a conservatory which has three sides to the front.
5 Facet Conservatory
a conservatory which has five sides to the front.
Air Conditioning
a system for keeping a room set to a selected temperature, controlled via a thermostat.
Argon Gas
an inert gas used in sealed units. Argon has excellent insulation properties, making it ideal for use in double glazing.
Base Wall
the cavity wall upon which your conservatory will sit. Usually between 300-750mm high.
Boundary Line
the border between two properties. Normally this is marked by a fence or wall.
Building Regulations
rules which must be followed when building. You must apply to your local council to find out if your plans comply.
Colour Wash
a now largely out-of-date term for painting a wall (for example, white washing).
Combination Conservatory
a conservatory possessing features from two different types of conservatory, such as a lean-to conservatory with a faceted end.
Cresting
a decorative upright moulding on the top of a conservatory, which not only looks pleasant, but prevents birds from sitting on the roof.
Damp Proof Course
a waterproof membrane laid between bricks, normally about 150mm from ground level to prevent rising damp.
Damp Proof Membrane
a waterproof membrane (usually a plastic sheet) between the sand blinding of the hardcore foundation and the concrete over site. This prevents damp.
Dental Moulding
a decorative moulding, normally below the guttering of a conservatory.
Double-glazed Unit
two panes of glass hermetically sealed with an inert gas between the panes. Often referred to as simply a sealed unit.
Dwarf Wall
see Base Wall
Equal Site Line
where the opening and non-opening parts of a window look the same, i.e. they are flush with one another.
Eves Beam
the beam along the top of the window frame, which supports the roof.
External Sill
a special, moulded section at the bottom of a window or door which allows rainwater to run off, instead of forcing it to the brickwork, which could cause damp.
Finial
the pointed part of the cresting.
Flank Wall
generally a side wall of a conservatory, built close to a boundary.
Flashing
a lead covering between the wall of the house and the roof of the conservatory. This stops rain from getting into the conservatory from the back.
Footing
the brickwork from the top of the foundation to the damp proof course of the conservatory.
Foundations
the concrete strip upon which the footings are built.
Frames
the structural window frames, moulded to accept the weight of the roof.
Georgian Bar
uPVC or timber frames which divide a window, e.g. a Georgian window.
Glazing Beading
a uPVC or timber beading which secures the sealed unit into the window frame.
Gutter
a device to collect rainwater from the roof of a conservatory.
Inspection Chamber
usually a chamber which contains underground sewage and utility pipes.
Internal Sill
a window board or tiling which covers the top of a dwarf wall.
Lean-to Conservatory
a conservatory with a roof, sloping from back to front.
Manhole
a chamber containing underground sewage and utility pipes.
Mastic
a silicon beading product which is injected into gaps by hand in order to seal them. It is usually used between the uPVC frames and the brickwork.
Mortar
the material used to bond bricks together in a wall.
Multipoint Locking
a locking system for doors and windows that locks in more than one point. Normally, windows have three points, and doors five, with all the locks being activated by a single key turn.
Oversite
the concrete floor of the conservatory.
Piled Foundation
a specially constructed foundation used where ground quality is poor.
Planning Permission
written permission from a local authority, permitting development of a house, extension or conservatory.
Plastering
a smooth finish which is laid into a brick or block wall, allowing for decoration.
Polycarbonate
a plastic roof covering for a conservatory, which can be provided in clear, opal and bronze varieties.
Ring Beam
the beam above the window frames in a conservatory, which supports the roof.
Roof Ventilator
an opening in the roof, to allow ventilation in the conservatory.
Sash
an opening part of a window. A sash window lifts up and down to open.
Screed
a smooth, light, sand and cement finish laid onto the oversite once the major works have been finished, allowing you to place flooring on top.
Sealed Manhole Cover
a special metal cover, sealed with 4 screws at floor level, to prevent gases from the manhole chamber from escaping into the conservatory.
Sealed Unit
see Double Glazed Unit.
Skirting Boards
timber moulded boards, fitted from floor level and decorated.
Squint Brick
a specially made, angled brick used in Victorian 3 facet conservatories.
Sun Lounge
a conservatory with a roof sloping down from the rear to the front.
Tie Bar
a metal rod or timber member which prevents the conservatory from spreading (i.e. the walls moving away from one another).
Top Fanlight
the top part of a window above the transom bar.
Transom Bar
the part of the window dividing the actual window into two.
U-factor
a factor for calculating heat loss – the lower the U-factor, the higher the insulation (i.e. the least heat lost).
Unequal Site Lines
this is where the opening part of a window stands away from the non opening parts.
Wall Ties
Metal resistant wires approximately 3mm thick, which link the cavity wall together to give additional strength.