Sherry and I were thrilled the first time we stepped into the sunroom at our new house. We didn’t mind the stuck glass sliders or the damp carpet—those flaws made this place affordable and signaled that the room was a true fixer-upper. We loved the potential.
At first I imagined a quick refresh similar to our earlier sunroom makeover: fresh ceiling and floor paint, sheer curtains, and cozy seating. That simpler plan felt familiar and achievable, and I could already picture how the room would look.
So far we’d removed the carpet and arranged furniture casually, but Sherry saw the space differently. She noticed a major difference from our previous sunroom: this one is wrapped by a deck on all sides. The two sets of glass doors along the long wall were frozen shut and kept us from enjoying the outdoors fully.
Her idea was bold: remove the doors and open the room up into something “open and glorious” — essentially a covered porch with an outdoor rug, vaulted ceiling, and tile floor. Less of a fishbowl and more of a connected outdoor living space.
I hesitated at first. What about winter weather? The existing glass is drafty anyway, Sherry pointed out. What about bugs? In our last sunroom a fan kept insects away. Mostly, I just wondered if people actually convert sunrooms into covered porches.
Then Sherry showed me an inspiring photo, and I was convinced. That image captured a cozy, usable outdoor room, and I could see how opening up the sunroom would improve life on our deck. Clara already loves splashing in her pool and water table out there; this change would make those moments even better. We could still enjoy shade and a fan inside while feeling connected to the outdoors.
So we got to work. Removing the sliding screen and glass doors was straightforward. The glass panels were heavy, but lifting and tilting them off their tracks did the trick.
Carrying the glass out was the hardest part. We stacked the doors beside the garage; Habitat for Humanity will pick them up soon since the rollers were the only broken parts and the doors themselves are in good condition.
Next I removed the frame pieces that prevented the side glass panes from moving. It took some unscrewing, light prying, and a few soft taps with a hammer, but the frames came away without too much trouble.
Once the inner frame was out, the stationary panes lifted and tilted free just like the sliding door. Years of immobility meant they required a lot of effort, but they came out in the end.
Removing all the doors—12 glass panels and 4 screens—took about two hours, not counting photo breaks. With each panel gone, Sherry’s vision felt more real. I almost wanted to quit for the day and relax with a tall glass of sweet tea.
But there was more demo. Each opening still had a metal frame that was an eyesore and a tripping hazard. After removing dozens of screws and prying the metal free from caulk, the frames came out. It took a couple more hours and some elbow grease.
I didn’t do this the textbook way—ideally you remove the wood trim first and slide the frames out—but some frames were warped and I wasn’t confident they’d slide cleanly. So I worked around the trim, twisting and tugging until the frames released. The metal was a bit mangled, but since these frames were the broken parts of the doors, we couldn’t donate them anyway.
There’s still work ahead, but we’re both thrilled with the transformation so far. Walking freely between the sunroom and deck without battling stuck doors feels liberating. We’ve reclaimed a portion of the deck we previously avoided because of the immobile glass.
We joked about calling the space the “veranda” as it evolves from a typical sunroom into a true covered porch. That little rebranding might lend some polish while the space is in transition.
This will be our first major makeover at the new house, aside from installing hardwood upstairs before we moved in. We’re breaking the project into manageable steps and hope to finish most of it before colder weather arrives. Our current plan includes:
- Remove the old carpeting (already done)
- Remove sliding doors and tracks to open the space
- Add fresh casing to the openings and seal thoroughly with caulk to restore weatherproofing
- Possibly raise the ceiling and install painted beadboard if the structure allows
- Install a hanging ceiling fan (or two) and consider recessed lighting
- Repaint columns and the sunroom interior with exterior-grade paint
- Install outdoor-safe tile on the floor
- Add a rug, furniture, and possibly outdoor curtains
- Consider an outdoor fireplace down the line
One practical update we handled right away was swapping standard outlets for covered outdoor outlets to prevent water-related electrical issues. The walls are wood painted with exterior paint—evidence the room may have once been a covered porch—so once we add casing and caulk everything, it should be sealed and weather resistant again.
Psst — Cassie at Hi Sugarplum interviewed Sherry recently, if you’re curious about her quirks and favorites.