Sunrooms offer a warm experience of relaxation without being directly out in the open sun. A sunroom can be used as a greenhouse for plants, a visiting area, or a place of relaxation. The glass room uses its glass to retain the heat rays from the sun to preserve a naturally warm temperature. Grab a few tools and some friends and start building your own sun room.
Tools required
- Hammer
- Levels
- Tape measurement
Materials required
- Nails
- Screws
- Insulated Windows
- Wood (untreated)
- Polystyrene foam
Instructions
- Create the design and feel of the sunroom and find an ideal location that has more sun entering that area, this would be considered the solar south (not the south found on a compass). One of the main objectives of the sunroom is to make sure the sun is entering all the time if not most of the time.
- Start with the foundation, by laying the concrete. Insulate the underneath of the foundation with about 2 inches of polystyrene foam.
- Set the wall structure, by making the stud frames with spacing for the sunroom windows and doors. Insulate the walls and electrical and plumbing fixtures along with the switch plates. Use wood for the wall surfacing. Bricks or concrete may also be used for the wall. Use the hammer, screws, and nails to connect all the components.
- Set up the window and door fixtures such as the jambs etc. then put in all the desired carpeting, decorations, and plants. Try to widen your variety of plants and flowers to beautify the area. The plants help to make the environment a lot more comfortable and relaxing.
- Install a window pane made from glass; this magnifies the solar rays entering the sunroom. This allows the sunroom to heat up much faster while retaining more heat energy from the sun at a longer time span.
Tips and Warning
- A great way to enhance the look and feel of your sunroom is to add plants but you should always check that they are continuously looked after. This also aids the structure in being more energy efficient.
- You may have to consult a professional to assist you in putting everything together. Professionals that may be needed are sunroom contractors, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc.
- Being surrounded by plants has been proven to relieve stress, ease the mind and increase tranquility. So having plants in your sunroom is a great thing.
- If you live in an area that experiences winter, you should install an alternative heating system like a chimney or a gas-fired furnace.