Roof support Conservatory

[DavidConnelly]

We have just had a new roof put in on our conservatory. Glass rather than triplex. All appears to be well except the roof supports. (Pictured)
I'm not happy with the look at all. Im going back to the company to get them sorted. Any suggestions please.

 

[Spectric]

I doubt there is much that can be done, it looks like they are just the way the system has been designed but I will say they are extremely ugly and utilitarian. The only option I can see would be to make nice wooden covers that sit over them to a look that you like. The last one I got involved in used wall plates and timber roof supports that were then painted so it looked like part of the building and not something just stuck on as an after thought.

 

[scholar]

As per the previous post, this looks like it is the fixing system that goes with the structure; did they not agree the details with you beforehand? It does look rather out of place against your nice stone wall, but then the uPvc construction itself is clearly not original to the house.
Some black iron brackets (maybe slightly decorative) would possibly have looked better, but not really with the uPvc.
In the circumstances, I think I would be tempted to try painting the legs of the brackets to match the wall, just to help them disappear.
cheers

 

[Bingy man]

Agree with other posts - they look a little out of place and not very nice to look at against the brickwork. Are they removable ? If so there are some good quality imitation stone spray paints that could at least make them less visible and not stand out as much . Do the glazing company have any other alternatives you could swap them for .

 

[Jameshow]

How about some decorative MDF mouldings to cover them sprayed white??

 

[DavidConnelly]

Agree with other posts - they look a little out of place and not very nice to look at against the brickwork. Are they removable ? If so there are some good quality imitation stone spray paints that could at least make them less visible and not stand out as much . Do the glazing company have any other alternatives you could swap them for .

Speaking to them tomorrow thanks

 

[DavidConnelly]

As per the previous post, this looks like it is the fixing system that goes with the structure; did they not agree the details with you beforehand? It does look rather out of place against your nice stone wall, but then the uPvc construction itself is clearly not original to the house.
Some black iron brackets (maybe slightly decorative) would possibly have looked better, but not really with the uPvc.
In the circumstances, I think I would be tempted to try painting the legs of the brackets to match the wall, just to help them disappear.
cheers

Thanks

 

[DavidConnelly]

As per the previous post, this looks like it is the fixing system that goes with the structure; did they not agree the details with you beforehand? It does look rather out of place against your nice stone wall, but then the uPvc construction itself is clearly not original to the house.
Some black iron brackets (maybe slightly decorative) would possibly have looked better, but not really with the uPvc.
In the circumstances, I think I would be tempted to try painting the legs of the brackets to match the wall, just to help them disappear.
cheers

Thanks

 

[DavidConnelly]

Agree with other posts - they look a little out of place and not very nice to look at against the brickwork. Are they removable ? If so there are some good quality imitation stone spray paints that could at least make them less visible and not stand out as much . Do the glazing company have any other alternatives you could swap them for .

They appear to be be necessary but really ugly. Speaking to the company tomorrow hopefully they will have an answer

 

[DavidConnelly]

Agree with other posts - they look a little out of place and not very nice to look at against the brickwork. Are they removable ? If so there are some good quality imitation stone spray paints that could at least make them less visible and not stand out as much . Do the glazing company have any other alternatives you could swap them for .

Thanks

 

[Richard_C]

I guess the most likely option is to disguise/lose them with some visual trickery. I wondered about the "wallpapers" that railway modellers use, all kinds of stone. Then I wondered, if no better solution is found, how about taking a photo or two of your walls, print them out, cut and make your own sections to glue to the white bits. Or mix some water based paint to get the right shade, stir in some pva and a handful of sand and brush that on.

 

[DavidConnelly]

I guess the most likely option is to disguise/lose them with some visual trickery. I wondered about the "wallpapers" that railway modellers use, all kinds of stone. Then I wondered, if no better solution is found, how about taking a photo or two of your walls, print them out, cut and make your own sections to glue to the white bits. Or mix some water based paint to get the right shade, stir in some pva and a handful of sand and brush that on.

Thanks

 

[ian33a]

There's a massive weight difference between a polycarbonate and a glass roof on a conservatory - made all the worse because it would, otherwise, only have light structural support against a wall as in your situation. It's clearly part of the roofing system but it also seems like they've done a pretty shoddy job with the installation, that, or the supports were bad before the start - the metalwork looks badly chipped and scratched. A case of ramming them in with a high torque cordless and not taking much care.

I suspect the best that can be done is for the brackets to be painted so that they blend with the wall. Depending upon the length of the brackets, it may be possible to affix a uPVC section all the way along covering the brackets and making it look like part of the uPVC profile of the roof line. Almost anything else, I fear, would draw even more attention to the fixing system.

 

[DavidConnelly]

Thanks

 

[DavidConnelly]

This is how it's attached to the wall.

 

[ian33a]

This is how it's attached to the wall.

Large panes of glass are pretty heavy, especially if the glazing units end up being toughened 6mm. At the garden end the weight acts directly down through the vertical supports of the wall of the conservatory. On the house wall side - were the frame bolted directly to the wall, all of the forces would dissipate through the fixing bolts and friction would also assist. By putting in the right angled brackets it provides more support for the dead weight and I would hope that the timber is also screwed to the wall as well.

Ideally, I would have expected to see a wall plate, in metal, held directly against the wall and attached with masonry bolts and the roof frame then attached to this. Seeing timber as what appears as a padding concerns me a bit. Perhaps what has been done is perfectly acceptable but, to my eyes, it all looks a bit of a bodge. It's almost as if somebody ordered the wrong length of roof glazing bars and glass and had to improvise.

A wall plate, the right length of glazing bars on the roof for the conservatory size and roof angle and glazing units of the correct length would have looked a whole lot better.

 

[DavidConnelly]

The original roof was bolted to the wall. The glass panels are at the max length possible. The 6 x 2s are bolted to the wall but as you say. It looks like a bodge. I'll find out today hopefully what the company ate going to do.
Thanks

 

[ian33a]

Generally, glass can be any size you like provided it is structurally sound and can be manoeuvred into place and the support system can bear the weight. From your previous post it now, very much, looks like a bodge - probably because somebody didn't calculate the dimensions correctly. Adding 15cm or so to the length of the glass is, percentage wise, not a lot. It is, however, expensive, if somebody has already bought incorrectly sized glass and glazing bars which are too short. I would also be concerned that, long term, if water gets under the flashing it will rot the timber and cause you massive problems down the road.

 

[niall Y]

My goodness that's a large wodge of wood up there. Can't see a reason for it unless it's part of the overall design to accommodate any large soil pipes at he back of a building.

 

[Richard_C]

Ian makes good points, looking down at the new photo makes me wonder if they measured from the inside edge of the base wall rather than the outside. If you look at the vertical join of the conservatory end to the wall, is there a similar "filler piece", that might confirm Ians theory. It does seem unusual, our conservatory is a different design but the frame to wall is a fairly slim metal beam direct to wall with no extra support brackets.

Maybe you should get them back on site and ask why it has been done that way. I didn't think there was any maximum length for non opening glass panels.