Outdoor SunSpaces News

Staying sane throughout the current lockdown has been a challenge at times, but one thing we've heard from a lot of SunSpaces customers recently is that their garden rooms have been enormously helpful in that regard.

Take Mr Usher, who added a SunSpace to his home in Middlesex a few years ago:

"We purchased our garden room (as well as some decking) from SunSpaces in June 2017. The room added the one thing our garden was lacking: additional covered space that we could enjoy late into the day, and which would give us shelter from the breeze and rain.

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Our stylish glass sunrooms are fast becoming an extremely popular alternative to more traditional home extensions.

This is partially because our sunrooms can be installed with no foundation whatsoever.

So installing a SunSpaces garden room is far quicker and less labour-intensive than building a conservatory.

What's the Difference Between a Sunroom and a Conservatory?

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Conservatory. Sunroom. Orangery.

These three words are often mixed up and misused. We explained the difference between a sunroom and a conservatory in a previous blog post - today we're going to try and define what an orangery is, and how it differs from the other two.

Here's an example of what an orangery looks like:

Photo by Elliott Brown (License)

As you can see, an orangery looks very similar to a conservatory, but there's one defining difference: a conservatory has a glass roof, whereas an orangery has a solid roof.

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Our range of verandas and garden rooms are available to order with a variety of customisable options. From sound, heating, locking doors and gutter options, with SunSpaces you are truly able to make your veranda or garden room your own.

One of the main options available, however, is the material of the roof. Choose from either glass or polycarbonate, but which is better? Here we take a look at the two materials, providing the advantages and disadvantages of both.

Glass Roofs

Advantages:

• Glass roof provide ideal acoustic properties, meaning less noise will be made during heavy rainfall
• Completely clear material results in great opportunities to gaze outside at the stars at night and birds in the day
• Clean, polished appearance brings a classy look to the property

Disadvantages:

• Potential safety risk if panels are not of a good enough quality
• Little to no UV protection
• Sometimes slightly costlier

Polycarbonate Roofs

Advantages:

• Life expectancy of up to 25 years
• Cost-effective option
• Very high impact resistance
• Available in a variety of clarity options
• High UV protection
• Excellent structural performance
• Maintains strength and colour over a long period of time
• Resistance to all weather conditions
• Self-extinguishing qualities

Disadvantages:

• Unlike a glass roof, you are not able to have a clear view of the sky unless a solid polycarbonate is used
• Poor acoustic properties – quite noisy during heavy rainfall

The main points

The roof of your garden room or veranda is its most important feature. It keeps the structure together as well as protecting it from rain, wind and snow. But with different material options available, it can become quite difficult to choose the right one. Above we have listed some of the main advantages and disadvantages when it comes to polycarbonate vs glass roofs, but a few of these stand out more than others, so let’s take a deeper look!

Sounds Insulation

If you’ve ever been under a polycarbonate roof during heavy rainfall, you’ll definitely be familiar with the loud thudding and sometimes unbearable noises that occur. Unfortunately, this is enough to put the majority of homeowners off as a veranda and garden room is a place where people want to sit back and relax, not listen to loud and annoying noises. Being interrupted with the loud thudding of rain and the howling wind is the last thing you want, therefore, if a peaceful space is something you’re interested, a glass roof is definitely the choice for you.

Aesthetics

Glass roofs enable light to fill your garden room as well as providing beautiful views that you can use to gaze at the sky and surroundings during both day and night. Its classier appearance enables structures to look more prestige, perfect for homeowners looking to create a property that stands out. Polycarbonate roofs, on the other hand, are often translucent so not completely clear and do not offer the same look like glass.

Maintenance

Glass roofs often use an easy clean coating which repels dirt fantastically. The provides a clean-looking roof that doesn’t require much effort to keep looking good. Polycarbonate roofs sometimes do not offer this level of low-maintenance and require some level of upkeep to remove dirt and moss.   

And there you have it – our polycarbonate vs glass roof comparison! Here at SunSpaces, we offer both glass and polycarbonate roof options for our range of verandas and garden rooms. However, our selection of polycarbonate and glass roofs are made of the very best materials, meaning the differences between the two are very slight and ultimately come down personal preference.

For more information on our polycarbonate and glass roofs, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of the SunSpaces team today by calling 01727 845 788 or emailing info@sunspaces.co.uk

When it comes to promoting creativity and artistic flair, nothing stimulates the creative juices quite like your own personal space.

The hustle and bustle of daily life often isn’t conducive to a productive, expressive environment and time away from the world can be just what you need to kick your creativity into overdrive.

With that in mind, why not harness the power of a SunSpace for your artistic side? A SunSpace garden room is the perfect location for secluded serenity and imaginative indulgence.

How so? Read on to find out…

Benefits of a garden art studio

Whether it’s the TV blaring, the kids screaming or sounds of household appliances filling your head, the soundtrack of home life can not only be a distraction but also a creative buzzkill.

Anyone that has ever had to work from home will know all too well how easy it is to be distracted. From a full fridge to the allure of Netflix, diversions can come in many forms, not to mention the needs of any loved ones you may live with.

Dedicating a specific space for work can be a fantastic way to focus and keep your mind on the task at hand. Simply shut the door, leave the world behind and zone out.

With a SunSpace garden room, audio irritants are brushed aside in favour of your own den of zen. What’s more, visual stimulation is often said to be great for inspiring creativity and a garden environment full of greenery and scenery can be just the ticket.

Things to consider

Creating a home art studio in your garden can be a uniquely effective solution to your artistic roadblocks; however, there are a few things worth keeping in mind in order to keep your space as comfortable and stimulating as possible.

Heating

When it comes to comfort, heating is arguably up there at the very top of the list. After all, a cold garden room can seem a lot less inviting once the temperature takes a downward turn.

A bitterly cold garden room is not a great way to spend your evenings at the best of times, let alone when you’re trying to be creative. Nip that problem in the bud with one of our wide variety of garden room heating options.

Sound

For some, music can be a great way to stimulate creativity whereas, for others, silence may indeed be golden. If you fall on the musical side of that equation, we have the perfect solution for you.

At SunSpaces, our "Model 5" Bluetooth heater kills two birds with one stone, providing thermal insulation and stereo sound in one remote-controlled piece of equipment. For an all-in-one solution, it really is hard to beat.

On the other hand, if you do prefer peace and quiet when you’re at work, you may want to go the other way and consider sound-proofing. Speak with our trained staff for more information on options.

Lighting

When it comes to art, working in the dark is not an option and without effective lighting, any kind of artistic creativity is naturally going to hit a pretty hefty roadblock when the sun goes down.

While working in candlelight may have its own gothic appeal, it’s not the safest solution and is largely a short-term fix. For ample lighting that won’t let you down, electric is the only way to go. Luckily, we’ve got you covered there too.

Our garden rooms can also be fitted with LED spotlights integrated into the roof for perfect visibility all day long. These LED spotlights come in sets of 6, remotely controlled for effortless light management.

Speaking of electrical hook-ups…

Power

While you can do without it, if you’re looking to make your garden room a permanent residence for your artistic side, you may want to consider getting it hooked up with an electrical supply.

Electricity can provide uninterrupted freedom for you while you’re in your garden art studio. Whether you want to expand your heating/lighting options or accessorise your space with a computer/scanner for your work, electricity can be more than a little handy.

When it comes to electrical supply to your garden room, you’ll need to connect your garden room to your mains supply in your property. For this, the underground option is the safest move but don’t attempt to do it yourself – consult a trained electrician for further details.

What are you waiting for? Unleash your creative side with your very own garden art studio and get in touch today by calling SunSpaces on 0800 085 8110 or drop us an email using the button below.

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