Outdoor Living Portfolio — Decks, Screened Porches, Covered Porticos | Salem Builders
Outdoor living projects — decks, screened porches, covered porticos — are where the Triad climate actually makes sense for year-round use. Spring through late fall in Winston-Salem is prime outdoor season, and the right outdoor build extends a family’s living space by 400-800 square feet without the cost of a conditioned addition.
Our outdoor work uses low-maintenance composite decking systems (Trex and AZEK PVC) rather than pressure-treated wood that needs refinishing every 3 years, integrated screen systems like Screen Eze that don’t sag or get knocked out by a lawn mower-kicked rock, and proper roof framing tied into the existing house so the structure carries wind and snow loads correctly.
Completed outdoor living projects
Littlebrook Screened Porch
Clemmons, NC
20×12 screened porch with AZEK PVC decking and Screen Eze system, shingle roof, full gutter run. Low-maintenance by design.
Goff Road Trex Portico Deck
King, NC
Trex composite deck with integrated covered portico — year-round outdoor use with curb-appeal impact visible from the street.
Wabash Boulevard Deck & Screened Porch
Winston-Salem
New deck and screened porch as part of a complete split-level remodel. Tied into the refreshed exterior paint palette.
How we build for NC Triad weather
Pressure-treated pine decking looks fine for year one and starts splitting, warping, or graying by year three. The refinishing cycle (strip, sand, stain, seal) costs $800-$1500 every 3 years — which is why we default to composite. Trex and AZEK carry 25–50 year warranties, require nothing more than soap and water to clean, and the upfront cost premium pays back in roughly 6–10 years of avoided refinishing.
Screened porches are where contractors cut the most corners. We use Screen Eze or similar commercial-grade tension systems that keep the screen taut for decades — not the DIY staple-and-spline method that sags in two seasons. Roof framing is engineered to tie into the existing house structure, not just bolted on.
See outdoor living scope under our Additions service page →