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Lanai (porch?) Class 2 (class 8? who knows) Conversion
My wife and I have been wanting to do this conversion for a while, but never really had the time or capital to actually pull the trigger. When we bought our house, we had a class 1 lanai, (meaning it was screened in). It was surrounded by three walls from the house itself, so it was rather easy to glass it in.
In May 2018 we received four different quotes to glass in our lanai (it's a Florida term for porch, veranda, whatever). Each contractor proposed an aluminum frame, sliding glass windows, and deadbolt aluminum door. That's considered a class 2 lanai in Florida. However, under Florida building code, you cannot add air condition a class 2 lanai. You can only add air conditioning to a class 4 lanai, which is sealed (thermally, moisture, wind) from the exterior and ceiling.
The contractor was only hired to do a class 2 lanai conversion, but I plan on making it a class 4. That means that we had to add either a mini-split AC system or add AC vents, with drywall on the ceiling and insulation in the attic above the drywall in the lanai. We took the mid-range quote based on reputation and quality of work.
I tiled in the lanai about five years ago to make it look nicer, and added shoe molding around the walls near the floor. It was a drastic improvement over the bare concrete that was there.
In mid-August, I took down and ripped out the old screen and aluminum frame before the contractor came in the installed the new aluminum framing. This had to be strong enough to handle the new low-E windows and the door. The windows are shatter-resistant too.
In late August the contractor and the ceiling drywall contractor came out on the same day and installed the glass, door, and the drywall ceiling. Two days later, I added R-5 foam insulation above the drywall, in between the joists, and then put R-38 instlation on top of that. I also sealed around the aluminum frame against wind leakage and thermal leakage.
I had to add Tyvek (moisture barrier) above the aluminum frame to prevent moisture from coming in through the the four inch thick header.
On Spetember 6th, the HVAC person is coming out to the house to install the AC vents. I installed the ceiling fan yesterday. Today, I will add the crown molding and paint the trim.
This weekend we plan on buying and installing a 70" TV on the wall and adding some sort of carpet as a sound deadener.
On Spetember 6th, the HVAC person is coming out to the house to install the AC vents. I installed the ceiling fan yesterday. Today, I will add the crown molding and paint the trim.
Its early still over there and probably already cold too so I will forgive you
09-04-2018, 08:00 AM
