During the long summer days, it's always nice to relax on the porch during a tranquil evening. It's a much less pleasant experience if you have to slap away insects the entire time, and there's only so much a bug zapper or citronella candle can accomplish.

If your porch is enclosed, screening it in will allow for a much more relaxing time outdoors. While this project will often require you to pick up a few building materials and dedicate some time to completing the process, it's also a job you can easily do on your own.

In some cases, the porch railings will get in the way of the screens. They can also lead to an awkward appearance if you would prefer to have the screens stretch from the floor to the ceiling. Courtney Craig, writing for the National Association of Realtors' home improvement site HouseLogic, says you might replace the railings with a more open design such as cross-bracing.

Screen doors can be purchased at the hardware store and easily fitted into existing framework. You may have to build new supports if you would like the door to be installed in a wider opening.

There are several options when it comes to screens. Lisa Kaplan Gordon, also writing for HouseLogic, says fiberglass is the cheapest option but is also more likely to sag or tear. Aluminum is also inexpensive, but it oxidizes and can be dented easily. More expensive screens, such as stainless steel and copper-nickel alloys, will be stronger and more resistant to tearing or corrosion.

In one method of installing screens, you need to roll the screen over the openings and secure it in place. Family Handyman Magazine says this can be accomplished by securing a screen at opposite corners, stretching it slightly to keep it from sagging. Attach the rest of the screen to posts and other framework by stapling it with quarter-inch staples every three inches. If you want to conceal these fasteners, install two-by-two trim along the edges of the screen.

Critics of this installation process say it does not allow you enough leeway for repairs. Joseph Truini, writing for This Old House, says you'll have to go through the time-consuming process of removing the trim and staples if a screen needs to be replaced.

Some installation packages have you install base strips on the framework instead so that you aren't fastening the screen directly to the porch components. Once you secure the screen in these strips and remove any excess material, you can snap cap trim over the base strips.

You can also add additional protection to your porch floor, since insects might still be able to come in between the boards. Craig says installing screened latticework in the area between the porch floor and the ground will keep insects out of this opening. Gordon says you may also consider replacing the floor with more tightly fitted tongue and groove boards.

If you have an open deck, you'll first need to commit to the much larger project of converting this area to a porch. You may need to strengthen the foundation to support the weight of the posts, and the roof you choose will have to match the style of your home. You'll also have to decide whether the porch should have a ceiling fan, lights, or any other added features.

While changing a deck to a screened-in porch can be expensive, it can also significantly increase the value of your home. Gordon says the improved value is likely to offset the cost of construction by about 70 percent.