• Screen porches can let warm air in, while keeping pests out.lizard on screen image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com
  
  A screen porch can be a functional addition to any outdoor space. In the warm months of spring and summer, it can provide a great lounging area for enjoying the weather, while still being protected from mosquitoes and other pests. If you are thinking of installing a screen porch or adding screens to an existing porch structure, there are several options for you to consider.
  
  

Stapled

• One of the simplest screen porch options requires that you staple sheets of screen fabric, or mesh, over existing porch beams and structures. You just to need to measure and cut out sections of screen that are slightly larger than the sections of porch they will be covering. That way you will have plenty of material to secure with the staples. According to Backyard America (See Reference 1), when setting your screen sections in place, make sure to keep them taut, but not so taut that they begin to warp and deform. After you secure the screens to the porch with a staple gun, go around with some scissors and trim off the excess material.
  
  

Framed

• Framed porch screens consist of sheets of screen material that stretch over wooden or metal frames, just like the fabric on painting canvas. You can order the frames custom-made to fit between existing porch structures, in which case they will feature rubber splines around their edges. Splines are grooved structures that allow you to fit the framed screens snugly in place. They also allow you to pop them out for easy cleaning and maintenance. If you are building a screen porch from scratch, you can also use large, framed screening segments as your walls.
  
  

Frameless

• The most versatile style of screen porch uses frameless screen panels. According to Backyard America (See Reference 1), you can roll these panels up just like the shades on your windows, and you can also completely remove them, just like with framed screen sections. The frameless panels stick to porch beams using a strips of Velcro, which is a temporary bonding agent that relies on a series of tiny hooks latching on to a series of corresponding tiny loops.
  
  

Fabric Types

• In addition to choosing the panel or section style for your screen porch, you will also need to decide on the specific type of screen fabric you want to use. According to Quality Screen (See Reference 2), fiberglass screen is the most popular, and is resistant to denting, creasing and unraveling. There are also heavy-duty screen fabrics, with thicker threads of fiberglass, which are specifically designed for pool, patio and porch applications.