What Is A Lanai?

The lanai is as important to southerners’ quality of life as the front porch is to northerners and the patio is to southwestern residents. Each one offers a much-needed haven to refuel, think, and unwind. However, because of how similar their roles are, people frequently mistake one for the other.

A lanai can be compared to an extended porch at the back of the house. Porches, on the other hand, are more frequently enclosed, whereas lanais typically only have roofs. If not, at least one wall is exposed to the outdoors to fully benefit from ocean breezes. A covered area at the front or back of a house is called a porch. However, patios typically feature exposed paved flooring that lead to the backyard. Along with grills, picnic tables, and hot tubs.

Verandas and lanais share certain similarities as well as some evident differences, especially as verandas can be found on second or higher floors and often wrap around the structure. The fact that lanais are not just for relaxing at the end of the day or reading the newspaper on Sunday morning may be the most significant distinction, though. The lanai wants to be your outdoor living space.

Lanais are very common in tropical regions, notably in SW Florida and any of the southern states that border the Gulf of Mexico or the Pacific, thanks to its open floor layout.  Ceiling fans are used since humidity is frequently a problem in order to maintain the flow of those offshore breezes.

A Lanai Or A Patio?

A lanai is recommended as a good substitute for a patio by the house specialists at 3G Home Exteriors.  Because SW Florida summers can be so stifling, a lanai’s roof offers calming relief from the noontime sun. It’s also true that lanais frequently include detachable window panes or screens to keep insects and pests out, despite having three sides that are exposed to the air (the fourth being the home’s entry).

The lanai is considered to be more of a transitional zone between indoor and outdoor living than the patio or porch. In the summer, lanais provide shaded play areas for kids, and they are also a great place to sit or have dinner. In temperate climates, space heaters are a common addition to keep a lanai in use almost all year long.

Is Your Home In Need Of A Lanai?

If you ask the exterior professionals at 3G, they’ll tell you there are many reasons to add a lanai to your home if it doesn’t currently have one.  A lanai enhances curb appeal and provides next-level comfort for entertaining and unwinding visitors. Lanais can also increase the value of your home by cozily extending the living space outside, especially if you live near water.

A lanai will also give you extra privacy while framing the nicest view you can have from your house. Your furnishings will be less vulnerable to rain and wind if they are covered by a lanai (although the places where lanais are most popular are also the most hurricane-endangered).

Contact the pool enclosure experts at 3G Home Exteriors to get a free consolation on if a Lanai is right for your home.