what is the difference btwn a florida room and a lanai?
 

please educate me!

From what I have read here on the board, I think a lanai is open ie:screened and a Florida room is closed ie:acrylic or glass sided and can be heated or air conditioned.

A true Florida Room is a part of the house. The walls floors and ceiling are the same as the rest of the house and the heating and cooling are part of the overall system. A lanai may or may not be enclosed with acrylic, vinyl, or glass, and may or may not be under air and heat, but generally does not have a finished ceiling, a floor level with the rest of the home, or walls of either studs or block. Some people call an enclosed residential lanai with heat and air a Florida Room, but it is technically still a lanai.

For a virtual up close and personal view of what both ladydoc and eweissenbach accurately described, check out http://thevillages.com/homes/gallery/designer-homes.asp

click on ALLAMANDA model

What's the difference between a lanai and a bird cage?

Jack: a bird cage is the popular name for a screened in patio. Generally, a birdcage has a screened overhead as opposed to a solid ceiling (8-10' high for most lanais). The overhead is attached to the fascia of the roof but it is possible to connect a birdcage to a gutter.

A birdcage has at least two, and usually 3, screened walls. One of the walls has a door for ingress/egress to the yard.

The floor is usually made of bare concrete; however, many have installed cool deck or some other type of upgraded flooring. A few others have chosen grass (for the convenience of their furry children) in lieu of any hard surface flooring.