A brand-new open porch in the Encore neighborhood gets transformed into a comfortable, pollen-free retreat the homeowners can enjoy nearly every day of the year.
When this family moved into their newly built home in the Encore neighborhood of Waxhaw, the porch was completely open. No screens, no panels, nothing. It was a nice space on paper, but in practice it was unusable during rain, and during North Carolina pollen season it was downright miserable. The homeowners had a gorgeous wooded backyard view with tall ornamental grasses and trees, and they wanted to actually sit out there and enjoy it without being pelted by pollen or chased inside by the next afternoon shower.
Their goal was simple. They wanted to use the porch far more throughout the year, watch TV out there with some peace of mind, and share the space comfortably with each other without worrying about the elements.
Valverax designed a custom aluminum wall system with solid kneewall panels along the base and Craft-Bilt vinyl-film stacking windows mounted above. The vinyl-film panels provide a clear, unobstructed view of the backyard while creating a protective barrier against rain, bugs, and pollen. When the family wants fresh air, they simply raise the panels from the bottom or lower them from the top to control exactly how much airflow they get. The system maintains that open, airy feel the homeowners loved while giving them weather protection they never had before.
One side of the porch had a unique interior privacy wall that the homeowner wanted to keep in place. Valverax worked around it by installing fixed vinyl-film panels at the lower section where the privacy wall sat, and PGT horizontal slider vinyl-film windows above the wall where there was room to operate them. The horizontal sliders open side to side and pull fresh air across the corner of the room nicely.
The homeowners also added hardwood-style flooring over the concrete slab, modern ceiling fans, and electric roller shades that drop down to cut glare when they are watching TV outside. We filmed this project during peak pollen season here in Union County, and the difference was striking. The outside surfaces were coated in yellow pollen while the interior of the enclosure remained completely clean. That moment says everything about what this system delivers. Now this couple spends real quality time out there together, watching TV, relaxing, and making the most of a space that used to sit empty.
Anyone who has lived in the Waxhaw and Union County area knows that Carolina pollen season is not gentle. For weeks every spring, every open surface outdoors turns yellow. A screened porch helps with bugs but it does nothing to stop fine pollen particles from drifting through the mesh and coating every surface inside. Vinyl-film windows close that gap. When the panels are down, pollen stays on the outside. When the family wants to let in a breeze, they raise the panels and enjoy the air, knowing they can close everything back up in seconds.
Vinyl-film panels are made from a flexible clear film rather than rigid material, which is what gives this system its open character. The view through the panels is clear and bright, so the beautiful Encore neighborhood backyard vista these homeowners have is never blocked. The system does not try to be a four-season sunroom. It is designed to extend the usable calendar of an outdoor porch well beyond what an open or screened space could offer, without closing off the connection to the outdoors.
Vinyl-film panels stack vertically within the aluminum frame. The homeowners can raise panels from the bottom, lower them from the top, or close everything completely depending on conditions outside. Simple, reliable, and built to last.
Installed above the interior privacy wall on the side of the enclosure, the PGT horizontal slider vinyl-film windows open side to side to channel airflow across the room even where vertical stacking was not an option.
See exactly how this open porch in the Encore neighborhood of Waxhaw was transformed into a 3-season vinyl-film enclosure. We filmed during peak pollen season so you can see firsthand how the system keeps the interior clean.
During one of the worst pollen seasons Union County has seen, the inside of this enclosure stayed completely clean while pollen piled up on every outside surface.
The vinyl-film panels close tight enough to keep wind-driven rain from entering the space, so the porch stays dry and usable during afternoon storms.
Stacking and sliding vinyl-film panels give full control over airflow. Open them fully on mild days or close them down when weather demands it.
The transparent vinyl-film panels preserve the wooded Encore backyard view that made this porch worth enclosing in the first place.
Valverax serves homeowners throughout Waxhaw, Union County, and the greater Charlotte region. We will come out, assess your space, and walk you through every option at no charge.
"Valverax just installed our Craft-Bilt patio enclosure and we love it. The quality and workmanship was excellent. Jerry met with us to review our options in detail. He was great to work with and was engaged through the entire project. Highly Recommended!"
Encore homeowners in Waxhaw are already enjoying their porches year-round. Let Valverax show you what your space could look like with a custom vinyl-film 3-season enclosure.