Winter garden is mostly associated with its elegant extension on terrace which function as a conservatory. However, the investors begin to build it with the intention of using it as an additional room – as dining or living room. What is the winter garden made of? What are its functions? What is the cost of such glass structure? We provide the most important information.
What is the winter garden comprised of?
Winter garden is a structure made of glazing packages connected with aluminium or PVC profiles. Winter gardens can be added to the body of the house or be detached. Even though winter gardens look alike greenhouses in appearance, they are much more solid and stable. Furthermore, what differs them is the fact the winter gardens are always heated and placed on foundations.
Sliding doors and sun shields are also the key elements of the winter garden constructions. Sliding doors provide comfortable way to go outside and sun shields prevent the inside from overheating during heat waves and provide more privacy for the residents.
The roof should be inclined at an angle of at least 4 degrees to allow draining snow and water of it. The roof is mostly made from tempered glass – resistant to hailstorm and snow load.
Year-round gardens constructor, Paweł Majer, highlights that most of the investors choose lift and slide doors system (HST) to their structures which are easy-to-use and suitable for big glazing.
– Panoramic curtains and screen-type blinds are the most frequently used options for sidewalls’ sun shields. On the other hand, sunshades perform well on the roofs – the expert explains.
The maximum size of the Winter Garden which do not demand building permit is 25 square meters (270 ft2). If the size is within the limit, the build needs to be reported to the district office only. The most common surface size is from a dozen to twenty square meters, therefore this rules make it much easier for most investors.
What type of glass panes would be ideal for winter gardens
The walls and the roof of a structure are mostly made of a low-emission glass which isolates the heat well and provides good transparency. Energy-saving triple-glazed packets are the most frequently used.
What type of glass panes would be ideal for the roof of winter garden
Firmed up glaze packets, which are used to roof up the construction, are the inseparable element of every winter garden. Mostly they are made of tempered glass and glued glass. This combination guarantee high resistance to any external factors.
Many investors decide to use self-cleaning glass panes, which helps with cleaning and conservation of the garden through the whole year.
Glass panes visible for birds
Special glass panes which are visible for birds are becoming more and more popular. Regular glass panes are very dangerous for birds because they do not see it and happen to crash into glass panes. Especially if the glazings are huge and rooms behind the glass are bright, birds do not see the glass panes but just a flight path and it cause them to hit them with full force. Glass panes which work like a mirror are as dangerous as the regular ones. Birds see the reflection of a sky or trees in them which cause them to lose their lives in the clash with the glass obstacle.
The surface of the glass panes visible for birds is covered with special and transparent for a human eye layer created on the example of spider-web, which reflects the UV rays. An eye of a bird is highly-sensible for the UV light, therefore because of the reflected rays, they can see an obstacle exactly as a regular spider-web reflecting the light.
What is the best spot for the winter garden?
If the lowest cost possible of a winter garden was a factor, the best location for a winter garden would be a corner recess between the walls of a building. Due to that, the amount of glass walls used to make a winter garden become limited. An additional good of this solution is that the cost of a heating is lower, because its surface sticks to the hot facade of a building for the most part.
If we want to avoid extra heating up of the garden in the summer, it is worth to consider locating it on the north side. An east side is also a good choice which provides strong insolation only up to noon hours. On the other hand, if we consider winter garden as a greenhouse, a maximum lightning during the winter can turn out as a huge asset; south or west direction should be ideal then. Here is more about choosing a window considering an exposure of the sun.
The most important functions
Terrace winter garden usually functions as a greenhouse, perfect for growing exotic and Mediterranean plants for the whole year. It is a dream place for cactuses, citrus fruits, oleanders, laurel and pomegranates. Mentioned plants can survive a colder time of the year without any problems, even if our garden is not heated. The temperature inside the room should be around 10°C.
The plants can handle themselves, but what about the comfort of home dwellers? If we want the garden to function as a winter terrace, it is worth to install the heating. Paweł Majer highlights that more and more people treat this room as an additional room to their houses, which add a little bit of extravagancy to the whole architecture of a building.
– Many investors make dining rooms or living rooms in the winter gardens. Some of them install jacuzzi in there, which helps to relax surrounded by tropical plants – Filplast’s winter gardens constructor explains.
What type of a heating to use on the winter terrace?
Installing the heating in the winter garden provides ersatz of summer during colder days. No matter if making a year-round greenhouse is in our plans or just making a modern, glass room in the house, installing a floor heating should always be a good solution. However, if we choose the traditional radiators, low convection heater placed along the glass walls. Some of the investors decide to build a fireplace, which not only provides a good heating in the room but also creates an amazing atmosphere.
What is the cost of a Winter Garden?
The cost of a winter garden depends on many factors like its surface, a material of the construction, what glass panes were used or the finishing method.
The amount contains costs of:
- constructing and installing the garden,
- using tempered and low-emission glass on the roof,- making preparations for the foundations,
- making the floor heating
- making the linings (tiles)
Are you planning on B2B buying or selling a winter gardens?
For more specific details about a winter garden, please contact our expert!
Sergiusz Suliga
PVC & ALU specialist
mobile: +48 693 309 665
e-mail: sergiusz.suliga@filplast.pl