Lanai vs. Covered Patio vs. Screen Enclosure

Lanai, covered patio or screen enclosure? What each term means in Florida and how they combine.

In Florida, lanai, covered patio and screen enclosure often get mixed up. They overlap, and many backyards have all three. Here's what each one usually means.

AY Luxury Designs LLC · Certified Building Contractor CBC1268168 · Amany Youssef: Registered Building Contractor RB29003947 · Registered Electrical Contractor ER13016631 · Registered Underground Utility & Excavation Contractor RU11066663

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Lanai vs. Covered Patio vs. Screen Enclosure

	Lanai	Covered patio	Screen enclosure
What it is	A covered outdoor living area, usually under the home's roof line and often screened	A roofed patio, attached or freestanding	A screened frame around a patio or pool
Roof	Yes	Yes	Usually a screen roof, or screens around a covered area
Bugs	Often screened	Not unless screened	Keeps bugs out
Common upgrade	Lanai extension	Extension with fans, lights and TV	Expanding or replacing the enclosure

Lanai is a Hawaiian word for a roofed porch or veranda, and Merriam-Webster dates its first known use in English to 1823.

How They Work Together

A common Northeast Florida plan is an extended lanai or covered patio, wrapped in a screen enclosure that also covers the pool or an open patio. We design all of it together, and the HOA package and permits cover the whole project.

The CDC recommends using screens and repairing holes in them to keep mosquitoes outdoors.

According to the EPA, shaded surfaces can be 20 to 45°F cooler than the peak temperatures of unshaded materials.

Why AY Luxury Designs

You design it with the founder. Amany Youssef designs every project with you in person and stays involved through the final walkthrough.
We manage every step, from design to final inspection. We handle the AutoCAD design, the HOA paperwork, the engineering, the permits and the build. We handle electrical work with our licensed electrical partner, and gas and plumbing with our licensed trade partners.
Built for Florida. Every permitted structure gets its necessary engineered documents.
A Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite.

Our Design-Build Process

Design session with Amany. Your project starts at our Jacksonville design studio, where you sit down with founder Amany Youssef and watch your project take shape live on screen in AutoCAD.
Free AutoCAD design and a custom quote. You get to-scale 3D renderings and a fully itemized custom quote within 24 hours of your consultation, so you know exactly what you're getting.
In-home design visit. Amany comes to your home for an in-person walkthrough, so we look at the project together where you're most comfortable, finalize the details and choose your colors and finishes.
Engineering, HOA and permits handled. We get the necessary engineered documents for every permitted structure, prepare your HOA/ARB package and pull the permits.
Build. We can start most projects within two to four weeks. Our crews follow a build process we've refined over many projects, and you get daily updates.
The AY Advantage. You hold back the final 5% for seven days after completion, so we can take care of any touch-ups before you sign off.

Financing is available through Synchrony Bank, including 18 months of no-interest financing, and we have other financing options as well.

Related Projects

Screened lanai extension with new pavers, Cypress Trails (Nocatee) A screened lanai extension that pushes the living space out into the yard, finished with new pavers.

Attached A-frame lanai extension with screen enclosure, Shearwater (St. Augustine) An attached A-frame lanai extension with a wood ceiling and ceiling fans, wrapped in a bronze screen enclosure with our expanded-view upgrade, over new pavers.

Composite-roof screen room with fireplace and two outdoor kitchens, St. Augustine A large composite-roof screen room with our expanded-view upgrade, a warm wood ceiling and a motorized retractable screen. Inside, a linear fireplace in stone veneer with a TV anchors the room, with two outdoor kitchens and a stone hot tub build-up, and lighting ties the whole backyard together at night.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I deal with bugs on the patio? Screening is the most effective way to enjoy the outdoors without bugs. We can add a screen enclosure or design one into your project.

My builder's lanai is too small. Can it be extended? Yes. Extending a builder lanai or patio is one of our most requested projects. We design the extension to look original to the home.

Do I need a permit for a screen enclosure in Northeast Florida? New screen enclosures and screen rooms generally require a permit. We handle the permit and inspections as part of the project.