Inexpensive Screened in Deck Ideas: Design Inspiration for Your Home

A pro contractor will quote you $15,000 to $40,000 to screen in an existing 12×16 foot deck. With $400 to $900 in materials and a free weekend, you can do it yourself. Inexpensive screened in deck ideas rely on a few smart choices: pressure-treated framing instead of cedar, fiberglass screen instead of solid panels, and a Screen Tight or similar track system that handles the tedious tensioning for you. Done right, the result looks intentional, lasts a decade, and adds an outdoor room you actually use all summer.

The Three Build Approaches

1. Screen Tight Track System (Easiest DIY)

Screen Tight is a vinyl track system that staples or screws to existing deck rails and posts. You roll out fiberglass screen, the spline-and-cap mechanism tensions and locks it. No furring strips, no staple gun marks. Around $1.50 to $3 per linear foot of track plus screen and fasteners. A 12×16 foot deck takes roughly 56 linear feet of track and one 7×100 foot roll of fiberglass screen.

Total material cost for a 12×16 foot deck: $300 to $500.

2. Wood Frame and Staple-On Screen

The traditional approach. Build 2×2 or 2×4 framing inside the deck rail openings, staple charcoal fiberglass screen taut, then nail thin trim lath over the staples to clean up the edges. Slightly more labor and a less polished result than Screen Tight, but cheaper at roughly $250 to $400 in total materials.

3. Pre-Built Screen Panel Kits

Companies like Screeneze, Screen Tight, and Phifer sell pre-fabricated screen panels you bolt into existing posts. Cleanest finish for the least skill, but pricing climbs to $700 to $1,500 for a 12×16 foot deck.

Screen Material Options

• Fiberglass charcoal mesh: Cheapest, easiest to work with, $30 to $50 per 100 ft roll. Lasts 8 to 12 years
• Aluminum mesh: More durable, holds shape, $50 to $80 per roll. Lasts 15 to 20 years but reflects sunlight
• Pet-resistant mesh (Phifer Pet Screen): Heavy-duty, scratch-resistant, $80 to $120 per roll. Worth it if you have dogs
• Solar screen: Blocks 60 to 90 percent of UV, $90 to $150 per roll. Great for west-facing decks
• No-See-Um mesh: Smaller weave to keep out gnats and biting midges, $60 to $90 per roll

Step-by-Step Build With Screen Tight

1. Sweep and clean the existing deck; check rails and posts are sound
2. Measure each opening between posts and the height from rail to roof beam (or planned ceiling joist)
3. If no roof exists, build a simple shed-roof frame from 2×6 rafters at 16 inches on center, sloped 2:12 minimum, covered in a corrugated metal panel like Tuftex or Suntuf for $4 to $7 per square foot
4. Install Screen Tight base track around the perimeter of every opening; screw or staple every 6 inches
5. Roll fiberglass screen over each opening with 2 to 3 inches of overlap on every side
6. Press the screen into the track with the spline tool and snap on the cover cap
7. Trim excess screen flush with a utility knife
8. Install a Screen Tight door kit ($75 to $150) on at least one side for entry

Budget Breakdown for a 12×16 Foot Deck

• Screen Tight base track and caps (56 linear feet): $90 to $170
• Charcoal fiberglass screen (one 7×100 ft roll): $40 to $60
• Stainless steel staples or self-tapping screws: $15 to $25
• Spline tool and replacement spline: $15 to $20
• Pre-built screen door with hardware: $80 to $150
• Roofing (if needed) — corrugated polycarbonate, framing, fasteners: $400 to $700
• Total without roof: $250 to $450
• Total with simple shed roof: $700 to $1,200

Smart Money-Saving Ideas

• Screen only the railings if the deck already has a roof or pergola overhead
• Use existing porch posts as the screen frame; do not rebuild the structure
• Buy fiberglass screen by the bulk roll rather than pre-cut packs
• Skip aluminum frame kits and use the deck’s existing 4×4 posts as frame anchors
• Use Tuftex or Suntuf corrugated panels for a roof at $4 per sq ft instead of shingles
• Source screen door hinges and pulls from the closet section of Home Depot to save 30 to 50 percent

Add-Ons That Stretch the Budget

• Outdoor ceiling fan: Hampton Bay or Harbor Breeze damp-rated fans, $80 to $150
• String lights: Outdoor festoon lights from Costco or Wayfair, $40 to $90
• Outdoor area rug: 8×10 polypropylene rug, $80 to $150
• Outdoor curtains: Rod-pocket panels for privacy and bug deflection, $30 to $60 per panel
• Folding screens or planters as windbreaks

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Stretching screen too tight and tearing the spline out of the track
• Using interior wood (untreated) for any framing exposed to weather; rots within a few seasons
• Skipping a sturdy door kit; flimsy screen doors slam, tear, and frustrate
• Forgetting a slope on the roof; flat panels pool water and leak
• Ignoring local building codes; some areas require permits for any roofed structure

Designs Worth Borrowing

• Modern matte black: Use Screen Tight’s matte black trim for a contemporary look against gray decking
• Coastal cottage: White Screen Tight track with white wood ceiling boards and beadboard kneewalls
• Rustic Adirondack: Stained cedar or pressure-treated frame, dark charcoal screen, exposed rafters
• Three-season room: Add removable acrylic storm panels for fall and spring use
• Pergola-screen hybrid: Screen the railings only and let an open pergola overhead provide partial shade

Maintenance

Spray screens with a garden hose every spring to clear dust and pollen. Inspect for tears at corners after winter; small holes patch with screen repair tape (3M Screen Repair, $5 per roll). Vacuum cobwebs from corners monthly. Re-tension or replace screen panels every 8 to 12 years; the spline kit and replacement screen run about $60 per opening.

Bottom Line

The cheapest and best inexpensive screened in deck ideas use what you already have: existing deck framing, existing posts, existing roof if one is there. Add a Screen Tight track, a roll of charcoal fiberglass screen, and one decent door kit, and you have a screened porch for the price of one delivered restaurant order per month for a year. Spend the extra hundred dollars on stainless fasteners and a quality door, and the build holds up for a full decade.