Design for a new conservatory

[charlie]

Did you move forward with this project this year?

[kGarden]

Yes, roof going on the "orangery" section at present, "Conservatory" section still being built.

Conservatory is 4M x 4.5M, Orangery is 9m x3m (4M high at the back wall - it's profile is lean-to shaped). There is also a 3M square extension at the end for a potting shed - I'll be like a Pig-in-Poo!

The Orangery will have some wide/stubby windows at the top of the back wall - the plan is that they will be mechanically opened (e.g. using Bayliss expanding-wax-piston vent-openers), and the windows and doors at the front will have top-hinged openers along their bottom, so I am hoping that opening those, and the high-up back vents, will give me good (enough?) through ventilation. There will be some velux "lights" in the roof, not sure whether they need to be automated opening, or not (i.e. so we can relax if we go away for a weekend during a heat-wave!) - or even if they will need, instead, some external shading - such as a roll of split-canes that can be unwound over the lights.

The Conservatory is just a square box with a pitched, glazed, roof. There will be a bullseye vent in the apex, and I'm looking at some ridge vents that Velux do - looks like a modern equivalent of the old rack-and-pinion continuous vents in greenhouse (although unnecessarily poncy to my mind - the openers are completely hidden from view, whereas I quite like the rack-and-pinion being on show) but the architect tells me that the Velux kit is completely sorted for rain-proof and to get a good seal for insulation, also double glazed, so I guess we will go with that.

Not decided on the glass yet. The building is seriously well insulated, so we really need double-glazed, otherwise the condensation will be a bore, but getting "plain" glass is not easy - the double glazed units are wanting to be argon filled and have special glass coatings, which I doubt will let through any of the light spectrum that the plants need! Anyways, the builder is looking into "plain glass" :)

Was due to be finished before Winter ... so my greenhouse is stuffed with plants, and is not insulated enough for my 3kW heater to cope, so praying that the mild weather continues until the plants can move into their new home.

All very exciting - provided the money doesn't run out before it is finished!!

[charlie]

That sounds pretty damn good, I hope we will get to see some pictures eventually? Very sensible having a multi purpose building.

I have plain glass on my new greenhouse roof in double glazed panels, expensive but so far more than living up to expectations. one thing to note, because of where my roof is and its size there was some concern to maneuvering the full size panels in place by hand and I decide to go for a join half way down, this looks fine and it doesn't leak as such but on cold nights the condensation (the space is not heated) runs down the top half and drips off the join, might be a real issue for your upmarket construction so I would avoid doing it.

[kGarden]

I hope we will get to see some pictures eventually?

Needless to say it looks much like a building site at present ...


Conservatory foreground, Orangery beyond


I think the brickwork looks good - dunno whether we will wind up broke in the process! but we have gone for some ornamentation of piers and corbelling, and stone (well ... fake stone!) on top of the parapet

Thanks for the advice on glazing, most helpful and in particular reassuring that we are on the right tack.

What's the furthest East you travel to shows? I'd love to have some nice Lapagerias, but the West Country is a long way for me, starting from here.

[charlie]

Loving the brickwork, after its done (and paid for!!) you will be so pleased you went the extra mile.

I have been known to come up to Cambridge area for British Clematis society meetings but have no plans at present, I think the nearest plant sale next year, that I know is booked in, would be Chenies manor, Buckinghamshire on July 20th Not sure whether you are inland Suffolk or coastal (which is still a long way!)

[kGarden]

Not been to Chenies Manor before, its an hour and a half and would make a nice day out. I've put the date in my diary and I'll contact you nearer the time.

[JonK]

K

I've recently bought some DG units for the roof lights in the new extension. I've gone for Pilkington Activ which comes in a clear form as well as tinted. I've got the clear as my partner wants decent light for her art work but it helps with the plants ;) .
The 28mm thick DG units (4mm glass with 20mm gap) are argon filled and were quite reasonable for the size (about £75.00 square metre not including the frames). They were from UA Glass in Norwich so I'm sure they would deliver to you. Any questions, just ask. I've not got any photos yet (the glass only went in yesterday and the bifold doors not until Monday) but I'll see what I can do.

[kGarden]

Thanks, I'll give them a call.

The Argon thing is interesting. Everything I have read suggests that the Argon dissipates in 5 - 10 years, thus the u-Value decreases - and I'm keen to find units with a u-Value that I am happy with that is permanent, so to speak. I suspect that the coming thing will be vacuum based, with an ability to "top up" the vacuum during the unit's lifetime (only windows I have seen that have a vacuum have a ghastly looking valve on them), I'll enquire about the Pilkington glass though, thanks for that.

Having said that, I'm not as worried about u-Value in the Orangery, which will be essentially unheated, or slightly heated, as I would be in a house.

[kGarden]

Not much to report - the need to overwinter plants means that we have put some old sheets of perspex over the openings pro temp, and then when we get the plants out in the Spring we can screed the floor, insert the windows, and make it functional.





I've been off on a pipe dream about fruit trees that could be overwintered under cover and then wheeled out onto the terrace for the Summer. I wonder if Apricots, Nectarines, Peaches and the like really do well enough in containers though ...

[flounder]

I think it's already functional ;)
The upheaval and disruption is all worth it in the end