Tag Archives: Mosquito Curtain of Atlanta GA

Archadeck of Central GA provides information to make the best interior ceiling choice for your anticipated porch addition

January 31, 2014 admin

: Macon GA screened porch with exposed rafter detail.

Choosing the right ceiling to fit your own individual tastes and in keeping with the look you want to achieve within your porch is an important decision. There are many choices available when it comes to styles and finishes. As a customer of Archadeck of Central GA, we want you to be an informed customer. We want to provide the information to help you make the best decision for your specific needs and wants. In this article, we will explore the various interior porch ceiling options in an effort to educate homeowners providing information to make the best decision.

Your porch ceiling is the perfect spot to add style and flair. There are a many choices, styles, accoutrements, details and materials that can be used to finish your interior ceiling. Each one can be used to convey a feeling and a mood within your porch.

: Rustic shed roof screened porch by Archadeck of Central GA.

The first decision to make when it comes to an interior porch ceiling is whether you want a vaulted/cathedral or flat ceiling. Flat ceilings are generally standard 8′ or 9′ foot height, the same as that of an interior room in your home. Flat finished ceilings give your porch or screened porch an interior room feel. Flat ceilings are often used to create a more formal space. They can be enhanced by using hardwood finishes to achieve a rustic elegance. From a budgetary perspective, it is less expensive to do a sloped or cathedral ceiling. Installing a flat ceiling under a sloped roof requires more lumber and will add to the cost of your porch.

The height of a vaulted ceiling is dependent on how steep your roof pitch is. For example, vaulting a 20-by-20-foot room can create a vaulted or cathedral ceiling that’s 11 to 12 feet high at its peak. A porch that has a higher ceiling will appear and feel larger than it actually is. Cathedral ceilings give the room a sense of lightness and airiness. They also allow more room to use trim, moldings and architectural detailing. An elevated ceiling also provides “architectural reveals.” which are effects caused by shadowing lines that can be induced through extra architectural details and lighting.

: Open porch with dramatic cathedral ceiling in Warner Robins, GA.

If choosing a vaulted or cathedral ceiling, the question arises of whether to choose an exposed rafter or an enclosed rafter design. Enclosed rafters often communicate a more formal look. Certain amenities, such as recessed can lights require the use of closed rafters. The decision to leave the rafter exposed or to enclosed is a personal preference. When enclosing the rafters, the expense comes in when painting everything. There are ways to give the space a finished look without having to paint everything in the process. Exposed rafters are very popular among outdoor structures. This conveys a rustic earthy elegance to the structure and is actually less expensive than choosing to enclose the rafters. When leaving the rafters exposed the size of the rafter itself will greatly impact the look of your space. It is also a consideration as larger rafters with more girth and presence reflect a more masculine feel and also leave a bigger cavity within the ceiling itself.

: This lovely porch in Perry, GA feature an open rafter ceiling which is painted white.

Finishing out the interior ceiling is the next step. We are seeing a trend of finishing the space out using the same lumber as the rest of the structure. For an informal look we generally recommend using T-111, which is rough- sawn, grooved plywood. This option cost the same a bead board. Many homeowners like the rustic look of T-111 and choose a clear seal to keep the natural look intact. Bead board is also popular and gives a more formal look and is less expensive than using grooved planks.

Other amenities for porch interiors are only limited to the imagination, and your budget. These include wiring for speakers, ceiling fans, and various lighting elements. Our goal at Archadeck of Central GA is to provide you with a porch built with quality and beauty at the best value.

: True blue Southern porch ceiling?

With our location here in GA, we cannot put together a post on interior ceiling finishes for porches and not mention the Southern tradition of painted blue porch ceilings. There are numerous theories as to why this practice started – from fooling spiders and wasps into thinking the ceiling is the sky, to blue being a harbinger of good luck, to the color extending daylight, to scaring away evil spirits and as an effort to discourage birds and bees from building their nests in the ceiling.

: Stephen Denton, owner of Archadeck of Central GA

When considering any outdoor structure project including a new porch addition, you want to make sure you are using an experienced, licensed builder who has the knowledge, integrity and the design expertise to provide you with a porch that has your best interest in mind. Archadeck of Central Georgia has years of experience in perfecting the porch, and other outdoor structures, here in Central GA. To learn more contact us at (478) 745 – 2000 Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

Please visit our extensive porch galleries, including our open porch, screened porch and front porch galleries located on our website for more examples of ceiling finishes for porches.

Paver patios & hardscapes

These Warner Robins Quail Run residents’ backyard goes from plain to perfect

June 25, 2012 admin

pool paver patio-warner robins — The Belgard patio that surrounds the pool also includes a special paver made especially for the edges of pools. It delivers a smooth, eased edge to ease into the pool painlessly.

screen porch-warner robins — The improved porch which overlooks the pool in this Quail Run backyard includes mosquito curtains that provide function and airy beauty as they flank the porch corners when not in use.

Have you ever been thumbing through one of those dreamy home and garden magazines and found that perfect picture that represents exactly what you are looking for in your dream backyard? These residents in the Quail Run community of Warner Robins, Georgia had a great backyard pool with a concrete apron surround but it didn’t have the character and outdoor living appeal they were looking for. Archadeck of Central Georgia took their cues from the homeowner’s desires to turn their backyard into a haven of style and function that looks like it rolled right off the pages of Southern Living magazine.

hardscape firepit-warner robins — This view from the rear backyard shows the patio, outdoor kitchen and fire pit area and how it "gels" together perfectly.

The existing area around the homeowner’s pool was a concrete apron with no special features. It only served the purpose of having somewhere solid to enter and exit the pool, and a level place to put outdoor furniture. They wanted an area for entertaining with lots of open space, which would also have close access to the pool especially since the homeowners really enjoy entertaining friends and family. The home also had an existing porch which overlooked the pool and the porch had some drainage issues. To solve the drainage issue, we installed a drain between the pool area and the porch/kitchen area. The drain is very subtle aesthetically and completely does the job functionally.

Warmer Robins hardscape Archadeck of Central GA — The custom wood burning fire pit sits atop the beautiful hardscape patio in hues that blend perfectly.

They wanted to complete the perfectly picturesque project in stages, the first of which was to improve upon the area around their pool and add a new drain for the porch. They also wanted a fire pit and an outdoor kitchen. The outdoor kitchen was to be part of the second stage of the project, but we were able to modify the plan to better accommodate their needs and include during the first stage.

The area around the pool was transformed with a custom hardscape patio using Belgard Holland Stone in the spice blend color and installed using a dramatic herringbone pattern. We then used an alternate Belgard patterned stone called Urbana stone that incorporates a special paver that goes around the pool that has an eased edge. We also drilled anchor holes into this edge for the pool cover. We worked around the pool’s diving board because the pavers changed the elevation of the pool surround.

outdoor kitchen-warner robins — The outdoor kitchen includes many amenities, including a Primo Grill and Kegerator.

We carried the elegant hardscape design into the outdoor kitchen area as well using Belgard’s Weston stone wall pavers. We used soldier course on the light posts and within the kitchen between the cabinets and the top of the kitchen island. The outdoor kitchen has many amenities for the homeowner’s convenience including a burner, grill, Kegerator and a Primo Grill egg shaped smoker. Any guests’ fortunate enough to be invited to this Warner Robins residence will benefit from the tasty treasures cooked up in this complete outdoor kitchen area.

The custom fire pit area contains a wood burning fire pit with a drain which is important to keep moisture out and away from the pit to prevent rain from damaging the fire pit components. We finished out the design with four light posts on the corners which match the fire pit and kitchen. All wiring is hidden from view under the hardscape pavers. For added convenience we also installed mosquito curtains on the porch that overlooks the pool to keep the homeowners and their guests concentrating on their menu and not worrying about being on the mosquitoes’ menu on those wonderful evenings when they entertain.

hardscapes fire pit warner robins GA — Picture perfect and ready for outdoor living this season.

This finished project exudes elegance, function and harmony as one area flows effortlessly into another. In the case of this project the basics were already here, the design of this backyard just needed direction and expert design to bring it to life.

Contact Archadeck of Central Georgia to learn how we can take your everyday backyard area into something beyond the usual, something extraordinary. We can take the potential your outdoor living area already has and improve upon it, or even build your dream backyard starting from scratch.

Call for a free consultation: (478) 745 – 2000
email:centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

See more images that could challenge the pages of your favorite magazine by visiting our patio and hardscape gallery located on our website.

Porch builder/contractor, Porches

If insects and pollen are a problem, Archadeck of Central Georgia has you “covered” with an open porch

June 20, 2012 admin

Macon porch builder Archadeck Central GA — There is nothing quite like the feeling of a covered porch on a summer afternoon.

macon-porch — This covered porch in Macon, GA is built at a height that is too difficult for many insects to travel. This means less mosquitoes and other insects when enjoying your covered porch.

There are many reasons why an open porch is a great choice as an outdoor living structure, but with all of its benefits, the open porch has one significant drawback – it does not offer insect protection. The level of insect protection you are seeking on your porch may end up being your deciding factor as to whether to go with an open porch or screened porch. However, if your heart is set on an open porch and your porch will be elevated at the second story level, the height serves as insect protection and that may be enough protection for you.

Companies are coming up with new and existing mosquito curtains to give open porch lovers more options. Mosquito Curtains of Atlanta is fairly new company that our customers seem to really like. Each curtain is custom-made to your specifications and Mosquito curtains are highly effective in controlling mosquitoes. Another way to discourage insects on your open porch is by installing ceiling fans, the circulation of air that the fans provide prevent the insect the ability to land, and if they cannot land-they cannot bite.

Here in Georgia we are known for our beautiful trees and plants. Unfortunately, those trees and plants produce an inordinate amount of pollen which ends up covering every surface around. Our cars, windows, and yes, outdoor areas are covered with a film of yellowish-green at intervals throughout the spring and summer. Cleaning up the pollen can be a real headache. Open porches are one of the easiest outdoor structures to have when you are dealing with pollen because there are no screens to worry about cleaning and you can just use a leaf blower or hose to clean it off.

The aesthetics of an open porch offer a more formal look to your backyard because of the open columns that are readily used in their design. Architecturally, screen porches look more rustic while open porches look more elegant. Design elements such as bead board ceilings, open rafters and exposed beams look great in open porches. You can also still take advantage of features like recessed canned lighting, ceiling fans and electrical outlets on your covered porch.

milledgeville-porch — This open porch in Milledgeville, GA uses an "open rafter" detail that adds aesthetic appeal.

Whether you choose an open/covered porch or a screened porch, Archadeck of Central Georgia can create a space especially for you and your family that is sure to become your favorite room” in the house”.

Call for a free consultation (478) 745 – 2000 email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

To see more open porch and covered porch designs visit our porch gallery located on our website.

Macon Warner Robins Decks, Patios, Porches, Pergolas, Gazebos and more