West facing lanai

[Nanr07]

We ended up buying a home in St Catherine with a west facing lanai, not our original intentions but did so because of several other factors.
Suggestions or comments? Our realtor suggested solar screens? We will be snow birds for awhile, not sure how impacted we will be by the setting sun. At least we can sit out there in the mornings!

[rjm1cc]

Don't make a decision until you live there for at least a few months. A tempory solution could be a roll down curtain.

[retiredguy123]

I would not go cheap. I would buy an electric automatic programmable screen to block out the afternoon sun on a regular schedule.

[Love2Swim]

It will be brutal in the summer, but if you're snowbirds, probably not an issue right now.

[Stu from NYC]

Our house came with a western exposure and after living here a year decided to go with a Florida room with double pained glass.

Early was ok but in the summer too hot out there.

[JohnN]

pergola

[Kenswing]

We ended up buying a home in St Catherine with a west facing lanai, not our original intentions but did so because of several other factors.
Suggestions or comments? Our realtor suggested solar screens? We will be snow birds for awhile, not sure how impacted we will be by the setting sun. At least we can sit out there in the mornings!

We're also building on a lot with a west facing lanai. Luckily it backs up to the preserve so as the sun gets lower it gets blocked by the trees. We spec'd out the darker/denser 20/20 screen for our birdcage. If that isn't enough we'll have roll down screens installed in the lanai openings.

[perrjojo]

We are originally from Texas. A south or west exposure is brutal. I swore we would not consider a western facing lanai. Guess what? We have a western facing lanai. I love mornings out there. In the summer we have a lovely east front porch where we enjoy evenings with a cocktail. Some one has to Live in the houses with a west lanai.. if you love the house you can make it work. It’s all about being adaptable and attitude. .

[VApeople]

We have a west facing lanai. We installed screens that we can pull down manually.

We also had a patio built in the front of our house so we can sit outside in the evening.

[Homer49]

We have a west facing lanai and motorized shades are the best money we've spent on this house. (CoolBreeze Screens) They work for sun control, wind control and even rain control unless it's blowing really hard. I was worried about the lanai direction, but the house had too many other plusses; now it's pretty much a non-issue.

[Debfrommaine]

We ended up buying a home in St Catherine with a west facing lanai, not our original intentions but did so because of several other factors.
Suggestions or comments? Our realtor suggested solar screens? We will be snow birds for awhile, not sure how impacted we will be by the setting sun. At least we can sit out there in the mornings!

Our west facing lanai has more positives than negatives. We love the views 24/7, added double pane glass (Custom Windows) and blinds, plus a mini split for the summer months. It's great! Good luck.

[vintageogauge]

If you don't enclose it with double pane glass you won't be using it from mid-afternoon until sundown during the summer. Without the insulated glass if it's 95 outside it's going to be 95 or hotter on the lanai with shades and even hotter without. You will have an east facing garage, you won't believe how hot it will get in the garage as soon as the sun starts shining in early morning if you have your door opened. You will however really enjoy your west facing lanai in the mornings with coffee or tea and early afternoon. Your neighbors across the street will be just the opposite so it all depends on which half of the day you want to use your Lanai.

[Nanr07]

Great view!!

[Nanr07]

Great view!

[tophcfa]

Ours faces west as well, I would suggest getting a good blender and making up some frozen margaretas around sunset time.

[Stu from NYC]

Ours faces west as well, I would suggest getting a good blender and making up some frozen margaretas around sunset time.

At 95 degrees aint staying frozen too long.

That is why we now have a Florida room:a040:

[GoPacers]

Congrats!!! You'll get some beautiful sunsets that will validate your decision. Don't let the glass half empty folks discourage you. We shopped for a west or south facing back yard and could not be happier. Enjoy!!!

[tophcfa]

At 95 degrees aint staying frozen too long.

That is why we now have a Florida room:a040:

You'r not drinking them fast enough. :MOJE_whot:

[Chi-Town]

If you've got a west facing lanai with a long open view you're in sunset Nirvana.

[chet2020]

We live on a lake in southern Wisconsin, west facing on the lake. Beautiful sunsets, but not gonna' lie, 4-6 PM on a hot day is brutal, porch is basically unusable. We get shade from trees after 6P, so then it's OK again. It comes down to, are the fabulous sunsets worth having an unusable porch for certain times? Comes down to personal preference I think.

[banjobob]

Yep ,unless you have shades you will not spend much time in the lanai for evening sun in summer

[Flanman]

We live in Linden. West facing as well. Summer gets hot 2pm-8pm but we use it in before and after. Shade Bros. put in motorized shades. We also have cooling acrylic on the lanai so floor stays cool no matter the temp.

[birdawg]

West is best you will love the sunsets.

[westernrider75]

We also have a west facing lanai and just had a Sunsetter awning installed. We love it! Not only keeps our lanai shaded and cooler but extends our living area by covering the additional concrete pad beyond our lanai! Authority Home Solutions did ours.

[oemsp1]

We ended up buying a home in St Catherine with a west facing lanai, not our original intentions but did so because of several other factors.
Suggestions or comments? Our realtor suggested solar screens? We will be snow birds for awhile, not sure how impacted we will be by the setting sun. At least we can sit out there in the mornings!

Our first home in Bonnybrook had a west facing patio and pergola. It was too hot to use in the summer.

[Medtrans]

Don't make a decision until you live there for at least a few months. A tempory solution could be a roll down curtain.

We have a west facing lanai. We enclosed our lanai and have air conditioning, have Coolaroo shades on the inside and an awning n the outside which is power controlled and retracts automatically if windy. All these make our lanai a great room with no problem at all. We can make all the choices based on the weather at the moment. We live here full time so can’t address what should be done when gone.

[kidnerkim]

We got blinds. I close in afternoon & it is amazing how much cooler. Then we open again at night & enjoy our view!

[davephan]

That’s really less than ideal to have the back of the house facing west! Our two story hone in Minnesota, the back faced east. It was great! The deck and backyard were automatically shaded by the house in the afternoons, the most likely time when you’d want to use the deck and back yard.

In Florida, the back of our house faces Northeast, which also gives us shade in the afternoons in the pool cage, the most likely times when we use the lani area. The direction your house faces, should be an important factor when choosing the home to buy.

Our in laws didn’t pay attention to the direction that their homes faced, and ended up getting things to provide shading, but we’re far less than ideal, than the automatic shading that’s provided by your house. Of course that doesn’t help you if you’ve already bought the house that doesn’t face the idea direction, but it’s a reminder for others, or yourself for your next house, to seriously consider the direction that your house faces. Get a compass app on your cellphone, and use it when you look at real estate!

[G.R.I.T.S.]

We have a west facing lanai. We installed screens that we can pull down manually.

We also had a patio built in the front of our house so we can sit outside in the evening.

That's what we did. Added bonus is we became closer to our wonderful neighbors, who stop by when we're out on the porch!

[donfey]

We ended up buying a home in St Catherine with a west facing lanai, not our original intentions but did so because of several other factors.
Suggestions or comments? Our realtor suggested solar screens? We will be snow birds for awhile, not sure how impacted we will be by the setting sun. At least we can sit out there in the mornings!

Our lanai faces West, too, and we love it. However, knowing that Summer temps and sun would be uncomfortable sometimes, we screened in the front porch. Now, depending on temperatures, we can be in the sun or out of it. Both front porch and lanai have a ceiling fan.

[JoannMH]

I have a west facing lanai and probably would not purchase a home without the ability to watch our beautiful sunsets. . We have an umbrella if we need to block the sun in the afternoon and that works fine. We also have a small pool and love sitting with feet in the water, a glass of wine. and the setting sun. We are here year around.

[Bridicalder]

We have the same situation. We are trying to decide between manual roller shades or motorized shades.
Pros and cons on either other than cost?

[Deb H]

I bought solar screens

[RICH1]

I love to hear stories of Sunsets in Minnesota and Wisconsin but Florida has some of the most beautiful...seriously if you stay thru the Summer your ideas of Sun protection will be tailored to your wallets and preferences! Solar Sunscreens do provide protection, and you may prefer to only install them on the top & west side!
I find that a good deodorant is key to party invitations in the Summer !

[Lindaws]

Always hot.

[jbrown132]

We ended up buying a home in St Catherine with a west facing lanai, not our original intentions but did so because of several other factors.
Suggestions or comments? Our realtor suggested solar screens? We will be snow birds for awhile, not sure how impacted we will be by the setting sun. At least we can sit out there in the mornings!

I also has a west facing lanai. It was brutally hot in the afternoon as it was enclosed with sliding windows. We ended up putting in solar shades, and a retractable awning. With both the lanai was livable. Enjoyed a lot of great sunsets.

[Bonnevie]

I have a west facing lanai. I would say try it awhile before deciding what to do. I spent a lot trying to make it less hot and finally gave up and enclosed it and have a mini split. Some of the enclosure companies will tell you to just put a glass enclosure and with a fan out there and your sliders open it will be bearable. It will not. I tried on of those portable ac units.....too hot for it to handle. Solar shades did help some but I finally decided to bit the bullet and make it an enclosed sun room with it's own ac.

[Proveone]

I never wanted a West facing lanai but I have had one for 13 years and love it! Morning shade and beautiful sunsets are worth the expensive of shades. You'll enjoy the experience.

[petsetc]

We're snowbirds and a west facing lanai was a buying decision. We love it and use it every night for cocktail hour. It rarely gets too hot during our wintering time and when it does get warm we turn on the lanai fans which are usually enough to take any edge of.
FWIW

[Kurt Armstrong]

We are snowbirds with a western golf course view. So nothing obstructs the sun/heat. Expecting this to be a long-term investment, we bit the financial bullet. We put in glass sliding doors (with screens) that keep most of the heat out. We then combined it with a heater/air conditioning unit. It was then economical to put the same unit in our garage at the same time. It was not cheap. But we are extremely happy with the results and spend about 80% of our waking hours in the lanai. And whenever it makes sense weather wise and we feel like some fresh air, we simply open the sliding glass doors. Please reply with a phone number if you would like more information about the vendors involved.

[merrymini]

Love my outside, golf front, screened west facing lanai. You should live with it until you decide how you use it and what you need to do. We have fans and manual screens. You do not sit out on the deck in snow covered winter areas do you? Common sense.

[DAVES]

At 95 degrees aint staying frozen too long.

That is why we now have a Florida room:a040:

Things are so confusing. We had a Florida room in New York. Here it should be a New York room.

[DAVES]

Love my outside, golf front, screened west facing lanai. You should live with it until you decide how you use it and what you need to do. We have fans and manual screens. You do not sit out on the deck in snow covered winter areas do you? Common sense.

Yes. There is nothing better than walking down the beach when it is snowing. Truth not April fools.

[Neils]

West is much nicer than east during cooler 6 mos. it averages out

[Lakeside5012]

We face West and it is terrific for the pool. No pool, the motorized blinds and awnings are terrific for all the things mentioned. As a snowbird, trying the manual blinds might work just as well. You’ll have wonderful mornings, warm springs and falls, and many beautiful evenings. Every house has its season and its view. Make the most of what you have. If all else fails, try enclosing the lanai for a very special room.

[zendog3]

We're also building on a lot with a west facing lanai. Luckily it backs up to the preserve so as the sun gets lower it gets blocked by the trees. We spec'd out the darker/denser 20/20 screen for our birdcage. If that isn't enough we'll have roll down screens installed in the lanai openings.

You made a wise dedision. You will be rewarded with the most remarkable sunsets over your perserve.

[Willow&Darla]

We ended up buying a home in St Catherine with a west facing lanai, not our original intentions but did so because of several other factors.
Suggestions or comments? Our realtor suggested solar screens? We will be snow birds for awhile, not sure how impacted we will be by the setting sun. At least we can sit out there in the mornings!

I have west facing screened lanai and I have been enjoying the sunset almost everyday! :) :welcome:

[GMIJFI]

We have a wet facing lanai and love it. Sun shades in the summer cool it down and it is a heat sink in the winter. We can sit out in our lanai in the coldest of days in Jan/Feb
and be toasty.

[TheCraigs]

Totally agree with "wait a while". We were concerned with our West facing lanai and now we LOVE it. All the neighbors want to join us for sunset cocktails in our birdcage. The 20/20 screen and patio fans help. A big NO to pergola - a waste of money in Florida.

[jojo]

We have a west facing lanai with a large bird cage. I have pull down screens that I have very rarely used for the 5 pm. sun. Our lanai is not enclosed. We eat most of our meals out on the lanai except for the few hottest days. We love the sunsets and our view.

[vintageogauge]

We have a west facing lanai with a large bird cage. I have pull down screens that I have very rarely used for the 5 pm. sun. Our lanai is not enclosed. We eat most of our meals out on the lanai except for the few hottest days. We love the sunsets and our view.

Last year we had over 120 days with temps in the shade 90 degrees or higher and much hotter in the sun. You must really like to eat in the heat.

[jblum315]

My western facing lanai is ok except for about an hour in the afternoon

[Burgy]

We ended up buying a home in St Catherine with a west facing lanai, not our original intentions but did so because of several other factors.
Suggestions or comments? Our realtor suggested solar screens? We will be snow birds for awhile, not sure how impacted we will be by the setting sun. At least we can sit out there in the mornings!

Rainstorms are commonly from the west in summer also. Make sure your furniture is back a ways and be prepared to mop and keep adequate drainage channels

[Nanr07]

Thanks!

[Blue Oval]

We have the same situation. We are trying to decide between manual roller shades or motorized shades.
Pros and cons on either other than cost?

Are you able to turn a crank or pull the blind into position and return it? Manual will be fine for you unless you expect to have major shoulder surgery. Can you afford the difference in pricing? Would you like the convenience of just pushing a button on the wall or on a remote? Not a difficult decision to make. Buy what you want.

[Bill Pruett]

My west facing lanai was enclosed with clear double pane windows by the second owner. We've lived here for two years and have found it comfortable. FYI, no extra HVAC was added. Suggest you wait and see.

[Shoolie]

We have a west facing lanai. We installed screens that we can pull down manually.

We also had a patio built in the front of our house so we can sit outside in the evening.
We did the exact same thing, front patio with manual shades for west facing lanai but our back lanai is ringed with shrubbery that is now almost 5 feet high. Shrubs help with the sun.

[allsport]

Plant lots of fast growing trees.

[PatriciaFaheySimms]

I had solar film installed on window glass. Cuts the glare without obscuring the view. Plus it is a bonus during summer storm season. There are films that can protect from certain mph hurricane winds.

[Debfrommaine]

I had solar film installed on window glass. Cuts the glare without obscuring the view. Plus it is a bonus during summer storm season. There are films that can protect from certain mph hurricane winds.
Had wanted to do this but would have voided the warranty on the new windows we installed. Great concept though.

[Stu from NYC]

My west facing lanai was enclosed with clear double pane windows by the second owner. We've lived here for two years and have found it comfortable. FYI, no extra HVAC was added. Suggest you wait and see.

Our Florida was not put in until after the summer so we have not yet added a split A/C.
Waiting to see how it will be cooled by our A/C we have now but thinking a split will be needed.

[MFNOWLIN52]

We ended up buying a home in St Catherine with a west facing lanai, not our original intentions but did so because of several other factors.
Suggestions or comments? Our realtor suggested solar screens? We will be snow birds for awhile, not sure how impacted we will be by the setting sun. At least we can sit out there in the mornings!
We installed remote controlled awnings. The height and extension can both be adjusted to suit. It has made a HUGE difference in our lanai, which we use all times of day. We use our awnings almost every afternoon. The only time we don't is when it's very windy or (obviously) raining. We installed two - one also shades our bedroom. They were not an inexpensive purchase, (several thousand). However, the comfort they provide, as well as facilitating much increased use of our lanai, has for us, justified the expense.
Contact:

[MFNOWLIN52]

Contact: Sun Shades of Central Florida ph 407-935-9115

[NancyMo]

There are screens that block more than 90% of sun rays; however we still couldn’t sit out there when it was raining or too cold. We eventually “partially” enclosed or lanai, installing stacking siding doors. Now we have full air when we want, but can keep the doors closed and still enjoy the lanai 100% of the time. Best investment in our opinion.

[Curtisbwp]

I have an east faceing lanai. I love it. Sun in the am and cool in the pm.

[vintageogauge]

I have an east faceing lanai. I love it. Sun in the am and cool in the pm.

I've had both and prefer not having the low glaring sun in my eyes every morning, I'm not a big fan of shades and we use our Lanai every morning but rarely in late afternoon as there is always something else to do so West is Best at least for us.

[JillJoseph]

We would highly recommend outdoor solar shades for a west facing lanai. It made a huge difference for us. We got ours from Budget Blinds and they did a great job. We loved the selection of window coverings for both inside and outside our Home!

[Cool Breeze Roll screens]

Cool Breeze roll screens, retractable screen doors, interior motorized shades,privacy-hurricane shutters and awning.

We manufacture our products in Odessa, Fl and have the Longest warranty,quality and service in the industry.

888-896-8935
coolbreezerollscreens@Yahoo.com

[Medtrans]

Our Florida was not put in until after the summer so we have not yet added a split A/C.
Waiting to see how it will be cooled by our A/C we have now but thinking a split will be needed.

I think using your home air conditioner to cool lanai is less efficient than getting a split. We use ours a lot and really notice little in the way of a higher utility bill.

[Laker14]

We live on a lake in southern Wisconsin, west facing on the lake. Beautiful sunsets, but not gonna' lie, 4-6 PM on a hot day is brutal, porch is basically unusable. We get shade from trees after 6P, so then it's OK again. It comes down to, are the fabulous sunsets worth having an unusable porch for certain times? Comes down to personal preference I think.

I was going to share my story but you already did. I have a west facing porch on a lake in NY...sunsets are great, but it can get brutal. However, we have found ways to deal with it, and it has its pluses. Which is what I want to share with the OP...you'll find ways to enjoy the pluses, and to mitigate the minuses. It will be grand.
Enjoy!

[tophcfa]

Plant lots of fast growing trees.

We cut down the trees because we love the sun and don't want the trees to block the solar panels that heat our pool.

[Stu from NYC]

I think using your home air conditioner to cool lanai is less efficient than getting a split. We use ours a lot and really notice little in the way of a higher utility bill.

On a monthly basis your probably right but when you factor in the cost of buying the split would disagree.

[EnglishJW]

We ended up buying a home in St Catherine with a west facing lanai, not our original intentions but did so because of several other factors.
Suggestions or comments? Our realtor suggested solar screens? We will be snow birds for awhile, not sure how impacted we will be by the setting sun. At least we can sit out there in the mornings!

We have a Gardenia with a west facing lanai. Like you, we had heard all the reasons why this was a terrible idea. We often think about everything we heard each morning when we have breakfast facing the rising sun in the east and in the evenings when we often just sit and enjoy the beautiful sunsets in the west. Yes, summers in Florida can be brutal - no matter which way your lanai faces. Screens, awnings and other devices can provide some relief if you find you truly want them (we do have pull down screens we use when we must). Enclosing the lanai is a different alternative. We didn't need additional living space nor a replication of our living or dining rooms. We prefer the open air and sense of being outside that the screened lanai provides.

A number of folks have provided the best advice. Live with your house and your lanai. The experience will let you know what is going to work best for you. It might be any of the suggestions already mentioned. Enjoy your home and welcome to TV.

[august2959]

We ended up buying a home in St Catherine with a west facing lanai, not our original intentions but did so because of several other factors.
Suggestions or comments? Our realtor suggested solar screens? We will be snow birds for awhile, not sure how impacted we will be by the setting sun. At least we can sit out there in the mornings!

We live in Monarch Grove and have a lanai with birdcage that faces west. We have lived here since October and have now ordered screens from Lowes. We are going to purchase a section at a time to see what we really need. Also, thinking of purchasing a canvas cover for the birdcage.

[dadspet]

We have a West facing lanai and love it. The morning breakfasts are wonderful and the evening sunset are fantastic. We were also faced with what "should we do about the sun in the evening" and after some thought decided to go with curtains. We found curtains on Amazon that are mold resistant and have guide holes on both the top and bottom. You need the guide holes on the bottom to stop the curtains from blowing into the lanai. We then had a handy-man run a steel guide wire across the top and bottom of the lanai opening where the curtains were to be placed. A curtain was hung on the left side of the lanai able to run about 1/2 way into the middle and another one hung on the right side able to run about 1/2 way. The logic I used was: Its a lot cheaper solution then an electric shade running from the top to bottom of the lanai window and if we didn't like it we didn't have a lot to loose compared to the electric shade solution. When we want to block the sun typically we only need to move one of the curtains over some and it leave the rest open for a nice view. Out lanai is large and we have 2 sections with 2 curtains on each section. It is very rare for us to have to move even 1 curtain over to the middle and I can't remember ever having to close 2 of the curtains and never the 4. The curtains move fairly easy on the guide wires but clearly not as easy a pressing a button. This solution works for us but as most people have recommended > use the Lanai in the spring/summer/ a little before you make a decision. Good luck.