Conservatories

[Black Bart]

Anyone any good at building conservatories? (remembering it will be overhanging the poop deck...only joking).

[Aggie]

Can I get back to you in 5-10 years? 

We've been seriously plotting to incorporate a LARGE conservatory into a house plan one day.  I'm very interested in putting up a living wall as part of it.

Right now, I have to settle for houseplants and a mini-wall (still needs more plants, and to grow in a bit):

[Opsa]

Noice that, Aggie!

Glassing in our front (south facing) porch one of these years when we have too much cash is a plan we have for just such a purpose.

What do you have in mind, Bartie?

[Griffin NoName]

Good question Opsa.

'Conservatory' may refer to the following: *College or university school of music *Conservatoire, a school dedicated to teaching of various arts, such as music (including playing of musical instruments, musical composition, musicianship and music theory) and acting (Juilliard) or other arts such as film (American Film Institute Conservatory) *Conservatory (greenhouse), a large greenhouse where plants are cultivated

How big are yer asperations BB?

[Sibling Chatty]

Anyone any good at building conservatories? (remembering it will be overhanging the poop deck...only joking).

My Dad designed and built greenhouses (mostly freestanding) for years. If you're thinking about building adjacent to your house, be sure the foundation 'breathing spaces' are not blocked and if there's a basement, that the outer wall of the house/basement will stand a lot of extra moisture. Nothing quite like the brickwork peeling off from the held-in humidity!

Unless you're going for a huge space, consider framing it in temporarily with a lightweight wooden frame and plastic covering it, to get the 'feel' and look of what you want before you go with expensive framing and glass (or plexiglass/Lexan/whatever.) Even 'faking ' a frame and cheesecloth draping it, then photographing it will give you a better concept. A drawing might look good, but there's some tricks of perception that you run into. That "light and airy" appearance can become quite heavy looking once completed.

Lastly, consider starting in with a good shadecloth system that won't be too obvious. A hot sun beating down during the hottest days of summer will spread massive heat, and the glass concentrates the light and can burn plants and people. You'll need it eventually, unless the whole thing is in shade.

[Opsa]

Great advice, Chatty! I hadn't thought about venting for humidity. I was thinking of having screened windows put in, so we could let some air in. Would we need vents as well? Near the ceiling or floor? On all outer walls?

My in-laws had their back screened porch done with panels of stretched plastic (inside the screen) when they lived in South Carolina. It looked and acted much like glass, was not as expensive and lots easier to replace if a pane was broken. I don't know if it would keep the cold northern winter air from stinging tropicals, but it was an interesting solution.

[Aggie]

I was thinking that a cheap option for putting in ventable glass panels (especially for what you're proposing, Ops) would be to scrounge some surplus/used sliding glass door units (from a place like this for example http://www.renewsalvage.org/).  They could be framed in place with relative ease and allow you to open 50% of the total glass area when things get too hot and humid.  For a ground-level greenhouse or conservatory, it also allows direct egress during the warmer months.  I think SGDs come in fairly standard sizes, and with French doors being popular for renovations, there might be a fair bit of salvage about.

[Griffin NoName]

Bart has clearly started an interesting topic here..... but we still await the answer to how big his aspidistras are

Your suggestions all sound good but the traditional english version is a lean-to with sagging sofa, filthy leaking glass roof, and a wilting pot plant.   

[Aggie]

Your suggestions all sound good but the traditional english version is a lean-to with sagging sofa, filthy leaking glass roof, and a wilting pot plant.   

Sounds like condominiums in British Columbia.  Except maybe the wilting part.  They know how to grow 'em out there.