Porch Enclosure - How To?

[jojo]

Looking to do something like this to my house:



How would you attach it to the bottom? I don't really want to screw a bunch of hardware on my porch, as the enclosure will only be for the winter to keep the snow off of the porch.

At the top, I was thinking j channel.  Any thoughts?

This is my house:

[bobbin]

I just finished a series of 8 clear curtains for our porch! (I'm working on the screen panels now). 

I used 30 gauge rolled plastic, 3/4" double stick tape to join widths before stitching them together with 138 poly. thread (one full width at center and two partials on either side to get the necessary width).  I used a fabric called Harbor Time to make the side, top, and bottom facings.  I made flaps that snap to the outside of the posts and the clear panels zip to the flaps (96" #10 vislon separating zippers, they zip down).  I used Keder welt insert at the top and it slides into aluminum track mounted to the porch.  And I used a simple pocket and 5/8" steel rod (recycled from the former lace on canopy) to provide weight at the bottom. 

It's a bit of an experiment.  The porch is on the second floor and I am hoping to avoid the necessity of fasteners on the bottom as that will require a ladder for installation.  I am banking on the fact that they're secured at the sides and top and the weight of the steel will be sufficient.  (will keep you posted on that as the winter progresses). 

My guess is that the fasteners used at the bottom of the curtains you posted are probably "common sense fasteners".  Easy to use, pretty rugged, and as long as they're not in danger of being snapped off they're great. 

I haven't taken pictures of mine yet.  And I don't post pictures here because I dumped my Picturetrail acc't. and refuse to use Photobucket (spam, spyware warnings and too many ads).  And I don't know what other options are available.  What did you use?

[JuneC]

If you don't want to install hardware on the porch floor anywhere, you might make canvas straps with velcro that wrap around the lower rail of your porch railing to keep the curtains from flapping.

June

[Mike]

bobbin try http://postimg.org/ easy and not all the hassle of photbucket and biiger pics and thumbs


ive got a similar project ive got 4 triple slider 10 feet side id like to make covers with phifertex sunscreen


good idea june

[jojo]

You just beat me to this recommendation, Mike. I remember when you recommended postimage a while back, and I've been using it ever since. It's faster, easier, and no ads.
Thanks for the ideas. Bobbin, I might try the weight in the bottom, but the common sense fasteners seem to high profile, like they would stand out when the curtains weren't installed.

[bobbin]

I can't even remember how to post pictures! (lame)  Do I start with the text or the hosting site? does the information provided on this site pertain to the recommended picture host?

[jojo]

Go to the posting site and upload your photo. Once you upload a photo, it will appear and below it will be codes. I use the one that says "Thumbnail for forums", and click on the copy to clipboard button next to it.
Then come back here, right click in the body of your message, and paste.
You can either type text before or after the code.
Hope I explained this ok.

[bobbin]

Uh... testing?



 

[bobbin]

It worked!  (will I be able to do it tomorrow?)

I made 10 of these, using old swags and jabots that the homeowner had tired of.  I lined them (recycling lining, too) and damn near killed my lil ol' Kenmore making 40 buttonholes.  But covering the buttons was a breeze!

[Mike]

cool

[Grebo]

Those enclosure arrangements are pretty common around here, loads of the street side bars & cafes use them.
Most of them use, sunblind rollers from the top & either removable channeling between each panel ( I will find a piece to photograph) Or just big panels. They are fixed down with a stiffener along the bottom, in a pocket, & eye bolts in the floor. So just two bolts per curtain sometimes they have a further bit of 'skirt' from the stiffener to the floor to keep lower drafts out. The bolts can be removable like some of the swimming pool cover bolts.
I have made a few removable panels for wooden gazebos for the caravan sites. I prefer track along the top as it stops any sagging & turnbuckles down the sides, these are a max of 3 metres wide & don't need fixing down as the turnbuckles go all the way down.

[bobbin]

OK, here you go.  (not sure everything is going to come through perfectly)

This is the east side of the porch, two larger curtains are on the south side of the porch.


These are the south curtains.  Note the diagonal ripples, I have to take them down, remove the zips, and clip them out on the bench pulling them really taut before reapplying the zippers.


These are the north curtains (note zippered cat door):


Cat door:



Inside views:






All the curtains are 100" tall and range between 34-67" wide.  The zippers are hidden behind the posts and the flaps are snapped to the outside of the posts.  The track is afixed just under the soffit.  And the casing that holds the weight rod falls 2" below the floor level on the outside.  I have added a strip of fabric at the height of the railing to protect the glass in high winds.  The panels zip to a flap it and it's important to have some "wiggle room" to get the zips started, esp. when it's breezy or cold. 

[Grebo]

Love that cat flap.
When we lived on our boat I made a little porch over the galley window with a flap either end for puss. It worked a treat.

Suzi