Replacing Your Conservatory

A Case Study

The Brief:

* To gain extra living space for a large family and new Labrador pup
* Create a room, which could be used all year round
* Allow more light into the property
* Provide views of the beautiful garden

Design:
Franklin Conservatories specialises in installing aluminium conservatories. Due to its remarkable resistance to corrosion aluminium is almost unaffected by the weather, whereas wood requires regular stripping and varnishing to protect it from the elements. The Wrens’ conservatory was designed using powder-coated aluminium on the outside and ash hardwood on the inside, giving it all the benefits of aluminium and the beauty of wood.

The Roof:
Being a large and busy family, it was important for the Wrens to select a glass that needed minimal maintenance. They chose to install Pilkington Activ™ Blue combined with Pilkington K Glass™ in the roof. Pilkington Activ™ Blue is designed specifically for conservatories. It is a blue-tinted glass that combines dual-action self-cleaning properties with solar and thermal control technology.

Pilkington Activ™ Blue has a dual action coating that uses UV rays to break down organic dirt (for example, fingerprints, bird droppings, tree resin) and then encourages rainwater to flow down the glass in an even ‘sheeting’ effect washing away any loosened dirt. This ‘sheeting’ action prevents water from forming droplets and drying in streaks and smears following a rain shower; it also means that there is a clear view through the window even after the heaviest downpour.

The blue glass allows considerably less heat into the room compared to standard glass as it absorbs the heat and re-radiates it back outside, helping to keep room interiors cool in the summer whilst maintaining temperatures in the winter, when combined with Pilkington K Glass™. It also has an aesthetic benefit; it reduces reflection and glare from the sun, giving uninterrupted exterior views, and improves the outlook on even the greyest of days.

The Windows:
The Wrens chose to glaze the vertical windows with Pilkington Optifloat™ combined with low emissivity Pilkington K Glass™, which improves energy efficiency and is designed to reflect heat back into the room. Heat from the radiators and stove are reflected back into the conservatory allowing the Wrens to stay at a comfortable temperature during the cold winter months without worrying about fuel bills.
David Franklin, Managing Director of Franklin Conservatories says, “Our philosophy on conservatories is that air-conditioning is unnecessary. We recommend Pilkington glass products to all our customers as the company’s innovations in glass mean customers can enjoy their conservatories without worrying about one more thing going wrong. By installing Pilkington’s solar control glass combined with appropriate ventilation, there should be no need for air-conditioning.”

The Result:
An entirely new living area, creating a light and spacious area the whole family can enjoy all year round. The Wrens were careful to ensure the new conservatory was in keeping with the rustic charm of the property by opting for a cream colour scheme and tumbled limestone flooring throughout. Jayne then installed a wood-burning stove to complete the look.

“I am so pleased with the results,” exclaims Jayne. “The conservatory is a god-send. It creates more living space for us all and is where we now spend most of our time as a family. Most importantly, installing Pilkington Activ™ Blue self-cleaning glass has meant that we spend hardly any time cleaning the conservatory and more time enjoying it. The solar and thermal control technology in the glass, helps prevent our conservatory from getting too hot in the summer and also keeps us warm in the winter so we now have a fantastic light and airy room, which enables us to sit and look at the garden all year round.”

The Pilkington Active Product

A Review

Pilkington Activ™ Neutral is a revolutionary new double-coated glass that combines dual-action, self-cleaning properties with solar control performance and is perfect for use in glass extensions and conservatory roofs and windows. As the name suggests, Pilkington Activ™ Neutral is neutral in colour and particularly suitable for conservatories, glass extensions, skylights and large French doors to allow natural uninterrupted views of surrounding gardens.

Solar Control
Pilkington Activ™ Neutral uses advanced solar control technology which helps prevent conservatories becoming unbearably hot in the summer. The interior surface of Pilkington Activ™ Neutral is covered in a thin layer of solar control coating, which reduces the amount of heat let into a room by reflecting the heat back outside. Pilkington Activ™ Neutral is so effective it can prevent around 60 per cent of solar heat from entering into a conservatory.

Self-Cleaning
The exterior surface of Pilkington Activ™ Neutral is covered in a microscopically thin and virtually invisible permanent dual-action coating, which reacts with UV rays to breakdown and loosen organic dirt (e.g. finger prints, tree sap, bird droppings and pollen) from the surface of the glass. The coating then encourages rainwater to sheet down the surface of the glass without forming into separate droplets. This ‘sheeting’ process washes away the broken down dirt and easily removes loose particles of non-organic dirt (sand, dust particles etc).

Pilkington Activ™ Neutral is available now through all good suppliers in the UK at a price premium of around 15-20 per cent over the fully-installed cost of standard PVC-U windows.

Window Cleaning

Hated or Loved?

Self-cleaning glass could save 12 million hours a year cleaning windows

It’s a rather gloomy outlook, but window cleaning is one of the most hated household chores. Yet as a nation we still spend up to 11.9 million hours a year trying to make our glass sparkle.

According to a new nationwide survey for Pilkington Activ™ self-cleaning glass, cleaning windows and conservatories was deemed the second-most time consuming household task (28%) behind only the ironing (30%). Because of this, nearly two-thirds of home-owning adults claimed they cleaned their windows far less frequently than they completed other essential household chores. Giving a rather grubby insight into the nation’s cleaning habits, it’s estimated that 2.9 million homeowners only clean their windows once a year or less, and a staggering 974,000 have never picked up a chamois leather or a squeegee in their lives.

A third of respondents put the lack of window-cleaning enthusiasm down to the difficulty of the task involved. A further 12% claimed they didn’t have enough time and 11% cited boredom as the reason for their infrequent window cleaning – hardly surprising considering 52% said it took them between one and five hours to complete the job.

Supposedly, the North-South divide is closing. But when it comes to cleaning windows this could not be further from the truth.

A smeary 63% of southerners claimed window cleaning to be the chore they did the least, compared with just over half (54%) in the North. In fact, nearly a fifth (18%) of Southerners admitted to cleaning their windows just once a year or less, compared with a 12% national average and an impressively low 9% in the North.

When asked what inventions would make housework less laborious, self-cleaning glass was the second most-wanted domestic invention together with an automatic shirt ironer and behind only an automated vacuum cleaner. However, unlike many time and labour-saving domestic inventions, Pilkington Activ™ self-cleaning glass is readily available from window suppliers and has been proven to work.

The secret of Pilkington Activ™ self-cleaning glass is a virtually invisible, dual-action ultra-thin coating that uses the weather to make the glass clean itself.

It does this in two ways:

First, it is photocatalytic: UV rays from the sun, abundant on even the cloudiest of days, cause the glass to react chemically with dirt and organic deposits, breaking them down and loosening them from the surface of the glass.

Also, it is hydrophilic: this means it attracts rainwater, which then slides down and off the surface of the glass without forming into separate droplets. This ensures that loosened particles of dust and dirt are easily washed off during normal rainy weather without leaving smears or rain marks.

As the photocatalytic activity is continuous, even stubborn deposits, such as bird droppings or tree resin, will eventually be broken down and slide off the glass.

Interior Design Tips

Improving Your Home

1. Choose furniture that will look good in winter and summer, something neutral so that you can change the accessories with the seasons, and with a low back so that you can make the most of the view into the garden.

2. Add a wool rug to warm up the floor to make the conservatory look more comfortable and inviting. Pilkington Activ™ Blue combined with Pilkington K Glass™ will also contribute to the overall warmth of the conservatory as it prevents heat being lost from the room by reflecting it back into the home.

3. Add lights to illuminate particular plants – it really adds drama and draws you out into the garden. Lighting on steps is a clever idea; they lead you into the garden and make it easy for you to see where you are going when it is dark as well as adding ambience.

4. Choose plants that flower at different times of the year so that you have colour all year round. Evergreen trees such as Maiten (Maytenus Boaria) and Luma (Myrtus Luma) have green leaves all through the winter and produce flowers in spring and summer. A Virginia Creeper is also ideal as it has green leaves in summer and red leaves in autumn.

5. Bring plants in pots closer to the conservatory so that you can enjoy them in the winter. Rearrange the furniture to have a seat in the conservatory by the windows so that you can see into the garden but you are warm inside. Trees with ornamental bark such as Chinese Paperbark Maple (Acer Griseum) and Manchurian Bird Cherry (Prunus Maackii) make for interesting winter garden features.

6. When the weather turns cold, bring tender plants indoors to keep them safe from frost and to add some ‘life’ to your conservatory. Add to them with indoor plants so that you have an ‘indoor garden’.

Replacing Your Conservatory

Your Ultimate Guide

It was big with plenty of room – temperature control was the only issue; cold in the winter and boiling hot in the summer meant the room could only be used at sporadic times throughout the year and the doors linking the two areas together were permantely shut in the winter. The existing glass roof was also filthy making it appear dark and gloomy, consequently the blinds were drawn to hide the dirty glass and keep the sun out.

Type of Property: Detached House
Location: Cheshire
Timescale: 4 weeks refurbishment project, completed September 2006
Cost of project: £25,000 including glass

The Brief:
To bring the conservatory into the kitchen making it a welcoming environment all year round for the whole family.

Step 1 – The Roof and Windows:
The 10-year-old conservatory foundations and dwarf walls were in perfect shape, however the wooden frames were beginning to show signs of rot through lack of maintenance. With the improvements in frames and glazing, local company Tuff X (Glass Supplier) and Knutsford Conservatories (Installers) recommended that all glass in the vertical windows as well as the roof of the conservatory should be replaced to provide an instant cost-effective solution.

The Windows:
Being a busy family it was important for the Granges to select a glass that needed minimal maintenance. They chose to glaze the vertical windows with Pilkington Activ™ (a self-cleaning glass) combined with low emissivity Pilkington K Glass™. Pilkington Activ™ has a virtually invisible coating on the surface of the glass that reacts with UV rays to break down and loosen organic dirt (e.g. fingerprints, bird droppings, tree resin). It is also hydrophilic meaning it encourages rainwater to flow down the glass in an even ‘sheeting’ motion washing away the dirt. This ‘sheeting’ action also stops water from drying in unsightly streaks and smears and also means that a clear view through the window is provided, even during the heaviest downpour.

Pilkington K Glass™ improves energy efficiency and is designed to reflect heat back into a building, thus allowing the Granges to stay at a comfortable temperature during the cold winter months, especially as the conservatory now flows directly from the kitchen, without any internal doors. In total, 67 square metres of Pilkington K Glass™ was used for the inner panes of the insulating glass unit.

The Roof:
In order to further combat the temperature issue the Granges replaced their existing glass roof with a solar controlled glass roof made with Pilkington Activ™ Blue. Only recently launched, Pilkington Activ™ Blue is designed specifically for conservatories. It’s a blue coloured glass that combines dual-action self-cleaning properties with solar control technology. Essentially the blue glass allows considerably less heat into the room compared to standard glass. In fact it reduces heat transference into the conservatory by approximately 43%* because the blue tint absorbs the heat and re-radiates it back outside, helping to keep room interiors cool in the summer whilst maintaining temperatures in the winter. The blue colour also has an aesthetic benefit; it reduces reflection and glare from the sun giving uninterrupted exterior views, and improves the outlook on even the greyest of days. A total of 33m of Pilkington Activ™ Blue was installed in the roof, with the additional benefit of a glass roof giving considerable noise reduction from the rain.

“Pilkington Activ™ Blue has made an enormous difference to our conservatory,” says Jill Grange. “With a garden that’s surrounded by mature trees, the conservatory roof was often covered in leaves, moss and tree resin, but it’s so awkward to reach that neither I nor my husband had the time or the inclination to climb a ladder and clean. I honestly didn’t think we’d be able to find a glass that would keep itself clean and the room at a fairly constant temperature so Pilkington Activ™ Blue is a godsend!”

Jill continues, “I also didn’t really want blinds in the conservatory as the outlook to the back garden is quite spectacular, but the room was boiling in the summer and freezing in the winter without them. Not any more though! The combination of Pilkington Activ™ Blue and K Glass™ has removed the need for blinds altogether. It made sense for us to pay a price premium on the glass as the cost of blinds would have been at least £4,500.”

Step 2 – Painting and Furnishings:
To merge the conservatory and kitchen together, the internal set of adjoining doors was removed and the same floor tiles were laid throughout. This, coupled with the same shade of paint throughout, unified the two separate rooms into one integrated space. Jill then bought a new contemporary style dining table, chairs and sofas to complete the look.

The Result:
An entirely new kitchen-come-living area. The once isolated conservatory has been sympathetically brought into the home, creating a spacious area the whole family can enjoy all year round.

“I am so pleased with the results,” exclaims Jill. “Initially it was my intention to only replace the glass in the conservatory and ‘make good’ any of the existing wooden frames which required attention. However after deciding to install premium glass, I decided that the investment for a new maintenance-free U-pvc conservatory was well worth it, bearing in mind the existing footprint and dwarf walls for the conservatory were already in place and in good shape.”

Jill goes on to say, “Installing Pilkington Activ™ Blue self-cleaning glass, has had exactly the desired effect, I feel like the conservatory is now a part of the kitchen and it is where we spend the most time as a family. We can sit and eat dinner as a family in the summer and winter, or just use it as a casual lounge where we can sit and relax and take advantage of the good views of the garden – I just love it. It’s now a completely modern room, where we now tend to spend most of our time”

Your Guide To The Ultimate Summer Conservatory

Ten Things To Consider

1. Make sure you’ve got permission! Some conservatories can be built without planning permission, some can’t – make sure you find out before you get started. Your local authority is the best place to see whether or not you need permission.

2. Glass is the most important part of any conservatory, so make the right choice. When it does get hot it can sometimes feel like you’re sitting in a greenhouse rather than a cool, relaxing sun room, which is why Pilkington Activ™ Neutral is such a breakthrough for conservatories. Using advanced solar control technology, the inner surface is covered in a transparent, thin layer of solar control coating, which reduces solar heat from entering a conservatory by around 60 per cent – preventing it and you from becoming unbearably hot.

3. The expansive glass areas in conservatories are there to be enjoyed – but you don’t want to spend more time keeping it clean than you do sitting in it. As keeping the glass clean can be costly and time-consuming, Pilkington Activ™ Neutral, which uses UV rays and rainwater to keep itself clean, is the ideal solution. It’s also environmentally-friendly, giving you additional peace of mind.

4. Be certain you know what the room will be used for – whether that’s a dining room, children’s play area or just a general relaxation space – and make sure the end result fulfils your needs. Do your research into different layouts and styles, and ensure that the style you choose fits in with the rest of your home and garden.

5. A conservatory is for life, not just for summer! Some conservatories can be too cold to use in winter, so make sure that’s not the case with yours by ensuring low emissivity glazing such as Pilkington K Glass™ is used throughout and by installing under-floor heating. You’ll be able to use it all year round, and will even be able to enjoy a mince pie there at Christmas!

6. The right furniture can really make a conservatory. Select neutral tones for your major pieces of furniture, and you can then decorate them with different seasonal accessories such as cushions and throws. Lime greens and lemons are perfect for summer, whilst darker plums and browns work best in winter.

7. Make the garden an extension of your house. Install folding doors that open up to bring the outside in.

8. There is much more to lighting than simply lighting! Illuminating plants can really add drama and draw you out into the garden, whilst lighting on steps is a clever idea for adding a distant focal point.

9. Keep it versatile. Changing the floor is a quick and easy way of changing the whole look and feel of your conservatory. A large, dark wool rug is warming for winter and swapping it for a bright, white cotton version can give the room an instant summer vibe.

10. Take good care of your garden, especially the bit that you can see from the conservatory! You’ll be looking at it as you relax, so make sure it’s kept looking good and carefully tended.

Creating A First Floor Glass Conservatory

A Property Case Study

To gain extra living space on the first floor and allow maximum sunlight into the property making it a bright and light home environment.

Design:
The Stevens enlisted the help of local architect Eduardo Hoyos and experts in glazing technology Payne Windows to build the conservatory. Their main aim was to imitate the Georgian design of the property, whilst also giving it a contemporary feel, so that the Stevens were comfortable using it as additional living space. A key feature of the design was the addition of glass blocks in the floor of the conservatory to increase the amount of natural daylight in the kitchen below. This was a huge benefit, as the size of the kitchen window was restricted by the planning authorities, due to the property’s Grade II listed status.

The Roof and Windows:
Due to the obvious inaccessibility to clean the structure, it was important for the Stevens to select a glass that needed minimal maintenance. They chose to install Pilkington Activ™ Blue combined with low emissivity Pilkington K Glass™.

Pilkington Activ™ Blue is designed specifically for conservatories. It is a blue-tinted glass that combines dual-action self-cleaning properties with solar control technology. The dual-action coating uses UV rays to break down and loosen organic dirt (e.g. fingerprints, bird droppings, sap and pollen) and then encourages rainwater to flow down the glass in an even ‘sheeting’ effect, washing away any loosened dirt. This ‘sheeting’ action helps prevent water from forming droplets and drying in streaks and smears following a rain shower; it also means that there is a clear view through the window even after the heaviest downpour.

The blue glass allows considerably less heat into the room compared to standard glass, as it absorbs the heat and re-radiates it back outside, helping to keep room interiors cool in the summer. It also has an aesthetic benefit; it reduces reflection and glare from the sun, giving uninterrupted exterior views, and improves the outlook on even the greyest of days.

Pilkington K Glass™ improves energy efficiency and is designed to reflect heat back into the conservatory, thus helping the Stevens to stay at a comfortable temperature during the cold winter months with less concern about fuel bills.

The Result:
An entirely new living area, creating a light and spacious room the whole family can enjoy all year round. The Stevens were careful to ensure the new conservatory was not only in keeping with the simple clean lines of the rest of the property, but that externally it fitted well with the mix of traditional and modern buildings surrounding it. The unusual design even won a Merit Award for Innovative Design in the Glassex Conservatory Design Competition 2007.

“We’re absolutely delighted with the results,” exclaims Rachel. “We love the bold design of the structure and even the conservation officer preferred it to a fake Georgian one. It’s given us loads more space and the kids love the funky design, especially as the glass blocks are such an unusual feature. Most importantly, installing Pilkington Activ Blue™ self-cleaning glass has meant that we hardly need to clean the conservatory and we’re able to spend more time enjoying it. We now have a private space which allows us to sit and sky-watch all year round – I just love it.”

Pilkington Activ™ and Activ™ Blue are available now through all good suppliers in the UK at a price premium of around 15-20% over the fully-installed cost of standard PVC-U windows.

Singing The Praises Of Glass Bifold Doors

Looking At The Benefits

Many people may ask why glass bifold doors should be used in UK households? Well, they can create a huge amount of space in a home, together with contemporary character and bringing a sense ofl ambiance to any ordinary room. Whilst traditional patio and French doors have limitations in terms of openings which are greatly restricted, a tastefulset of innovative glass folding sliding doors allows you to open up as far as your creative imagination will take you? Sensing the possibilities now?

Glass bi-fold doors serve to compliment any building and can provide an innovative glass wall solutions to without harming the character or essence of a building. Glass bi-fold doors gives us the the ability of bringing both inspiration as well as innovation into a room by transforming them into trendy living areas. It is remarkable how much of a difference a set of folding sliding doors can make in blending space together, successfully bridge the outside and inside as well serving to conform to the natural environment around it. As opposed to patio doors, French doors, this folding panel, bi-fold, can successfully enhance the structural character of a building and a glass, which serves to allow more natural light in making that ultimate difference to your home.

The way in which glass bi-fold doors are designed demonstrates clever engineering in itself, together with versatility and durability of a glass wall, allowing you to easily utilise the space that you have. Sliding doors for example, can end up wasting a lot of space, and with bi-fold doors, you are instead left with easy functionality and long term reliability. In addition, this folding panel system has the option of a flush threshold which is unlike most French doors.

Something else to remember is that restrictions created by most French and patio doors are not a problem for a set of folding doors because they can be installed in openings you may not have even considered, like opening a corner of a room or knocking down a wall in order to create the space you may need. When it comes to glass bifold doors, the options are endless, and it really just depends on how creative you are.

With the use of premium glass wall materials, glass bifold doors are manufactured in the United Kingdom to an impressive standard, together with a vast range of quality finishes which users can chose from.

Glass bifold doors are also sometimes referred to as sliding folding doors, accordion doors, folding windows as well as concertina doors.

More info on glass bifold doors.

Advantages of Glass Bifold Doors

We Lay It Down

Decorative glass bifold doors bring with them the advantage of light and elegance to any bedroom, foyer, entryway and other living areas. Glass bifold doors are manufactured for easy installation and are usually equipped with hardware and track.

There are various glass designs available, usually made from safety glass, together with a film on the back to control breakage. Glass bifold doors are generally made from 1-3/8 inch clear glass styles and rails. They come in prefinished colours and are generally ready to install.

Glass Bifold Door Gallery

Photos of Bifold Glass Doors

Here with a gallery of various types of glass bifold doors. Enjoy!

Typical Glass Bifold Door

Colonial Glass Bifold Door

Panelled Glass Bifold Door

Residential Bifold Glass Door