunroom might be exactly what’s required. They make great studies, casual game rooms, or even a nice place to entertain your favorite people.

To learn more about adding a sunroom to your Massachusetts home, talk to your local deck builder. They’ve got all the information you need to make a great decision.

Can You Have a Great Deck Without Going Broke?

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“We’ve got three kids, two dogs, and a very busy lifestyle,” Meghan said. “That also means we’ve got a pretty tight budget for our home renovations. It would be great to have a deck, a really nice deck that is big enough for us to enjoy ourselves & cook out with our friends, but can we actually afford to do that?”

You can have a great deck without going broke. The key is to be smart with your deck design choices. Not all decking materials are created equal, and they certainly don’t all cost the same. In this article, we’re going to look at one decking option that gives you great lasting value for a reasonable price: composite decking.

Composite Decking Prices

When you’re considering composite decking prices, the obvious comparison point is wood decking. This is a little big tricky if you’re also concerned about the aesthetics of your home – the most affordable wood decking option is treated southern pine; if you’re not into the look of bare wood, you’re also going to need to invest in having your wooden deck stained or treated.

Moving from southern pine into more upscale wooden decking options raises the project price point considerably. While cedar decking is a big favorite in this part of Massachusetts, you’re going to pay a little more for it. The pricing is comparable to composite decking, which has the added advantage of being available in a multitude of colors, extremely durable and stable, and impervious to damage from mold, mildew and insects.

Comparing Composite Deck Prices to Wood Deck Prices – Maintenance & Upkeep

It’s important to understand that having a deck built is like any other home improvement. There are some costs you incur up front and some costs that happen over the life of the improvement – maintenance and upkeep costs. When we’re comparing the prices of composite decks to wooden decks, in this regard, composite decking comes out the clear winner.

Patio vs Deck: What’s Right for Your Home?

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If you’d like to spend more time outdoors this summer and want to boost your home’s curb appeal, adding a deck or patio makes sense. But what option is right for your home?

Many people use the terms patio and deck interchangeably, but there are differences between them. The primary differentiator is elevation. Decks are usually built at least a little bit above your property, while patios rest directly on the ground.

This means that the first factor when choosing a deck or patio is your building lot. The lay of the land can be a determining factor that dictates whether a patio is possible or you’ll need to have a deck built to meet your needs. Sloping, narrow lots are common in our region, which explains why you may see more decks than patios in your neighborhood.

There are two other factors to consider when choosing between a patio and a deck. The first factor is maintenance. Decks can be built out of many materials – as Massachusetts deck contractors, we work primarily with composite decking as well as wood – while patios are generally concrete, stone or brick. Composite decking needs virtually no maintenance – you’ll want to spray it with a hose when it gets grungy – while patios generally require more care to stay looking great.

Finally, cost is a consideration. The materials used in constructing a patio don’t have to be expensive – unless you choose an upscale stone or flagstone patio – but there’s a lot of labor involved. Decks are generally more affordable, and can be installed by an experienced local deck contractor very quickly. That’s an important consideration if you want your family to be able to start enjoying outdoor living right away – and it’s always nice to have a little extra money in the budget to have fun with!