Please refer to the gallery page for line drawings and photographs showing different conservatory styles. When choosing a style, try to visualize how it will match the architecture of your house.
The following information may also help you: (Click on a drawing to view a photograph).
Lean-to
- simple, cost - effective and works well on most house styles.Try adding a hip at one or both ends to add extra style (see gallery).
With projections (depths) over 3.5/4m (11'+) a lean-to style can be less cost-effective, and a Victorian or Edwardian style may give better value.
Victorian -has a ridge running at 90° from the host wall of the house, and a bell shaped front section. Victorian conservatories offer a little more style and are commonly built with 3 or 5 facets (bays or segments) in the front section, or more facets if the width exceeds 4m (13').
Edwardian - also has a ridge at 90° to the host wall, but the floor plan is square or rectangular. The floor plan is more flexible than a Victorian style.
Gable front - the ridge runs for the full depth of the conservatory and the floor plan is again square or rectangular. This style works well on older style houses. An arch, sunburst or similar pattern in the glass of the gable front is a traditional feature.
P-shape - this style uses a lean-to section connected to either a Victorian, Edwardian or gable front section. More complex and costly to construct, they are best suited to larger conservatories.
T-shape - combines a Victorian, Edwardian or gable front centre section with lean-to sections on either side.
Twin hip Edwardian - this is commonly used where the height of the host wall of the house is limited to 2-2.5m (6' 6" - 8').
This occurs commonly on bungalows. At the point where the conservatory fixes to the host wall, a structural gutter (box gutter) is incorporated in the construction.
Custom Designed - many other styles or derivations are possible and Tull & Darch have extensive experience of unusual but practical designs.
Please contact us for advice.
Material Specifications
For Frame specification, see the windows & doors page.
All frames in conservatories are fitted with additional reinforcement.
Conservatory roofs are built using two purpose designed systems:
1 -A structural aluminium system with PVCU cladding as an insulation material. This system uniquely has BBA (British Board of Agrément) approval for the white and foiled woodgrain options available.
2 - A premium quality thermally broken structural all-aluminium system available in white or foiled woodgrain finishes.
Larger buildings
need additional support for the roof, either from tie bars or portal frames.
Tull & Darch portals are fabricated in-house, cost little more than tie
bars, but give a far superior performance. See the Tech
Zone.Crests and finials are in cast aluminium material.
Box gutters (needed for certain installations) are PVCU clad aluminium.
Roof glazing can be in glass or polycarbonate. For technical specification, see the tech zone.