Screening in a covered, concrete porch

[phylodog]

I've been scouring the internet trying to find out how to go about this properly but can't find squat. Our front porch is poured concrete with wood wrapped columns. I want to frame it in with horizontal 2x4s in each opening 3' off the ground and one vertical 2x4 splitting each opening in half. Once framed I'll be screening it in. This is a diagram I drew up of our house shortly after we bought it:

What I can't find is, do I just use treated lumber and bolt it to the concrete? It's got to hold (white) paint well and I've had issues with painting pressure treated wood before. I can't just bolt a non pressure treated board down or it'll rot out in two years. I've tried to locate the composite lumber in 2x4s but haven't had any luck so far. I'd like to keep it spaced off of the concrete to prevent water getting trapped between the board and concrete but I don't want to spend the time and money to screen it in and then have gaps the bugs cal crawl through.

Is there a good, long term, aesthetically pleasing way to go about this?

 

[cb46184]

I've been scouring the internet trying to find out how to go about this properly but can't find squat. Our front porch is poured concrete with wood wrapped columns. I want to frame it in with horizontal 2x4s in each opening 3' off the ground and one vertical 2x4 splitting each opening in half. Once framed I'll be screening it in. This is a diagram I drew up of our house shortly after we bought it:

What I can't find is, do I just use treated lumber and bolt it to the concrete? It's got to hold (white) paint well and I've had issues with painting pressure treated wood before. I can't just bolt a non pressure treated board down or it'll rot out in two years. I've tried to locate the composite lumber in 2x4s but haven't had any luck so far. I'd like to keep it spaced off of the concrete to prevent water getting trapped between the board and concrete but I don't want to spend the time and money to screen it in and then have gaps the bugs cal crawl through.

Is there a good, long term, aesthetically pleasing way to go about this?

You might consider using treated posts and wrapping them in PVC trim boards. Good looking, No painting required, and lasts forever.

 

[phylodog]

Thank you cb46184 but I don't think my wife would go for it. We live in a 110yr old farm house and she wants it to look authentic, kind of, sometimes, well.....it depends, but she hates the vinyl siding so I don't think she'd go for the vinyl wrap unfortunately. I'm hoping to get a sample of a white composite 2x4 to show her for approval prior to buying it if that ends up an option.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

If I'm understanding you correctly, I think they make metal brackets that bolt into the concrete and then the vertical 2x4's would go into those brackets so they'd only be contacting the metal and not the concrete. A buddy of mine just added a covering for his front porch using 4x4 uprights and those brackets bolted to his concrete porch.

 

[phylodog]

I think I've got a plan now, big thanks to Rookie (again) for the assist!

 

[Indyhd]

Another option would be to double plate the bottom. Use treated and a second 2x4 above thet could be painted. Tapcon the treated board and nail the second piece to the treated, and it could be painted. Yes the botton 2x4 would be seen on the edges, but ater they dry out for a year os so you can paint them and the paint will stick better after all the moisture is gone.

 

[MindfulMan]

I think I've got a plan now, big thanks to Rookie (again) for the assist!

Well daggone it ! .... I made this one of my 'watched' threads, because I'm interested in doing the same thing to my back porch.
I wish that Rookie would post his ideas in public, for all to see. (hint, hint)

 

[Rookie]

Well daggone it ! .... I made this one of my 'watched' threads, because I'm interested in doing the same thing to my back porch.
I wish that Rookie would post his ideas in public, for all to see. (hint, hint)

Another option would be to double plate the bottom. Use treated and a second 2x4 above thet could be painted. Tapcon the treated board and nail the second piece to the treated, and it could be painted. Yes the botton 2x4 would be seen on the edges, but ater they dry out for a year os so you can paint them and the paint will stick better after all the moisture is gone.

Basically this idea...
I would rip the treated board down so it would be tucked under the untreated. Use sill seal between the treated and the concrete. You could take an extra step and wrap the treated with aluminum, but I don't think it's necessary if it's tucked under the untreated. I wouldn't use tapcon, but that's personal preference. I've used them and they seem to be hit and miss. I prefer anchors. You really only need one in the center since you can screw the edges into the posts.

 

[boogieman]

Have you considered using cedar for the bottom. It should last quite a bit longer and accept paint well

 

[jhparsons78]

On our, we used treated posts on the concrete, then wrapped in cedar. Pleased so far.

 

[MindfulMan]

Basically this idea...
I would rip the treated board down so it would be tucked under the untreated. Use sill seal between the treated and the concrete. You could take an extra step and wrap the treated with aluminum, but I don't think it's necessary if it's tucked under the untreated. I wouldn't use tapcon, but that's personal preference. I've used them and they seem to be hit and miss. I prefer anchors. You really only need one in the center since you can screw the edges into the posts.

Thanks, Rookie !

 

[ultra...good]

Basically this idea...
I would rip the treated board down so it would be tucked under the untreated. Use sill seal between the treated and the concrete. You could take an extra step and wrap the treated with aluminum, but I don't think it's necessary if it's tucked under the untreated. I wouldn't use tapcon, but that's personal preference. I've used them and they seem to be hit and miss. I prefer anchors. You really only need one in the center since you can screw the edges into the posts.

Do not wrap treated with aluminum. Something about the two together causes a bad chemical reaction. Kind of like when you use copper and galvanized type of thing.

 

[Rookie]

Do not wrap treated with aluminum. Something about the two together causes a bad chemical reaction. Kind of like when you use copper and galvanized type of thing.

You're right.