• Manual:  A pole which operates a screw to open the roof ventilator.

• Electrical: A switch operates an electric motor on the roof ventilator.

• Thermostatically controlled electric motor on the roof ventilator.

Diy Conservatories & Accessories

Diy Conservatories and Roofs

May people ask what type roof I should have for my conservatory glass, gas filled, self cleaning, tinted, or perhaps polycarbonate, clear, tinted, and so on. Very confusing to say the least, and leads to total confusion when looking at conservatories.
We shall try to explain the differences between the two (Glass and polycarbonate) so you can choose which is best for you.

Around 18 years ago when glass was first used for conservatory roofs there were a few teething problems.
These were.
Conservatories got very hot during the summer and chilly during the winter.
Due to the transparent glass roofs, conservatories were found to be very bright to the eyes on sunny or light cloudy days
The roofs were not easy to get to so they often stayed grubby unless you had a friendly window cleaner.
With today’s next generation of glass we have now overcome all of these problems.

Conservatories with a glass roof will allow you to glimpse out of the roof, see the sky, trees, Sun and the Moon which is very nice but you will also see the dirt and the bird droppings. When it rains it’s very quite (unless it’s a hail storm) to overcome these problems Pilkington Glass have come up with some very good solutions.

Diy Conservatories Glass Roofs

A glass roof is properly the highest specification for Diy conservatories; considerable advances have taken place over the last few years as you will now see.
The glazed sections of the roof are made up glazed sealed units and are exactly the same as the double glazed units in the windows of your house, normally these are 25 mm in thickness and can be filled with argon gas to increase the thermal insulation and can have a special invisible coating to reflect the heat away from your conservatory known as Pilkington arctic glass therefore keeping it cool, Due to the transparent glass roofs on conservatories it can be very bright to the eyes on sunny and light cloudy days to overcome this you can have Pilkington Optifloat™ Tinted (previously known as Pilkington Anti sun™) can be used, and is manufactured in three colours, reduces the suns glare and lets you enjoy your conservatory even on the brightest day. And for any of you who just hate cleaning windows wait for it. Self cleaning glass, impressed!  

Diy Conservatories and Self Cleaning Glass

Self-cleaning glass is now available to overcome the problem of dirty glass roofs on Diy conservatories
How it works: the initial phase of the cleaning procedure is "photocatalytic". This is where the special coating on the glass reacts with the light to break down organic dirt.
The next phase is called"hydrophilic".When it rains the rainwater hits the glass it spreads out consistently, running off as a "sheet of water" removing the loosened dirt with it, also drying quickly without any marks.

Diy Conservatories Thermal Roof Insulation

Diy Conservatories should have good insulation values to their roofs to stop the heat from escaping during those cooler spring and autumn morning and evenings not to mention the winter. This is achieved by the sealed units in which the cavity between the two sheets of glass are fill with an inert gas called Argon, which has very good insulation properties. Also available is a metallic coating on one side of the glass which allows the heat from the sun to pass through the glass but will not let the heat pass back i.e. it only reflects the heat back into your conservatory this product is called is called Low-e, low emissivity glass or K glass.
Imagine looking at the frost and snow on the trees in your garden from a warm cosy conservatory you will think you have been transported to Nania the only thing we can't provide is the lion and wardrobe.

Diy Conservatories Solar Gain

Any building with glass will attract solar gain and Diy conservatories have oodles of glass. To reduce the effect of solar gain Pilkington glass have produced a glass called arctic blue which also controls solar gain  plus gives a good protection to the suns glare
Therefore you can assume that glass is a great product to have for your conservatory roof, but it will be at a premium.

Diy Conservatories and Polycarbonate Roofs

The other option to a glass roof is polycarbonate; polycarbonate roof sheets are manufactured from a plastic and are cellular for both strength and insulation the finishes are:

Clear 25 mm five wall polycarbonate. Light transmission approximately 75%. U-factor approximately 2.4. The name is a bit misleading as it is not clear like glass but slightly obscure, and is probably the most used of polycarbonate's. If it is used in south or south west positions you may find that the conservatory is very bright and you may need roof blinds also the solar gain will increase making the Diy conservatory warmer.

Bronze 25 mm five wall polycarbonate Light transmission approximately 45%. U-factor approximately 2.4 its properties are very good for protection from the sun and are ideal for Diy conservatories that are facing south or south west. But its worth remembering that it may make your conservatory a bit dark on overcast or cloudy days if used on north facing sites. However it looks good with uPVC mahogany and hardwood Diy conservatories.

Opal five wall polycarbonate Light transmission approximately 40%. U-factor approximately 2.4. Opal: Its properties are very good for protection from the suns heat and glare, ideal for conservatories facing south or south west. It also has another benefit in being opal this makes Diy conservatories light even on cloudy days and will also reflect the light back into your conservatory at night from your lights,

Diy Conservatories and Polycarbonate Roof Cleaning

Another good thing about polycarbonate it does not show the dirt grime, from the inside, however, it does require cleaning or green algae will discolour the roof and look unsightly from the outside.. Unfortunately the only way to clean this type of roof is to get up there with a bucket, sponge on long pole soap water and clean it, say every 4 months it takes around 15 min's.

The insulation is quite good 25mm is 2.5U-factor but not as good a sealed unit with a 2 U-factor. But the resistance to solar gain and a bright sunshine is good using the opal sheeting.

The advantage of polycarbonate is that it’s cheaper than glass, and has good insulation values. The lower the u-factor the higher the insulation.

Diy Conservatory Furniture

We expect you will be looking for some inexpensive smart cane furniture for your new conservatory. We can put you in touch with companies who special in quality inexpensive conservatory furniture.
Conservatory cane furniture is ideal for self build diy conservatories because cane will not fade warp and will always look good. With over 20 different designs and fabrics you will find the furniture for your conservatory from dining room to lounge.
This collection of conservatory dining furniture is considered to be exceptionally smart, practical and complements the choice of rattan and cane suites. If you require an elegant rattan conservatory dining table and chairs or perhaps a sideboard for your china and glasses ready for your dinner party  in your conservatory, we are in no doubt you will find something in this stunning range to inspire.

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This Diy conservatory furniture range contains many sofas and suites in banana leaf cane, and rattan. Big soft sofas in fashionable banana leaf, to stylish cane suites; all conservatory furniture is of the uppermost quality you can choose the precise fabrics and finishes to bring together your conservatory impeccably with your home. This makes your conservatory a natural transition from indoors to being in the garden.
To bring your conservatory 'look' together, you can also have finishing touches such as scatter cushions in similar or contrasting fabrics  even lamp tables, coffee tables and footstools to make furnishing your conservatory trouble-free, inexpensive and pleasing.

Diy Conservatories Blinds

Roller conservatory Blinds

Conservatory blinds are an important accessory for Diy conservatories that you may need,they will prevent your furniture and fabrics from fading in the sun and will make your conservatory look more like a room. Conservatory blinds not only keep your conservatory cool in the summer but they will also keep your conservatory warm in the winter by stopping the heat escaping through the roof. There are many different types of conservatory blinds and colour's to choose from.

Solar R Conservatory Blinds

Solar R is the highest performing conservatory blind fabric presently available, reflecting 85% of the sun's heat, so you can be assured that your conservatory will stay cool on hot sunny days in the summer and help to keep you warm in the winter by keeping the heat in.
Especially light weight and effortless to keep clean, Solar R conservatory blinds prevents glare,so no more squinting on bright sunny days, nevertheless permits adequate light i to your conservatory for your plants to flourish.

Diy Conservatories - Base Construction Many people may find the building of the base a little bit daunting, but providing you follow the guide lines you should not go far wrong. Firstly you need to reduce any high levels of ground so you have a flat area. Now mark out the foundation trench with string lines then excavate to a depth of 750mm x 450mm wide but the most important issue is it must be on load bearing soil, The next step is to cast the foundations mark out the level of the concrete by driving in some steel pins 12.5mm about 100mm from the top of the trench see self build diy conservatories Base Construction this will now give you you your concrete level. The foundation can now be cast concrete mix 1:8 all in reinforced with 3 12.5mm reinforcing bars 50mm from the bottom of the trench.

Planning permission for Diy conservatories To keep a firm rein on new developments; conservatories, extensions and loft conversions, planning requirements are getting tighter to ensure that the type of home improvement is in keeping with the surrounding houses and neighbourhood. I am sure we all agree - 'nobody would wish to live next to a monstrosity'. Click for information on Planning Permission for Diy Conservatories.

Why people choose Diy Conservatories? We have listed a few reasons why people have decided to buy and build Diy Conservatories. Why choose Diy conservatories?