A Beautiful Hardwood Conservatory

Hardwood Conservatories have become quite popular lately because of all of the hype surrounding the new Green Living paradigm. Instead of choosing the lesser expensive, but more environmentally irresponsible construction materials such as PVC, plastics, resins and metals such as aluminum, more and more homeowners are flocking to Hardwood Conservatories. Glass is usually used for both the roof as well as the walls to allow the maximum amount of sunlight to enter the conservatory. Trees are a renewable resource and the milling of wood and its preparation for being used in construction involves the use of less chemicals and energy than its counterparts. Not to mention, they usually last longer and are more visually appealing! A Hardwood Conservatory can both add value and style to your home, while providing more living space for you and your family.

Conservatories are known by many different names, and vary on their usage depending on the desires of the homeowner. Historically, a hardwood conservatory was referred to as an orangery, a greenhouse, solarium, or sunroom. They were initially popular in the 19 th century; built on the grounds of the uber-rich aristocracy to provide them with the delicacies of fresh fruit and vegetables year-round, despite harsh winter temperatures. Usually free-standing buildings of grandeur, but sometimes they were incorporated into the design of the actual home itself, which added to the amount of living space and usability of the house no matter the season. Because of this they became known as garden rooms. Though they started for agricultural purposes by the end of the 19 th century, people were using them to host social functions such as Tea Parties, and Gala’s. They became a bit of a status symbol and were lavishly decorated to match the rest of the home, incorporating furniture, flowers and artwork. Conservatory designs have changed and adapted over the years, so nowadays there is a wide selection available.

A conservatory keeps warmth in by using the “greenhouse effect”; sun rays and ultraviolet radiation enter in through the many windows and are re-radiated back off of the ground, some of the light energy is absorbed into the ground which creates heat. The rest is either re-radiated back into the atmosphere or reflected by the glass comprising the hardwood conservatory’s roof. Temperatures would always be a bit warmer inside the conservatory than those of the outdoors. Nowadays, Hardwood Conservatories are an excellent choice for adding living space to a home as the designs have improved throughout the course of time and they can be added to an existing home with little actual conversion of the structure of the home itself. Though hardwood is a bit more expensive than its counterparts, it is more environmentally friendly and when taken care of properly can last much longer.

There are many selections of different types of woods to use, each with its own characteristic appearance and texture. Among some of the most popular (but expensive) types are Walnut, Birch, Elm, Oak, Teak, Ebony, Balsa, and Cherry. Hardwoods, which all come from the family of angiosperm trees are an excellent building material for your conservatory. Hardwoods are not necessarily harder than softwoods, but their physical composition allows for them to outlast any other types of woods. The main differentiating feature between a hardwood and a softwood is hardwoods’ have a more intricate structure and they lack pores which take away from the strength of the wood.

A Hardwood Conservatory is a perfect way to add elegant permanent living space to your home, without any large scale construction. Most designs can be attached directly to the house and are a wonderful option for a beautiful new dining room, a playroom for the kids, or enjoy some peace and quiet. Many people when choosing hardwood conservatory bespoke, designed to perfectly fit the form and function. Of course, determining the purpose the hardwood conservatory will serve as a key to deciding on the particular design and construction materials. Typically remodeling your home by adding a beautifully constructed Hardwood Conservatory will add between 5 to 8 percent additional value to your property. It is important to note that a conservatory can add value to your home, but it is just as easy to spend as much money as it cost you to build. There are a multitude of different materials and methods of construction that are available if you decide to add one to your home, and with enough research you could even build your own! With a little maintenance and thoughtful decoration, hardwood conservatories and orangeries will add a tremendous to your home by taking it that little bit further, and yet at the same time may last for centuries.

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