Sunroom Construction & Materials

Like any construction, a sunroom must start from the ground up. Sunrooms require special construction and materials, starting with the floor and reaching out to the walls and ceiling. The way you decide to construct your room and the materials you use will affect the room's comfort, stability and appearance.

Sunroom Foundation

• A sound, solid base is crucial to properly support a glass structure.
• The foundation must comply with local building codes.
• Footings must be three to four feet below the ground to ensure that the foundation does not move.
• Options include continuous, pier, wood and full basement.
• For level sites, continuous foundation works best. It provides an uninterrupted line to match your home and it works well for most sunroom floorings including tile, linoleum, vinyl, wood and carpet. It can also be used to install a radiant heating system.
• If your sunroom is not directly on grade, a pier foundation is more appropriate and also when cost is a major consideration. Hilly sites will also require you to build a conventionally framed foundation complete with concrete footings that comply with local building codes.
• Lastly, you have the option of adding basement space, but it is expensive and often not an option at all.

Sunroom Roofs

• Typically the roof is framed in a conventional manner using joists of the appropriate size, spacing and insulation.
• In exceptional cases, the roof is made of all-glass.
• Roofs may include skylight openings for additional light exposure. In such cases, the glass in the overhead glazing must meet requirements for safety specified by local building codes.
• Types of skylights include fixed skylights, fixed and vented skylights, and vented skylight.

Sunroom Walls

• The walls in a sunroom will primarily consist of glass, but other materials are used to create the structure.
• There are basically four materials used in the construction of sunroom walls which include wood, vinyl (PVC), aluminum, and clad.
• The material you pick is important for the room's comfort, stability and appearance.
• You have the option of installing a knee wall which will extend 2 or 3 feet and allow for a structured base while still bringing in lots of light. Knee walls also offer the advantage of installing electricity cables through it.

Sunroom Windows

• Glass windows and doors are the primary components of any sunroom.
• The type of glass chosen makes a significant difference to performance.
• There are virtually an unlimited amount of sizes, shapes and styles to choose form.
• It is recommended to choose windows that are compatible with the existing windows and overall architecture of your home.
• Fixed windows tend to be less expensive than styles that open.
• Pay special attention to the U-Value of your windows because energy efficiency is extremely important in a sunroom. Insulation qualities will help maintain a comfortable climate inside the room.
• Types of windows include wood, vinyl, aluminum, and clad.
• Window options include Double-glazing, Triple-paned glazing, Argon-filled windows, Low-emissive glass (Low E), and Safety glass.