Centurion DIY Conservatory Blog

The recent and continuing cold weather spell brings home with a vengeance just how important it is to make sure you choose the right glazing and roofing materials to ensure your new DIY conservatory is warm and welcoming all year round.

Whether you're planning a small, simple lean-to or a big combination T shape, buying and building any DIY conservatory is a major investment of your time and money. Saving a few short-term pounds on a cheap specification may not represent the best longer-term value for money if it means your new conservatory is unusable for large parts of the year during cold (or hot) weather.

Conservatories glazed with frame units which are less than 26mm, or thin (25mm or less) polycarbonate may look like a bargain, but if you are relying on using the space all year round, as a dining room or office for example, then we recommend that you check the thermal values offered by potential conservatory suppliers.

Heat loss through building materials is measured in "U" values. The lower the value, the more efficient the insulation offered by the material. For example the U Value of 16mm polycarbonate used in some cheap DIY conservatories is a chilly 2.3, but this improves to a much warmer 1.4 U Value for the 35mm polycarbonate specified as standard by Centurion DIY Conservatories.

If you would like to be able to look up through your new conservatory roof and watch the snow falling then it's certainly worth looking at the U Values for the various glass options available, as they differ significantly and can make the difference between eating and enjoying your Christmas dinner in a comfortable relaxing environment and a conservatory too cold to venture into in winter. The U Value of standard 24mm toughened glass units is just 2.7, but Pilkington K low-e glass improves this to a creditable 1.8, For real efficiency Centurion recommends Reflex glass at 1.4 or for maximum benefit the outstanding Reflex+ which has a U Value of just 1.0 (www.reflexglass.co.uk)

One of the benefits of planning and building a DIY conservatory is that you have complete control over all aspects of design and construction. Most self-builders who build their own conservatory want to do the best possible job and take enormous pride in the finished project, and also recognise that their new conservatory will quickly become a favourite room not to be limited in use due to the weather. Choosing the right product is part of the process, but installing a well-specified conservatory onto poorly insulated walls or base will undo all the good work done by thicker polycarbonate or K glass. You should ensure that you lay polystyrene or similar insulation in the concrete conservatory base, and allow for at least 50mm insulation in cavity walls.

Any conservatory design, whether lean-to, Victorian, Edwardian or Pshape or Gable can be used throughout the year as long as care is taken to use suitable materials. Call Centurion for advice on how to design in year-round use to your new conservatory. Freephone 0800 389 7261

With Christmas only a few weeks away it is not to late to purchase your DIY Conservatory for delivery in time for installation before Christmas. With a wide range of DIY Conservatories such as Lean to, Edwardian, Gable or a Bespoke style all manufactured on a made to measure basis now is the time to order.

Here at Centurion DIY Conservatories we think a DIY Conservatory would make a perfect room to hold your Christmas or New Years party.
Just picture all your friends and family round on New Years Eve admiring your beautiful DIY Conservatory and enjoying some cocktails - but cocktails with a difference! I have come up with some fun DIY Conservatory related recipes that you may want to try.

Reflex Blue Lagoon.
Perfect to enjoy all year round, as Reflex glass offers impressive anti-sun properties combined with excellent thermal properties to create a comfortable year-round environment. Visit Www.reflexglass.co.uk/ for full details.
3 parts Vodka
1 part Blue Curacao
lemonade
Shake vodka and Blue Curacao with ice, top up with lemonade to taste.

Pilkington Punch
Add Pilkington K-Glass to the frames of your DIY Conservatory and the internal sheet of glass will punch the man made heat back into the room and stop the heat leaving you cold in winter. www.pilkington.com/Applications/Products2006/english/bybenefit/thermalin...
2L Tropical juice
1L Orange and Mango Juice
1L Pineapple juice
1L Apple juice
3 Shots Vodka
2 Shots White Rum
Half bottle Peach Schnapps (archers)
put all the juices into a large container then add vodka, then stir, add white rum, stir and then archers. I also added pieces of fruit to let the juices brew it up.

No Rusty Nails required
With ordering a low-maintenance PVC-u DIY Conservatory you'll never have to worry about these in future!
One measure of whisky.
Half a measure of Drambuie.
Mix together in a short glass with ice and add a slice of orange.

Harvey Dwarf Wall Banger
Dwarf Wall DIY Conservatories are very popular, creating a conservatory which really feels like part of the house.
5 parts Orange Juice.
2 parts Vodka.
1 part Galliano.
Pour vodka and orange juice over ice cubes stir then layer the galliano on top

Victorian Dream.
Victorian Style Conservatories are one of the popular style conservatories we offer, especially as they can be combined as part of a P-Shape Conservatory.
1 shot Vodka
1 shot Triple sec
6 shots Lemonade
1 shot Lime.
put everything into a cocktail shaker & shake well, then serve over ice in a tall glass

All of our DIY Conservatories come with a full 10 year guarantee which includes the glass, hinges, locks and handles too. Some companies have in their small print that the glass, hinges, locks and handles only has 5 years. Centurion DIY Conservatories make everything onsite made to measure and we offer an after sales service free of charge which involves any technical advice you might need when putting your conservatory up.
If you can see yourself making all these and enjoying drinking these in your new DIY Conservatory please call us or click http://www.centuriondiyconservatories.com/design-your-own-conservatory to arrange your free quotation.

All self-build conservatory installations require careful thought and planning to eliminate fitting problems and give a beautiful end result to be proud of. Consideration should be given to position of drains and services underground, whether there are any manholes to avoid, presence and position of downpipes or other obstructions on the housewall, and most crucially whether there is any restriction which limits the style and height of conservatory design possible.

Building a bespoke conservatory onto a bungalow or single storey extension need not be a problem. The best advice we can give a conservatory DIY builder is to take care, measure precisely and buy from a professional and experienced DIY conservatory supplier who manufactures on a made-to-measure basis. At Centurion DIY Conservatories we pay meticulous attention to detail and liase with the customer at every step to ensure that the conservatory will fit perfectly.

There are two popular design alternatives suitable to address the problems presented by a bungalow height restriction.

• For many customers the perfect solution is the traditional lean-to roof style. This is certainly a neat solution, economical and easy to install, featuring a set 2½° low-pitch lean-to roof (sometimes also called a sunlounger roof) glazed with their choice of polycarbonate colour options. The triangular firring “wedges” each side are a clean solid pvc-u finish forming a tidy infil between the window frames and conservatory roof. There is almost no constraint on the width possible with the lean-to conservatory roof design, but projection is limited to 4000mm.
• Customers should ensure that their supplier will cut the conservatory roof to size before delivery, as these are sometimes supplied to trade installers for cutting to fit on site.
• Those who had their heart set on something with a more dramatic roof are delighted to find that they can enjoy all the benefits of a high, airy multi-pitched roof offered by Edwardian or Victorian conservatories by specifying in the double-hipped (hipped back) style roof. These models slope down all round to the frames around the sides and also back towards the house or bungalow. An aluminium box gutter fixed to the bungalow takes water runoff from the back of the conservatory roof and also forms a structural support for the rafters on the back of the roof. Hipped back roofs of this type can be manufactured to almost any size width and up to 6000mm in projection, and offer the option for glass roof options rather than being restricted to polycarbonate glazing.

At Centurion we ask all customers in this situation to complete a simple survey of the back of their property, giving heights and soffit detail information. From this we advise whether the lean-to wallplate or box gutter (depending on conservatory style) will fitted to the property wall or whether it would be better to fix onto the front of the fasciaboard. A manufacturer such as Centurion DIY Conservatories who tailor - makes all conservatory roofs and frames on a bespoke basis can ensure that the conservatory will fit exactly around any soffit detail, with minimal work required on site and eliminating the risk of draughts or leaks.

The low-pitch lean to roof and Edwardian and Victorian double-hipped alternatives are all suitable for construction on dwarf wall or full-height conservatories, are precisely made-to-measure and are supplied with full fitting guide for ease of DIY installation.

For more details or quotation on the lean-to, Edwardian or Victorian hipped-back or any other bespoke conservatory contact the team at Centurion DIY Conservatories on Freephone 0800 389 7261 or at www.centuriondiyconservatories.com

In the current climate of debt and having to tightening our belts, don't flee the nest - improve what you have to maximise use of the space available. You would be surprised how much space, light and value a conservatory can bring to your home. Conservatories can be a great investment, adding value to your property and offering a luxurious living space for relaxing or entertaining.

The credit crunch may be putting a brake on house prices, but that's not much help if you need extra space in your current property. You can save even more money by buying a DIY Conservatory. They come in all shapes and sizes from a simple lean to style from less than £1500.00 with extravagant Gable style and P-Shape conservatories from as little as £3600.00.

A conservatory can be used as an all year round room, if the specification is right for your requirements and if you use the right materials in the roof and frames. Conservatories are now as versatile as a brick built extension, but they are only a fraction of the price. Pilkington K glass in the frames (the new eco glass) reflects man made heat back into the conservatory, giving 1.8 U values. Adding argon fill to K glass units improves the U Value even more to just 1.6, keeping the heating bills down for you in the cold months.
There is a great range of materials you can use in the roof. 35mm Polycarbonate provides great insulation, which will ensure that you stay warmer in winter. One benefit of choosing polycarbonate is that polycarbonate is less expensive than glass, and it also comes in a choice of colours - opal, clear, bronze and silver/opal. The silver/opal option is has a silver coating on the outside which reflects away the heat of the sun, preventing it coming into the conservatory, and keeping it cooler in the summer for you.

There are many glass options we can use in the conservatory roof. The best type of glass to use in the conservatory for comfort all year round is a blue tinted anti sun glass combined with good thermal properties. We recommend Pilkington Activ Blue K and Reflex glass as excellent options www.pilkingtonglass.com or www.reflexglass.com To use the conservatory all year round you need to have a best specification with K glass in the frames, to keep it nice and warm for you, to keep the price down the polycarbonate in the roof is an excellent choice as it is a great insulator. If you prefer glass the tinted anti-sun glass combined with K glass is a ideal choice as it will keep the heat in the conservatory longer in the winter and it will keep the heat out on them hot and sunny days. Anti-sun will reflect the heat out and the blue tint will reduce glare from the sun.

If you choose the right specification you can make the most out of your new space, using it as a living room, dining room, kitchen, playroom, music room or simply to relax.

Bright white is by far the most popular colour for a replacement DIY pvc conservatory, but some properties call for something that bit different.

Every new Centurion DIY conservatory is made to measure to give you the opportunity to design exactly to your requirements. We want to offer the widest possible choice, and that includes colours and pvc finishes as well as design.

We have always offered all our conservatories in the traditional pvc-u woodgrain finishes of mahogany, light oak and rosewood, which are available either foiled inside and out or "on white", with the coloured woodgrain on the outside only and white inside. These offer an excellent way of colour coordinating your new DIY conservatory to existing doors and windows on your property, whether they're already in pvc-u or whether you are matching with timber frames. These finishes have a permanent foiled finish bonded onto the profile and look amazingly realistic.

The fantastic Artisan profile range takes wood effect and coloured finishes a stage further. This exciting range has a wood-textured outside with grain so fine it's almost impossible to tell it from real timber even on closest inspection. It's the perfect choice if you love the look and texture of traditional timber without ever having to get out the paint or varnish to keep your beautiful new conservatory looking perfect. Artisan has all the luxury of a hardwood conservatory combined with the maintenence-free benefits of a pvc-u construction - it's not until you touch it that the difference becomes clear. Centurion can offer all styles of conservatories in six amazing Artisan colour ways - Rustic Cherry, Green, Grey, Cream, Black/brown and even a Woodgrain white effect. The frames and roofs are all made of perfectly matching materials for a seamless and complete package.

Artisan colours used in a conservatory can make a real statement and enhance your home in the most individual way. For example, the Black Brown or Grey finishes work fantastically well in a Gable or Victorian style conservatory on a timbered house for a highly traditional dark wood feel, but equally lend a contemporary edge to a lean-to conservatory on a newer style property. Green is becoming a popular colour choice to create a conservatory which blends into the garden for a subtle and unobtrusive extension right into the heart of your outdoor space.

Centurion's Artisan conservatory frames and roofs are just as easy to install as any of our DIY conservatories. The roof system is manufactured from Synseal's tried and tested Shield conservatory suite (http://www.synseal.co.uk/shield.asp) with structural aluminium rafters finished in Artisan trims, so you are buying a complete matching roof and frame package. All our woodgrain conservatory roofs feature aluminium rafter top caps for added strength and guaranteed weather resistance.

If you'd like to arrange a quotation for your new DIY conservatory in Artisan or any other finish our trained and experienced conservatory quote and design team would be pleased to help and advise. (All our conservatory quotes and advice are absolutely free and without obligation.) We also manufacture a complete range of windows, doors and bi-fold doors in white, woodgrain and coloured Artisan wood effect options.
If you would like samples of any of our woodgrain or coloured window and conservatory profiles so you can see their beauty for yourself - just call us on Freephone 0800 389 7261