Classic Home Improvements - over 150 years industry experience

Better Homes and Gardens, September 2001

So you want to add a sunroom

Expand your family's living space all-year round with an airy, sun-loving extension. A partial-glass ceiling lets daylight pour inside to lift your spirits, even on the gloomiest winter days.

Not sure how to start planning your sunroom? It's easy. Just follow our four-step guide to find out what's involved. Then hand the job over to the pros.

1. The first thing to consider when planning a sunroom is aspect. An easterly or north-easterly aspect will capture morning sun in winter and give protection from the afternoon sun in summer. A south-facing sunroom won't receive direct sunlight but will receive even light during the day. Northern and western aspects should be avoided; they get the full force of the sun and can become unbearably hot in summer.

2. For comfort in summer, the room must be cross-ventilated to prevent heat build up. Place windows and doors opposite each other and include a ridge vent or roof window so hot air can rise and escape, and cool air can come in from below to create a natural breeze.

3. Shade is important, and it can be as simple as a deciduous tree. Custom reflective blinds are effective, too. The sunroom shown is shaded by a combination of roofing materials. The glass wall and gable are complemented by polystyrene roof panels that shade overhead. The panels are self supporting, so framework isn't required. And the finish doesn't need setting, sanding and painting like a plasterboard ceiling. Light floods into the centre of the room through fixed glass panels.

4. The room's structure is lightweight aluminium, so it could be bolted directly to the patio. The powder-coated finish was colour-matched to the windows to blend the new sunroom with the house.

Before: This bare, windswept patio is the perfect site for an all-weather sunroom.

After: The new extension has an abundance of windows and doors maximise cross-ventilation. This type of airflow is essential for keeping the space cool in summer. And just look at the difference the sunroom has made to the visual appeal of the home!

Design and construction by Ian Cubitt's Classic Home Improvements.