In this post we look at some of the key considerations when positioning the Conservatory or Sunroom doors. At Conservatory Designs we recommend you consider the following issues before deciding on the best location for the doors.

a) Conservatory doors are glazed fully to the floor and as such, direct your attention when you enter the room. Position the doors facing the longest point of the garden if possible, this gives the effect that the garden is bigger than it actually is.

b) Try to have the doors facing a feature in the garden, something that is easy on the eye rather than say a wall. Remember your first focus of attention will be through the doors.

c) The location of the conservatory doors will also affect the layout of the furniture and this can be important if the room is not particularly large. Do you need to keep a long wall for a couch, if so then maybe position the doors to the front of the conservatory? Remember if you are putting a T.V. into the conservatory or sunroom then the back of the TV should face the sun so not to have glare on the screen, will this affect the location of both the furniture and the doors?

d) It is also advisable to try to have the shortest distance from the house to the garden, this will ensure the minimum amount of floor space is wasted and also minimise traffic through the room.

e) If using French doors then consider the direction of the wind, if the doors face into the wind, then make sure that the leading door opens against the wind not with it. This will ensure that if there is a gust of wind that the door will be closed by the wind not opened where it might get damaged.

f) If considering new doors from the house into the Conservatory or Sunroom the remember to fit the doors to the outside of the reveal so that they can fold back onto the house wall 180 degrees and use up valuable floor space. Doors fitted to the middle of an opening can only open 90 degrees which will obstruct furniture and usable space when left opened.

If you need any advice when designing your new Conservatory or Sunroom then contact our office at 045 844002 or at www.conservatorydesigns.ie

Did you know the most common mistake made when building a Sunroom is not taking the loss of light to the main house into consideration? Did you know there is a difference between direct light and indirect light in your home?

Conservatory Designs specialise in constructing successful Sunroom designs which try to maximise the amount of sunlight into your home.

Sunrooms have a traditional slate and tile roof, which as you would expect, blocks a considerable amount of light from the room over which you build the sunroom. While the sunroom may be bright and airy, you may be left in a situation where you have to have the lights on in the internal room on a daily basis.

So what are the key elements to ensuring that you will maximise the light to the house

1. Construct the Sunroom with as highest possible an eave height possible, this will maximise the amount of direct sunlight to the internal room, and as the days get darker it ensures more light for longer.

1. Plaster and paint the ceiling rather than sheeting in timber. Timber sheeting which may appear as a cosy alternative is also a much darker option. Plastering the ceiling and painting white reflects a lot of light back into the house

1. Consider a Pavilion front to the Sunroom. A Pavilion front is basically a glass gable in the front of the sunroom instead of sloping the roof down at the front. It is more expensive option but will allow more light into the house.

1. Put in at least three roof lights into the roof, four if the design allows and the bigger the better. While many companies offer two roof lights as standard, our standard is the “as many as possible”. The more roof lights in the room then the brighter the room.

1. Consider widening internal windows in the house or converting to doors to allow more light penetrate into the internal rooms. Also be careful with the interior design, you should consider using bright colours which will also reflect light back into the house from the sunroom.

Before deciding on a sunroom remember your internal rooms will be darker, if this is an important factor then perhaps consider an energy efficient conservatory as an alternative. Also bear in the mind that all of the above suggestions cost more and may not be offered as a standard specification, at Conservatory Designs Ltd, we only offer the specification which ensures the best outcome for the client so remember no two quotations are alike though they may appear similar.

The Pavilion conservatory design is a variant on the popular Edwardian conservatory and with its elegant shape it will transform even the smallest of gardens.

Pavilion conservatories create a stunning visual impact both internally and externally and with the high pitch of the roof they offer a real sense of height and space.

Side Glazing

Conservatories Designs use Vista Therm Elite glass in all their projects. No more too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Vista Therm Elite glazing will:

• Eliminate heat loss in the cool months
• Help cut energy costs
• Make your conservatory more comfortable during winter

This glass is the latest and most revolutionary development in low emissivity glass with a U value of 1.1m/m2k. Heat generated within the room is reflected internally back into the room while cold from the outside is reflected back out while retaining 100% of the light transmission.

For further information, download our Elite glazing brochure .

Roof Glazing

We offer a choice of 35mm polycarbonate which incorporates 7 layers of insulation or Vista Therm Blue Elite glass.

Marlon

Our Marlon range of Polycarbonate is available in a range of colours including Clear, Tinted, Opal, and Tint on Opal. Polycarbonate is a remarkable insulating glazing material with a U value of 1.2. matching that of our Elite glass. Those clients whose conservatory may be overlooked by neighbours may also prefer the privacy offered by polycarbonate.

For further information, view the Marlon Thermal properties

Pilkington Active Blue glass

The alternative to Polycarbonate roofing is to use Pilkington Active Blue glass. This glazing option combines the Vista Therm Elite glazing to the inside with a blue tint antisun glass to the outside. The outside pane also has self cleaning solar control capabilities given the right conditions.
The attractive blue tint was specially designed for conservatory roofs and also offers excellent light transmission.

For further information, download the Pilkington Activ Blue glass brochure