Recommended Floors for Enclosed Porches

An enclosed porch, also called a three-seasons or all-seasons porch, is one way to bring the outside into your home and give yourself a new place to relax. If you are like most people, however, you think of an enclosed porch as an interior space with paint and flooring to match, but that is not necessarily true. All flooring in an enclosed porch should be weatherproof in case it is exposed to the elements, like rain, wind and cold.

One of the most popular options for an enclosed porch is tile. A waterproof flooring choice, tile also does not have any gaps between pieces once it has been grouted and this eliminates the possibility of tiny bugs and creepy crawlers making their way into your enclosed porch through the cracks. Tile comes in a wide variety of colours and textures and can be very durable, depending on the quality of the title you purchase. Although tile can be slick when it is wet and cold on cooler nights, tile is also less likely to fade than some flooring materials, and individual tiles can typically be replaced if they break.

Many exterior and interior porches have simple, treated lumber floors. Pressure treated lumber is typically darker in colour than non-treated lumber and can be treated with an additional preservative or sealer to keep the boards from rotting. Wood flooring comes in a variety of widths and can easily be painted any colour you want to add a rustic, outdoorsy appeal to your porch. If you use wood, however, make sure the boards are as close together as possible to eliminate any gaps. You do not want bugs and little critters sneaking onto your porch at night.

Depending on how far the floor of your enclosed porch is from the ground, you may be able to lay a slab of cement as the initial flooring. Gap-free and solid, cement flooring can be treated with chemicals, like acid, to create a unique, contemporary look for your enclosed porch. Once sealed, cement flooring is easy to clean and maintain, and it is usually very durable. If you have a stone or paved walkway leading up to your enclosed porch, matching stones or pavers can also be laid on top of the cement slab to bring the design of the outdoors inside.