Making screen panels for a lake view

[Tom M King]

How big is the total opening before installing any panels?

[William Hodge]

The choice of wood can depend on the amount of water hitting the screens. Some screen houses have pretty good over hangs, and the screens don't go all the way to the floor. In that case, I would use Eastern White Pine. For wet locations, I use Sapele.

Weatherstripping the stops that hold the screens in helps keep the smallest bugs out.

[Mel Fulks]

A conspiracy theory? I trust what I have used more than books, but not believing science has become a real issue these days.

Not a conspiracy theory , just a good understanding of home -boy “ my Grampa says the wood around here is the best, I don’t like
green wood ….when I want GREEN I USE PAINT”. Lot of “ Scientists” thought Einstein was a nut. Well, he wasn’t a nut , he was a
ugly guy who loved young girls and figured out a way to be sought by young girls. THATS GOOD SCIENCE !
Oops! I forgot to say he married a cousin and dumped her soon as got famous.

[Bill Dufour]

Sit in your chair and relax look at the view. Then decide where the cross pieces should not be placed. Do the same for standing at the rail. Now decide where to place them.
Do you want a good view or a geometrically correct screen, golden proportions and all that ?
I still chuckle when I see the new improved high school with fancy welded awnings above the windows to keep the sun out. Well done and a good idea. a huge waste of money and continuing maintenance costs for the ones on the north side of the buildings.
Kind of like San Francisco promoting solar power in one of the foggiest cities around.
Bill D

[Richard Coers]

Not a conspiracy theory , just a good understanding of home -boy “ my Grampa says the wood around here is the best, I don’t like
green wood ….when I want GREEN I USE PAINT”. Lot of “ Scientists” thought Einstein was a nut. Well, he wasn’t a nut , he was a
ugly guy who loved young girls and figured out a way to be sought by young girls. THATS GOOD SCIENCE !
Oops! I forgot to say he married a cousin and dumped her soon as got famous.

Sosrry Mel, but very little of that makes sense to me. No idea what young girls has to do with wood rot resistance.

[Mel Fulks]

Sosrry Mel, but very little of that makes sense to me. No idea what young girls has to do with wood rot resistance.

It’s ok Richard , I didn’t understand that “Sosrry” word and It’s not in the dictionary.

[William Hodge]

It’s ok Richard , I didn’t understand that “Sosrry” word and It’s not in the dictionary.

Try using The Google. "Sossry" is right there. I never knew, hadn't come across it, added a new facet to this jewel of a day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI-m...Mp4X2pNUTX5VrA

[Tom DiBiasio]

Thank you for all the great discussion - to make things a little clearer what I am trying to accomplish I will post a few pics to help illustrate my question - as they say a picture is worth 1000 words !!!!

This is the cabana I am speaking about - I will remove the current railings you see in this image - dont worry I will be replacing them with SS wire system to prevent someone from falling through the screen and falling to the ground.
cabana1.jpg

In this image you can see the area I will screen in - note that I will replace the left hand railing post with a full length 6x6 going all the way to the header.
cabana2.jpg

In this image this is what I am thinking for the simple rail and style screen panels - the lighter color brown would be the removal panels. I will remove them and store them indoors in the winter and most likely replace them with some OSB panels to keep the winter snow out.
cabanascreens.jpg


Thanks again for all the good discussion and hopefully this allows a clearer view of what I am trying accomplish and help get some advise if I would need to build the panels with mid rails or not.

[Tom M King]

Since you're going to be taking part of the opening with more verticals anyway if you use panels, I would just add some more verticals, maybe just 2x4's, and staple the screen over what's there without bothering to make panels. Use stainless steel or monel staples and cover the edges with strips of wood held on with trim screws that can easily come back off.

I wouldn't bother with cables either, but just use a black steel mesh wire since you have plenty of supports for it. We have a screened porch built much like I described just using hardware cloth across the bottom. It's been used for 44 years now and I've only replaced the screen once. Even the hardware cloth doesn't seem to block the view through it.

edited to add: Here is a picture this morning.

[Tom Bender]

OP Tom
What will you do with the opening for the stairs? To install a door you should redo the steps and add a landing outside sufficient to stand on while opening the door. Alternatively you could install a wall, front to back, even with the 6 x 6 post and put a door in that. Then you would have a place for coat hooks and stuff (shoes, fishing gear, shotguns, whatever).

[John TenEyck]

If you have one giant opening, then I would join the individual panels together along their stiles with some sort of mechanical fastner, such as furniture bolts. That should eliminate bowing of the individual stiles such that no intermediate rails are needed.

As far as wood goes, nearly any wood will last a really long time if it's painted and the paint is maintained.

John