Cool Down DIY Conservatories With These Proven Techniques

There is nothing quite like having your own DIY  conservatory to use all year round.  But during the summer months it can be unbearably hot in there – and that means you won’t be able to use it at all.

So how can you solve this sticky problem and make your DIY conservatory usable all year round?

Firstly you need to think about the site and positioning of your conservatory.  If you have the choice of placing it at the rear or the side of your house, think about which option would give you the best placement with regard to the sun.

Next you need to make sure you use certain materials when you buy your conservatory.  For example the type of glass you choose can have a marked effect on how hot – or not – the room gets during the summer.  Modern glass types such as Celcius help to reduce the build up of heat that makes the room unbearable.

Think about the issue of cross flow ventilation as well.  It isn’t just a question of having openings in the windows.  If they are in the wrong place, i.e. all along the same wall, you won’t get the air flow you need to cool things down.

Instead you want vents on every wall possible, because this will cool the conservatory much more efficiently by allowing the air to circulate more effectively.

Roof vents are another good way to ventilate your DIY conservatory adequately.  We all know that heat rises, and in a conservatory it gets trapped near the roof and cannot escape.  This eventually starts to heat the air below it as well, which results in a warm conservatory.

If you install roof vents in the conservatory you will be able to allow that heat to escape.  What’s more you will find that as the hot air escapes, cooler air will come into the conservatory to replace it.  A similar effect can be seen with radiators, and it works equally well with conservatories as well.

Many people don’t think of any of these aspects though.  Instead the first thing they think of is an air conditioning unit.  But these can be very expensive to install and run, and if you have the doors open in the summer you will be effectively running them for nothing.  You won’t get any benefit from them at all unless the doors are closed.

So you can see that it is more than possible to cool down your new DIY conservatory if you think about it carefully before you choose your ideal one.  At this early stage you can install all the most effective ways of cooling it down, to ensure you enjoy it more and more as time goes on.

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Ten Of The Best Plants To Add To Your Winter Conservatory

Most people love the idea of growing and experimenting with plants during the summer.  But when winter arrives and brings with it plenty of dreadful weather, we can hardly get outside at all.

Luckily you have an alternative to this if you have a DIY conservatory.  It can become your indoor garden through the winter, and since there are plenty of plants which love this atmosphere and the surroundings, you can enjoy gardening on a whole new level.

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Which Plants Should You Add To Your Conservatory?

Do you have any idea?  The answer could actually depend on whether your self-build conservatory faces the south and gets lots of heat and light during the day.  Alternatively you will need to look at a whole different selection of plants if your conservatory favours another direction.  So depending on the location you will need to choose the best plants for that situation.

A good bet for any DIY conservatory is a fruit tree.  And if you are thinking of the huge version that needs half the garden to drop its fruit in, you need to scale down a bit!  Miniature fruit trees such as orange trees and lemon trees are available to stand in pots in your conservatory.  You should get perfectly formed oranges and lemons – they will just be a lot smaller than the regular kind.

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Choosing The Right Type Of Conservatory For You

If you have only just begun to think about choosing a new DIY conservatory, you might be surprised to find there are lots of decisions to be made.  Firstly there is the basic size and shape to think about and then you need to consider how you will finish it off.

But the first consideration is of course the plot you have available.  How much room do you have for a DIY conservatory and where will you position it?

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Ideal Furniture For Your Conservatory

Once your new self-build conservatory is finished, you then have the task of furnishing it.  This will be made easier if you think about how you want to use the room first.

For example, will you be primarily using it as a dining room?  If so, a table and chairs will be the most important item to add.  If this is the case make sure you measure up properly to see what size table would fit in.  Consider the amount of space needed for the chairs too though – it is easy to think about the table and forget that the chairs need to be pushed back for people to get into them.

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What Are The Best Plants For A Conservatory?

Would you know the answer?  In truth the answer can depend on the nature of your DIY conservatory.  For example if yours is south facing you will get plenty of sun – and that doesn’t appeal to some plants.  Conversely if your DIY conservatory faces in another direction you will have a whole new selection of plants to consider that will thrive much better under those different conditions.

One type of plant that tends to like a self-build conservatory is the fruit tree.  Now you might imagine this to be a big tree that requires a garden to flourish in, but this isn’t always the case.  You can buy miniature fruit trees that look and smell wonderful in a conservatory.  Orange and lemon trees are both very popular because of the fresh citrus smell they give off.  And they are just the right size to sit in a fancy pot on the floor.

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Planning For Plants In Your Conservatory

One of the best things about having a self-build conservatory is the fact that you are near to your garden all year round.  Regardless of what the weather is doing you can watch what is happening and see your plants and shrubs developing as the year presses on.

But there is also the prospect of being able to grow plants inside your self-build conservatory as well.  While not all plants enjoy the unusual conditions this room presents, some will positively thrive in them.  The trick is to plan ahead and make sure you know what you want to have and where you want to have it.

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Ten Great Plants To Liven Up Your Conservatory In Winter

One of the best parts of the summer months is the ability to grow lots of vibrant and lively plants in the garden and indoors.

But just because the winter months roll around, it doesn’t mean you have to go without seeing a grand display.  In fact you can move it indoors and make the most of the surroundings in your DIY conservatory instead.

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Winter Gardening – What To Plant And When

Come the spring, we’re all eager to get out into the garden and plant those first few shrubs and flowers that will come to fruition during the summer.

But what do we do during the winter months?  Do we ignore the garden altogether and wait for next spring to get underway again?

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How To Keep The Children Busy This Winter

The summer months are wonderful when you have children.  You can fling open the doors to the garden after breakfast and let them run riot in the garden.  There are plenty of outdoor games they can play while you relax in a garden chair or perhaps get on with some chores inside the house.

But winter is a different thing altogether.  How on earth do you keep them entertained when they can’t go outside?

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