How to Close in a Sun Room

Frame

• The first step when closing in a sun room is constructing the frame. A lumber frame is strong enough to support a ceiling as well as the walls. If your deck or patio has a railing, remove it and replace the posts with the major vertical elements of the frame. Attach the sun room roof frame to your home for added support. You can do this by nailing the frame into the eaves or rim of your home's existing roof.

Ceiling

• A sun room ceiling can be closed in using transparent corrugated acrylic panels. These panels are lightweight, allow sunlight into the room and feature channels that help them shed water to prevent too much weight from acting on the frame during bad weather. Corrugated panels can be screwed into wooden ceiling joists that span the top of the sun room frame.

Walls

• Closing in a sun room presents the most room for creativity when it comes to the walls. Unlike a solarium, a sun room can have walls that are made up of windows as well as solid portions. A row of windows at eye level will permit light to enter while still offering limited privacy. Old glass doors can form the walls of a closed-in sun room if you nail them to the room's frame to prevent them from swinging open. Screens are another option for a sun room, permitting not only light but also breeze. With screen doors or walls, you should have plexiglass or plywood panels on hand to serve as screen covers when you winterize the sun room.

Doors

• If your patio or deck features access to your yard, you can retain this access by installing a door within one of the sun room's walls. Prefabricated doors with glass panels make the best sun room doors because they allow light to enter and provide some degree of protection and security. You can choose from sliding glass doors, french doors or porch doors with glass panels in place of screens. In each case, you must account for the door's width and mounting needs when you construct the sun room's frame.