An Open View (or “panoramic”) screen enclosure removes the vertical support posts a standard enclosure needs every 8–12 feet, using a larger beam instead to carry the structural load — the result is an unbroken sightline from the pool to the backyard. Most Florida screen enclosures are framed on aluminum beams 2 to 3 inches wide; RP Built’s Open View enclosures use a 4″ × 8″ beam, more than double the depth. In basic beam engineering, bending stiffness scales with the cube of a beam’s depth, so a beam that deep resists wind-load bending on the order of eight times more than a standard-width one — which is what makes removing the post possible without losing strength. The two designs use similar screen material and roof styles; the difference is entirely in the beam.
60 feet of span. Zero posts in your view. Reinforced aluminum beams with welded internal inserts carry the load, so nothing stands between you and the water — the same engineered wind rating, just without the post in the way.
Side-by-side comparison
| Standard Enclosure | RP Built Open View | |
|---|---|---|
| Center support posts | Yes — every 8–12 ft | None — spans up to 60′ |
| Typical beam width | 2″–3″ | 4″ × 8″ |
| Built to current (2023+) wind code | Depends on install date | Engineered to current code |
| Unobstructed sightline | No | Yes |
| Screen material | Standard/upgraded mesh options | Same options — no difference |
| Roof styles available | Flat, mansard | Flat, mansard — same options |
| Typical price | Baseline | Same or less than the baseline, built by RP Built |
Everything below the beam line — the mesh, the roof shape, the doors, the gutters — is identical between the two. Nobody is choosing a “lesser” enclosure by picking standard over Open View on materials. The only real trade is view versus (assumed) cost, and that assumption is what this comparison exists to correct.
Which one actually fits your yard
This isn’t purely a budget decision — the layout of your property matters:
- Waterfront, golf course, or preserve views: Open View is the obvious fit. A post standing in the middle of a lake or fairway view undercuts the entire point of the lot.
- Interior lots facing a neighbor’s yard or fence line: the view argument matters less here. A standard enclosure, or a Picture Window refurbishment on an existing structure, may deliver most of the benefit at a lower cost — see our Picture Window Refurbishment page for that option.
- Large or irregular-shaped pools/lanais: Open View’s ability to span up to 60′ without a post becomes more valuable as the enclosure gets wider — a standard design would need multiple posts across that span, each one breaking up the space.
Maintenance: there isn’t a difference
Both use the same screen mesh options and the same panel/rescreen process. Neither design is harder to clean, repair, or rescreen than the other — the beam is a one-time construction decision, not an ongoing maintenance variable.
The cost myth
The assumption that panoramic automatically costs more is based on how most of the market prices it, not on what it actually requires. See the full cost breakdown → or get your specific number.