Sunrooms need windows that serve two purposes. These windows should open and close easily so you can ventilate the room and keep your energy costs for heating/cooling manageable. They should also make it difficult for an intruder to get inside. This is especially important for an attached sunroom that opens into the main section of the house. With any glass walled room that isn’t regularly shielded with privacy blinds or curtains, burglars have the opportunity to see valuable items on display. They need to have a reason to believe entering will be difficult or dangerous.

Windows that are secure and difficult to break can help deter a potential burglar from making an entry attempt. All windows in the sunroom should have appropriate contacts to set off an alarm if someone tries to open them from the outside. Placing alarm monitoring company labels in highly visible spots can also be a deterrent. Installing security window with safety locks may create additional barriers to entry.

Large casement and awning windows used for sunrooms tend to be some of the most secure on the market today for a couple of reasons. Generally, they won’t open wide enough to let an adult through. The crank used to open and close casement and awning windows can act as a security device by significantly slowing a burglar down. As long as the window is in good working condition, it is next to impossible to disengage the mechanism from the outside – and it is difficult to break.

Not all sunrooms have to be attached to an existing home. Some conservatories are built as standalone units instead. This approach has advantages and disadvantages depending on where you live and how large/complex you want the structure to be. Here are some things to consider when you are planning a standalone sunroom:

When a sunroom is not attached to your house, you have a great deal of leeway in its size, shape, and placement. However, it’s a good idea not to get carried away. The larger the room, the more expensive it will be to build. High quality glass isn’t cheap! A covered deck, pergola, or small gazebo can serve as the base around which to build a cost-effective sunroom.

A detached sunroom will need its own heating and cooling system unless you only plan to use it in temperate weather. Locating this structure in a breezeway so you can open up a few screened windows for fresh air can help reduce the need for an air conditioner. In some climates an electric fan may be all that is needed to keep the room comfortable – especially if it is properly insulated.

Building a sunroom where it will receive partial shade for several hours a day from a nearby tree is another option for keeping things cool. Just don’t build it too close under the tree or falling branches may cause damage in a storm.

Painting the interior of your new sunroom is what gives it that “ready to live in” feel. Picking the right shade and texture is important here. You don’t want to have to repaint again anytime soon when you’ve just finished a major remodel project.

Walls

According to the folks at Benjamin Moore, some of the most popular shades for sunrooms are light browns, peach, cream, and beige. Spring greens and yellows are also often used to brighten the walls while blues are a common choice for homeowners who plan to use the sunroom mainly for relaxation. Using a kitchen or bathroom quality paint is a good idea if this area will be exposed to moisture from outdoors.

Floor

A concrete floor can be painted with a concrete binding primer and a tough epoxy (such as the products used for painting garage floors). Your desired tint can be added to whatever paint you choose. So, the floor can be made to match the walls or it can be a complimentary color. Adding a faux or sponged finish in a contrasting color can make it easier to conceal cracks, stains, and scuff marks as the floor ages.

Some resources recommend applying paint directly to an unsealed concrete floor for the highest level of adherence. If the concrete is already sealed, it may need to be treated with acid so the paint will stick. Either way, applying a layer of sealant as a final coat is a good idea since it will help the paint last longer.

Are you planning to add a sunroom to your home? This is the type of home improvement project that should be done because you plan to enjoy the room yourself. While this type of addition does offer an increase in property value, you can’t expect to recoup your entire investment. In fact, the average cost recovery is just 51% of the price of the sunroom when you sell your house. The percentage is slightly higher if you live in the Southern United States, but it tops out around 55%.

Another important financial issue that you should be aware of before constructing a sunroom is homeowner’s insurance. What happens if you build the room yourself and someone is injured in the process (or if you inadvertently damage the structure of your house)? You need to know if your existing insurance policy will cover the claim.

It’s also important to revisit your current coverage to add the sunroom. Otherwise, it will not be replaced if your home is lost in a fire or other catastrophic event. Then, your full investment in this remodeling project will be lost and you will have to rebuild the sunroom out of your own pocket. Think of the cost of purchasing additional coverage as a small maintenance fee that is just part of having a beautiful new sunroom to relax in.

One of the most challenging aspects of owning a hot tub is protecting it from the weather. Extreme cold can damage the mechanical parts of an outdoor spa. This means it is necessary to keep a hot tub running all winter long to maintain a safe minimum temperature. If it is snowing, a cover must be placed over the tub.

What if you could install a hot tub in a more protected environment while still enjoying an “outdoor” feel? This is an idea many homeowners are experimenting with by installing a hot tub in a sunroom. In these cases, the sunroom may be furnished and decorated more like a spa than a reading room or plant conservatory. A table for serving refreshments, a few lounge chairs, and a tile floor with a textured surface are great design elements for such a sunroom.

Special Challenges

Of course, the requirements for a hot tub room are different than those of a typical sunroom. The materials used should be resistant to moisture. The room must also be appropriately vented so steam doesn’t build up and make the space uncomfortably hot and humid (although some people like the sauna effect!) The excess moisture should be able to condense and drain to the exterior of the sunroom instead of inside the room.

A hot tub also has unique plumbing (and electrical) requirements. Such considerations are easiest to accommodate during the initial planning stage rather than as a retrofit. Putting a hot tub in a sunroom that is not designed properly for such a use may result in damage and disappointment.

Sunrooms are a great place to spend a lazy afternoon. However, during certain times of the day (or year), this area of your home may be a little brighter than you bargained for. UV blocking glass may keep you from getting sunburned, but the light can still create an unpleasant level of glare. Installing shades, blinds, or drapes is one way to take control of how much sun you let into your sunroom.

Blinds and Shades

Louvered vinyl blinds or roll-up bamboo shades are the cheapest option for the floor to ceiling style windows in most sunrooms. These can be installed as a DIY project and are available in a wide variety of sizes. Consider purchasing shades from the same manufacturer or distributor who supplied the other materials for your sunroom. This is one way to get a fairly good deal and ensure a proper fit. If you have a bespoke sunroom built to your specifications, expect to pay more for custom blinds.

Sunroom Drapes

Sheer Sunroom Curtains

Do you prefer curtains but don’t want to spend thousands on a custom window treatment? Buy sheer fabric from a discount store and make these yourself. For full drapes, each fabric panel should be at least 1.5 times the width of the glass pane it is covering. Allow several inches of extra fabric at the top and bottom for a hem and the channel for the curtain rod. Finish with ribbon tie backs for a breezy, simple effect. If you want to be able to fully block light and conserve energy when you aren’t using the room, install solid drapes with a thermal blackout liner.

Fun Stuff

Don’t forget that skylights may need to be shaded as well. Motorized blinds can be installed to open and close with the flick of a switch. This gives you the option of blocking the rays of the sun when it is directly overhead. During the summer, this can make your sunroom easier to cool.

There are many different Skylight options out there today. You can get Skylights made out of many different materials, sizes and styles and can be operational or fixed. You can even get them with integrated screens to help block out the sun if you wish.

In the beginning, skylight windows were only available in single pane glass. But today, skylights are available in multi-pane Low-E glass and also tinted coatings to reflect the suns rays and radiation block. That will help keep the home cooler.

You can also get ventilated skylights if you choose. You can open them with hand cranks, switch controlled motors, or you can even have them installed with an automatic temperature sense that is self controlled to open up to allow warm air to be vented out of a room. They also are available with insect screens.

All windows come with a selection of ultra-violet ratings and insulation for you to choose from. Normally, the better the skylight the higher U-values and R-values they have and they usually come with a much higher price tag. However, it is your home and it is always a good investment to go with the better product for the future.

Skylights are a really good natural lighting option and accent piece. You can always add this to a new home or make it a great home addition to your existing home. They are easily retrofitted into the home. So I suggest when you are thinking about adding a little light or brightness to your home, look into skylights and see if that’s an option.

Insulating your sunroom is the only way to make it usable all year round. Many sunrooms are designed with the assumption that they will not be heated during the winter months. If you intend to heat yours, it needs to be well insulated and sealed for maximum energy efficiency.

Glass Insulation

Windows enclose much of the area in a sunroom. You need additional strategies to increase the R-value of glass. If you can afford to do so, always use at least double pane glass. The gap between the layers is filled with an inert gas that increases the insulating capacity of the entire windowpane. Ensure that all windows are properly glazed and sealed to prevent leakage around the edges.

Low-e rated windows have multiple layers of metal coating that is invisible to the naked eye but blocks harmful rays. This can protect any furniture in the sunroom and also acts as a thermal regulator. Triple pane glass combined with this feature gives sunroom windows an R-value of about 4.35. This should be enough to keep out the hot air in the summer and maintain warm air inside during the winter.

Wall Insulation

Wherever possible, you should install high quality batt insulation with increased R-value. It should be at least R-13 instead of the normal R-11 for walls, and R-38 for ceilings instead of the normal R-30. Make sure there are no gaps in the construction. Fiberglass batt insulation must be cut to fit properly. You may need to purchase special types of insulation for unusually shaped spaces.

Install a vapor retardant layer over insulation before the wall board or plywood is fixed in place. The wall board you use for the interior top layer should have an additional R-4 to R-8 rating per inch on top of everything else. If your sunroom floor is raised above the ground, you will also need to insert insulating materials such as closed cell boards in that space.

Sunrooms are often added later in the life of a house. This means you may not be able to exactly match the flooring in this type of addition to what you already have in other areas of your home. Tile, carpet, and other products are often produced in “lots” that vary from one run to the next. So, finding an option that simply compliments your existing flooring is your best bet.

Laminates

Faux wood and tile laminates are the least expensive flooring options. They are easy to keep clean. If you expect mud to be tracked into your sunroom, consider one of these materials. They can look very nice if you choose a durable, name brand product.

Carpet

If you plan on using your sunroom as a cozy conservatory, you may wish to carpet it. High quality UV blocking glass will reduce carpet’s tendency to fade in the sun. Select a stain resistant indoor/outdoor product for this area if you have kids or pets.

Tile

This is a classic flooring material for sunrooms. However, it will be chilly underfoot until the sun warms it up. Add textured throw rugs made from natural fibers such as sisal or coconut to wake your feet up. Or, install under-floor heating to make this flooring more comfortable.

Wood

Depending on the style of your sunroom, you may want a natural wood deck surface underfoot. The darker you stain it, the more warmth it will absorb from the sun. Seal it just as you would an outdoor deck to keep out moisture. Apply a scratch resistant finish to keep the wood looking nice.

Concrete

Are you having a fresh concrete slab poured for your sunroom? If so, it won’t have blemishes like adhesive residue or scratches typically found after pulling up existing carpet or tile. This means the concrete surface will be in perfect condition for glazing – a very modern effect.

A sunroom can be added to a home in any geographical area. However, sunrooms are generally not heavily insulated. This means they are a lot more comfortable when the weather isn’t too hot or cold. Where you live makes a difference in the materials, style, and construction considerations for your home addition. A lanai is one example of a sunroom that works best in very temperate parts of the U.S.

A lanai (also called a Florida room) is basically an upgraded patio, veranda, or terrace. The area is usually open or screened. It can be enclosed in glass if that suites your preference and your budget. Finely crafted woodwork sets the lanai apart from more standard sunrooms. Rather than being simply a box, it is intended to provide maximum aesthetic appeal.

That’s one reason this type of addition is generally customized to match and enhance the exterior of the existing home. If your house has a classic look, a lanai is a good choice for taking it up another notch and adding character.

Introduce tropical style to the interior of your sunroom with high quality wicker, earth toned tapestries, and vivid accent pillows. Add a palm frond style ceiling fan for a little extra cool.

Expanding your home can be an expensive proposition. Custom built sunrooms are generally priced from 10k to 70k dollars. However, this type of home addition increases the value of your property and provides an area where you can conveniently entertain guests. The outdoor experience of this indoor space creates a feeling of openness to the natural world around you. Folks who have a sunroom built usually believe it was worth the investment.

The DIY Option

There is, of course, an alternative to having a sunroom professionally built. A DIY kit allows you to pick from several different designs and cuts the cost substantially. Kits for sunrooms range in price from 2-20 grand depending on the size and materials you select. For best results, choose a simple patio or porch enclosure. That’s as much complexity as the average DIY homeowner can handle.

The instruction manual and/or video included with your kit will be designed to make the building process as straightforward as possible. However, there are always some safety concerns when untrained friends or relatives help you with a construction project. In addition, you may still need licenses or building permits before getting started. Each community has its own building codes that require strict adherence. A local installer can help you navigate the permitting system and ensure proper safety protocols are followed throughout the project.

Additional Concerns

Prefab sunrooms aren’t guaranteed to fit perfectly into the space you have selected. If you go with the cheapest materials, you can also expect a great deal of energy loss. There could be drainage problems or leaks that need to be fixed by a professional. However, if you are handy with home improvement projects, you may enjoy both the initial installation and ongoing upkeep involved in creating your own sunroom.

In the world of prefabricated sunrooms, the most basic options are simple glass boxes that enclose a patio or deck. These structures accomplish the job of allowing sunlight in. However, they don’t offer a great deal of aesthetic appeal. This is one reason many homeowners choose to spring for a slightly more customized design like those created by TEMO and Four Seasons.

The conservatory is a good example of a home addition that offers grace and elegance as well as light filled space. Unlike a traditional sunroom with a flat or low vaulted ceiling, a conservatory sunroom rises to a dome or a steep apex. The ceiling is often paneled with clear or frosted glass rather than being opaque.

Room Structure

The room itself may be hexagonal or octagonal offering a panoramic view. This shape blends well with Victorian architecture. Rectangular conservatories are also available that more closely match Georgian style homes. Laminated aluminum generally forms the exterior, but the interior can be finished in wood or other materials to match the rest of your home. White is one of the most popular exterior colors for this type of sunroom – it matches the trim on many houses.

Possible Uses

Historically, conservatories have been used as attached greenhouses for upscale homes and public buildings. This is still a great way to use your own, modern sunroom. The climate is somewhat controlled while letting in plenty of natural sunlight. You can also furnish this area as a parlor, music room, or library.