Building a Timber Conservatory: Everything You Need to Know

The natural beauty of a timber conservatory, especially when added to a suitable property can be very hard to beat and can give the property a whole new dimension when it comes to style and living space.

In this project we take a look at all aspects of timber conservatories and provide you with everything you need to know if you are considering adding one.

Do I Have a Hardwood or UPVC Frame for my Conservatory?

When it comes to building a conservatory, the very first question is always; What type of frame should it be, timber, aluminium or UPVC?

This is generally a tough decision to make, however it normally comes down to finances or whether you live in a certain area.

In general, people prefer a wood frame conservatory as it give a more ‘luxurious’ and warm feeling, but this comes at a cost as timber frame conservatories tend to be significantly more expensive than their UPVC counter parts, which in some cases can make the decision for you if budgets won’t allow.

If you live in what is referred to as Designated Land, such as a conservation area, you might actually be restricted to only a certain type of conservatory frame, typically timber, so that it is in keeping with surrounding properties or a particular style.

If you know or suspect you live in a conservation area then you will need to contact your local building control office as they will be able to advise on what type, style and size of conservatory you are allowed to erect.

However, if you live in a more modern home or your choice is not restricted by planning constraints you need to weigh up these main factors:

• Which type of frame will suit your home best – perhaps UPVC would be in keeping with your home, or your home suits a particular type of hardwood frame
• Cost – Hardwood conservatory frames tend to be more expensive to buy and to maintain that more modern materials, so this will be an important factor in any decision
• Your own personal preference – Much of this decision is down to what you like and your own particular tastes
• Environmental factors – wood, particularly when sourced from a sustainable source is a more environmentally friendly option
• Ongoing Maintenance – A UPCV conservatory frame will take much less maintenance than a wooden one. This will have an impact on the time and cost you factor in during the life of your conservatory as most will require annual maintenance

Which way will Your Conservatory Face?

This is an extremely important question to answer as the direction that it faces will have a large bearing on the temperatures reached inside and thus on the comfort of inhabitants and the measures that need to be taken to control temperatures.

On the whole it is generally best to ensure your conservatory faces south as it will then be exposed to the most sun throughout the day, but during the height of summer this could mean that temperatures inside get extremely toasty.

On the flip side to this, if it faces north, although it will be more comfortable during the warmer months, in the colder months it will likely get hardly any sun and therefore be freezing!

So, again once you know this you will then know what features will have to be incorporated such as windows and blinds to reduce temperatures and insulation and heating to retain them.

How Long do Timber Conservatories Last?

When it comes to how long a timber conservatory will last for, this depends on how well it is maintained over its life. If maintained correctly and the proper seasoned and treated timber is used, it should last for multiple decades.

When it comes to longevity, this is mostly down to how well the timber remains protected for, as exposure to the elements will quickly wear any external coatings and if any timber remains exposed for extended periods, even treated timber will rot eventually.

To keep the elements at bay any exposed timber should be treated e.g., painted, stained or varnished. More on this below.

What Will the Conservatory be Used for?

Another very important question to ask is; What is the space going to be used for? Once you know this you will then be able plan out exactly what you want.

For example, if it is to be used as a sun room or similar then it may not get a great deal of use throughout the year and therefore may not need to be finished to such a high standard.

However if it is to be used as more of an extension space e.g. extending the living room or providing a dining area then you will want to finish this to a much higher standard so that it matches any adjoining rooms.

Once you know this you can then get a more accurate idea of costs and therefore budget.

Do you Need Planning Permission and Building Regs for a Timber Conservatory?

The subject of planning permission and building regulations can always be a tricky area to navigate, however on the 25th of May 2019, the UK government relaxed permitted development rules for conservatories meaning that as long as they are of a certain size and location then you don’t need any planning permission.

At present the rules for conservatory planning permission are as follows to qualify for permitted development:

• If your new conservatory will not cover more than half the garden
• Is no more than 4m high, or 3m when within 2m of any boundaries
• Follows the same style as the existing roof, if more than 1 storey tall
• Side extensions are no larger than half the property width
• The top of the roof is no higher than the existing property eaves
• It does not take over more than half the existing garden area
• Single storey extensions (conservatories) on the rear must not extend more than 8m for detached and 6m for attached beyond the original properties rear wall

Under the Neighbour Consultation Scheme, as the construction of any structure can easily affect any neighbouring properties, despite the need for planning, your neighbours will be consulted to make sure that their lives won’t be negatively impacted.

Regardless of any of the above, if you do live on Designated Land e.g. in a conservation area, you will almost certainly have to apply for planning permission, regardless of any permitted development status.

Despite this fact, when it comes to the Building Regulations, no matter what the material that your conservatory is built with it will have to comply with the current regulations.

The above is only a brief run down, for full details on any extension/conservatory permitted rules, please see the Governments Planning Portal for what’s allowed.

Also, if there is an external door between the conservatory and the house, it’s at ground level, less than 30m sq and mostly glazed it also may not be subject to building regulations, but the electrics and the glazing will be so they will need to comply. Please see here for information about building regulations for glazing. You can find out more about part P and electrical safety here.

One other point you ned to be aware of is that if you are planning on putting your conservatory against a party wall e.g. a wall that you share with your neighbour you will be subject to the Party Wall Act so your neighbours will ultimately have a say in what you do.

Building your own Timber Conservatory

If you are a keen DIY’er and working to a budget then this is a great option.

There are a wide range of ‘Built-it-yourself’ wooden conservatory kits on the market. They vary widely in cost, size and complexity. They do make it easier to build a conservatory, but this is not an easy project – for more information about how to build a conservatory have a look at our DIY Conservatories project.

One advantage of getting a conservatory build for you, or using a kit is that the manufacture will ensure that the wood has been properly seasoned and treated before use.

Aside from ready-made kits, it’s also possible to source your own materials and build your own conservatory from scratch. As long as it’s all up to spec and compliant with the Building Regulations then there is no reason why you can’t do this.

If you are going down this road then it’s a good idea to draw up detailed plans of your proposed build, listing all materials, insulation etc. and run them past your local Building Control office just to make sure they are happy with everything. At least then you know you won’t get any problems later down the line.

If you are building your own you must ensure that the timber has been seasoned as any warping of the wood could seriously damage your conservatory.

Does a Timber Conservatory Need Foundations?

The foundation of any structure is the key to its success. To ensure that any building whether it’s a skyscraper or a conservatory remains standing for many years it must be constructed on a suitable foundation.

Not only will the foundation keep it standing but the integrated DPC (damp proof course) will ensure that no damp is allowed to travel upwards into the structure above.

Along with the foundation, a concrete pad will also need to be constructed that will form the floor. This will also incorporate a DPC to prevent water and moisture travelling upwards causing damp issues.

Sourcing Sustainable Wood for Your Conservatory

Whether building your own conservatory or buying a kit you should ensure that any timber you use is obtained from a sustainable source. This means that the trees used to produce the timber will be replaced once they have been cut down and the use of the timber is not contributing to de-forestation.

One of the major causes of the loss of rain forest habitat around the world has historically been for providing construction timber and this is especially the case for hardwoods such as those often used for timber conservatories.

Nowadays there are many more rules and regulations concerning what timber can be used and where it can be sourced from and the majority of suppliers in the western world will adhere to these rules and only supply timber form sustainable sources.

We recommend that if you are in doubt you should source your timber through a supplier recommended on the Forestry Commission website.

Or, look out for the Forest Stewardship Council logo that proves that the supplier has managed their forests in a sustainable way.

Types of Hardwood and Finishes used to make Timber Conservatory Frames

Not all hardwoods can be used for making a timber conservatory. For example, beech is not durable enough to withstand the elements and should only be use internally.

With this in mind, aside from the foundation your conservatory sits on, the next most important item is the type of timber that’s used to construct it.

If it’s not up to spec in that it hasn’t been treated and seasoned fully, or it’s not able to withstand the elements and potential pests that it’s subjected to then it will fail in no time.

The most common types of hardwood used in the construction of timber conservatories are

• Oak – Probably the most common hardwood that is used for conservatories in this country. We all know what it looks like and it is very hard not to like it. The slower grown timber is of the highest quality as it will have fewer defects and a closer grain giving less variation



• Mahogany – Mahogany is a red, straight grained wood that weathers to a lovely grey colour. Commonly found widely across North and South America it is used all over the world. Due to this, care must be taken to ensure it’s sourced responsibly



• Idigbo – This is an African hardwood that is commonly used as a replacement for oak as it is cheaper but can be stained to look like oak. It is light and moderately durable, so relatively easy to work. Again, sources must be looked at carefully



• Meranti – This is an Asian timber that is often used as a replacement for mahogany. There are a wide variety of sub species, so it is important to ensure you have the right type before you purchase as the density varies considerably. Again, carefully check sources



• Sapele – This is another African hardwood. It is reddish brown with an interesting grain pattern. It can have a tendency to warp especially is seasoned too quickly. It is one of the cheaper hardwoods and often used as a face for internal doors.



• Iroko – This is a cheaper and more readily accessible replacement for Teak, which has very strict import rules making it hard and often expensive to acquire. Like teak it becomes a silver grey is untreated and has a similar grain and texture

In terms of what timbers best to use for conservatory construction, all of the above are certainly good options, however you should opt to go with the best quality that your budget allows and one that has been sourced correctly.

Finishes for your Wooden Conservatory

As we have stated numerous times already, to ensure your timber conservatory lasts for many, many years, it’s best to use treated and seasoned hardwood, however regardless of this, even this will rot over time, albeit a long time.

To help increase its longevity even more it’s also a good idea to add your own treatment once the structure has been erected.

There are a range of finishes that are available for a wooden conservatory. The most common finishes are:

• Paint – This will provide the most protection to your timber frame, but it will obscure the natural beauty of the wood. Paints do not typically penetrate the surface of the wood, and if they do, they do not penetrate far. If water is to enter the wood it can cause the paint to peel or blister
• Varnish – This will provide a clear or stained film to protect the wood. An exterior marine varnish is likely to prove more durable. A big advantage with this is that it doesn’t mask the natural features of the wood, so it remains fully visible
• Stains and Preservatives – There are a wide range of stains and preservative that can be used to treat and preserve your timber conservatory frame, many have water repelling properties. In most cases as they penetrate down into the timber they provide the best protection levels, but once on there are extremely hard to remove

It is important to follow the manufacturers’ guidelines closely to ensure that you get the most protection for your timber. It will be in an exposed environment, suffering the rain and sun which will weather it more than timber in more protected environments such as window frames.

Ideas for Timber Conservatories

The final choice that needs to be made is what type of conservatory you want e.g., what style. There are several different types to go for and at the end of the day, it’s really up to your own personal tastes as to what you choose.

However, it’s always best to go for a design that compliments the property you’re attaching it too.

Examples of bespoke wooden conservatories and orangeries can be seen in the images below. Many oak conservatories and orangeries can be made to measure to suit your house and garden.

Traditional Edwardian or Victorian

These as you may guess are the traditional style of conservatory that many of the original conservatories in the past were built to.

On the whole they have a fairly timeless design and suit a wide range of homes from period to more modern.

A particular feature of them is to have large windows and high roofs making them very luxurious and spacious.

In fitting with time period they also feature quite a of intricate detail.

Modern Gable Fronted Conservatory

The modern gable fronted conservatory again due to its design, fits very well with a range of different style properties, especially more modern brick-built properties.

Similarly to Edwardian/Victorian variants, they also feature fairly large windows and high roofs, making them very airy and spacious.

Lean-to Conservatories

The lean-to conservatory is the most simple and straight forward of all conservatory designs and due to this, makes it fairly cheap and much more affordable than other styles.

They are available in a great range of different designs and layouts and are an ideal choice for smaller homes as they provide a cheap and effective way of providing another room space, without all of the hassle and cost of building an extension.

If you are looking to add a conservatory to your home, then adding a timber conservatory is a great way to go. Not only will it provide additional, often much needed room space, but also a touch of class and style.