Another Conservatory Insulation Project...

Eeek - what's that stuff blocking the ends? Can you remove that for a better look-see?

Anyways, you have a few choices: t'first is to use 25 or 35mm thick Celotex-type material which is light and shouldn't add any significant weight to your roof. Then cover this with a thick lining paper before painting. Ie - go 'safe' and go lightweight. Almost certainly there will be no issues with this. (There are thicker thermal lining 'papers' you can use too, up to a few mm thick, but check the weight first. Hopefully light tho'.

Or, over-clad in T&G either PVC or timber - but take the risk due to weight. Hard for us to judge on here.

Or, if there aren't any ali sections in some of these bars (and they do seem to have a bow...) then buy some simply rectangular section and slide it up there.

Or, build a completely separate ceiling, either flat or vaulted, by adding a timber wallplate along t'top and taking 'rafters' from there.

 

A photo of the whole connie would help. Including one showing the window you want to avoid.

Also tell us the width of the connie - what the span of timbers would be.

 

So the ali spans are 2.8m?

I see what you mean by the small gap to the window tops - that pretty much rules out a separate ceiling frame.

There also isn't much of an overall 'fall' on that roof, so I wouldn't want it sagging any more than it is...

Celotex is light, tho', so I'm pretty sure you'd be ok with this. But I wouldn't like to add any more weight to this, so my gut feeling is that cladding is out. I mean, it will probably be ok, but that doesn't mean it will be for definite. And there's no way I can judge from here if it will be.

IF, however, some of these spans are purely PVC and can have ali box section slide in there, I reckon that would add a lot to the rigidity.

Measure what size of rectangle will fit in there with a mm to spare, and then surf...

 

Isn't the stuff in the end of the roof bars just some silicone that was put there to stick end caps on, that have now fallen off.

 

Hi Ben.

Ooookkaaayyy.... The photo might be exaggerating the sag, but it does look a bit worrying to me. Chust imagine a foot of snow on top of that...

If the middle spans already have that ali section in them, they ain't going to to improved in any easy way. And adding ali to the end ones ain't gonna make any difference either - 'cos they are supported by the walls...

The only solution I can think of - and I think it'll work - is to go ahead and glue up yer Celotex. Make it no thicker than 35mm - that will be plenty.

Fit them neatly and tightly, and tap them where they join and also along the edges. If there are any gaps, then squeeze in a thin bead of expanding foam. That's a THIN bead - 'cos the stuff expands.

THEN, get a 3.6m beam - I dunno, ali box or a 6x2 timber - and fit it along from side to side in t'middle, using brackets that'll fix to the 'uprights' betwixt the windows along the sides. Brace the roof upwards with this until that sag has be eradicated as much as possible, and fix it in place.

In your photo #5, I can only see one vertical section between the windows. Is there only one, or is there another not shown in the pic, closer to the house wall? If there is another, then fit a beam across there too.

Will a 6" timber coming down from the ceiling give you a headache? If so, you might have to go for something that's smaller but more rigid - like thicker-walled ali section (or even steel if you are man enough to handle it...)

With a couple of sideways beams like this, your problems should be over. Then happily clad your insulation with your choice of material. Either also clad around the beams or leave them showing and paint them as a feature...

I cannot think of any other solution.

I don't know what size of section will be required - you'll need advice on this. Clearly it'll have to be as light as possible (for ease of handling) but stiff enough to not bend over a 3.6m span and also take a reasonable amount of the weight of the roof so's it adds significant strength to it. Look up and visit a local metalworks. Go there and explain the issue. Have a look at what they have - hold some section samples and see how stiff they are.

 

(I mean 'tape' not 'tap; "Fit them neatly and tightly, and tape them where they join and also along the edges...")

I'm not an expert on this insulation malarkey, but a solid, uninsulated floor will 'feel' cold and be a bit of a drain, tho' not as much as the walls and roof. It'll probably make lower foot or so of air feel chilly in winter, so anything you add to it should help a lot.

I'm not sure what the best stuff to use is - you'd want it to be as easy to lay as possible, and presumably life it again during the summer months? Certainly good quality carpet underlay will help, especially if you chose one that is designed to have good insulation properties.

An alternative is a low-density fibreboard sheets (around 8mm thick?) which is designed for under laminate/wood floors and comes in small sheets (I dunno - 3' x 2' ish) and can be simply plonked down, butted up and the carpet placed on top. I've used that stuff (got it from Wickes) a few years ago under my hallway's wooden floor, and it sure helps a lot.

You may need to keep an eye on it all, tho', 'cos there's a chance that warm (moist) air will get through the carpet, past the board and condense out on the very cold tiles surface underneath. You should lift the carpet and a panel every now and then to check it ain't damp.

Best get other peep's opinions too on this one...

 

Celotex is too soft to walk on - your stilettos will go right through...

You'll need something solid like flooring chipboard first if you want carpet.

Or a wood/laminate floor laid directly on top will be ok (with the correct underlay to absorb movement).

Use the thinnest Celotex you can so's not to reduce head height.

Even 25mm Jablite (basically expanded poly foam) will add significant insulation.

 

I reckon so.

But I'd be happier if a pro on here confirmed...

 

We've had ours done with a multi-foil insulation quilt, finished with UPVC cladding. Nice and lightweight, great clean finish, and makes such a difference in that we can now use our conservatory all year round. It was the guys at Sagars 365 that did ours, for those not entirely confident doing it themselves I'd highly recommend them.