Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Screen Porch Design Question

I am building a 23.5' wide x 15.5' deep screen porch off the back of my house. The highest point off of the ground is 11.5" from the top of the joist to the ground. I am going to build a gable roof that is 5 on 12 to match the current roof.

1. I was planning on using dual 2x10s and matching them up with the header on the house. If I keep the gable closed and I have a vaulted ceiling or a cathedral ceiling, do you think the view will be limited, height wise, b/c of the header?

2. To open up the view, could I place the gable-end header on top of the side headers?

3. Is the vaulted or cathedral ceiling more sought after by home owners? I am planning on using t&g pine boards either on the inside or outside of my rafters.

Thanks for your help.

Eric

With the limited information you gave us, it will be difficult for us to give good advice. The "dual 2x10's" will be used where? Across the gable? With the length you are indicating, I would opt for LVL sandwiched for the header. Basically your view will be dictated by what the "view" is. If it is a mountain range of course it is more upward. If it is a lake, then downward is the way to concentrate. In our area, vaulted ceilings covered with t&g pine is in the majority. You haven't said how the porch will be supported, so I guess you have that approved code wise. In our location we must pour continuous footings rather than individual ones for a porch.

With the limited information you gave us, it will be difficult for us to give good advice. The "dual 2x10's" will be used where? Across the gable? With the length you are indicating, I would opt for LVL sandwiched for the header. Basically your view will be dictated by what the "view" is. If it is a mountain range of course it is more upward. If it is a lake, then downward is the way to concentrate. In our area, vaulted ceilings covered with t&g pine is in the majority. You haven't said how the porch will be supported, so I guess you have that approved code wise. In our location we must pour continuous footings rather than individual ones for a porch.

Sorry for the limited info. I am working on this outside of Birmingham, AL.

Dual 2x10's will be used as the header on all sides of the porch. Across the gable as well as coming out from the house. They will be supported on 6x6 posts and the 23.5 span will be 1-16' and 1-8' 2x10 paired with the inverse 1-8' and 1-16' 2x10 with a 6x6 on either end and one in the middle.

The view is nothing but a suburban backyard. Maybe not an issue, just running with a few of the questions in my head.

I am still waiting on the city to approve my plans, but according to "others" all the code requires is a 24" footing for each support. A major part of the porch is resting on a concrete patio while all other areas will be supported by 6x6's notched out and the band placed inside.

And by vaulted you mean that you roof the porch as normal and then run the t&g up the inside of the rafters? Is there a benefit in doing it this way rather than running the t&g on the outside of the rafters, and then roofing to the t&g?

A lot of questions.

Eric

Eric, unless you have decorative rafters, they will be exposed on the inside. I would use standard roof decking, ridge venting, insulation and your t&g on the underside of the rafters. Otherwise you will have an enormous amount of heat absorption in the room.