How to add insulation to a sunroom with Colorbond roof?

[garyw]

Hi,

Thanks for adding me to this exciting forum.

My question is regarding insulating my existing sunroom to convert it to all season room.

The problem is the room becomes very cold in winter and hot in summer. Also due to condensation there be mould formation on roof.

I live in south-west Sydney.

The sunroom is 7m(L)X3m(W) and is made from colourbond metal,with glass windows.

The problem is that the roof is not insulated,neither the side frames. The roof is a single metal sheet without any support.

The floor is same as wooden deck and there are gaps. Also its  a raised room so makes it very cold/hot.

Please provide your feedback if its worth implementing following ideas so I can use this room as study & media room.

• Roof insulation : Insulate the colorbond roof(please suggest material and if I can  glue it to roof).Build a light weight metal frame, please suggest the material. The frame can be build by joining to the existing frame using rivet/glue(please suggest). Added a photos (existing roof, idea of frame). Also need to cover using lightweight material (please suggest). I am planning to install downlights in it.
• Floor : Install vinyl boards on top of existing floor. Please suggest if that will work or I need under floor insulation ?
• Side panels below windows : Glue insualtion to colorbond panel, drill wooden frame and gyprock on top of it.
• Windows : Install roller blinds (please suggest for better insulation).

My plan is to install an aircon if needed in future.

Please provide a feedback if this is feasbile and worth. I dont want to spend too much on it a I plan to sale the house in 2-3 years.

Thanks in advance.

Attached photos. Please let me know if you need mre info.

Regards

Gary

Existing uninsulated roofExisting frame to attach frame meshproposed Frameproposed Frame and coverwindow and frame

[Jason]

Hi @garyw and a warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. 

We trust you'll get loads of helpful information, advice and inspiration from our amazing members for all your projects around the house and garden. Please feel free to post anytime you need assistance or have something new to share. 

Let me tag some helpful members who might like to kick off the discussion and share their thoughts about your insulation project: @JDE, @Brad, @TheSaltyreefer

Please let me know if you ever need a hand getting the most from the site. 

Jason

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @garyw. I apologise for my delayed reply.

What you have suggested will reduce the severity of the extreme temperatures that you are experiencing in that room. The only concern I have is those lightweight frames and insulation will add a considerable amount of weight to the unsupported roof. It might be worth installing a structural beam across the centre of the roof to bear some of their weight.

Our supplier Knauf does a complete range of pressed steel suspension ceiling products which you can find instore and through our special orders. However, to install through to the roof sheet would require putting hundreds of holes directly through an exterior roof and I certainly wouldn't recommend this.

In your scenario, I believe constructing stud walls and ceiling would be the best decision. You would create stud frames on the interior walls and ceiling, install insulation and the Gyprock over the top.

Vinyl boards on the floor will prevent a certain amount of hot and cold air entering the room. I would advise you to install the vinyl boards in combination with Earthwool R2.5 90 x 420mm 2 92m Floorshield Underfloor Batt 6 pack to really be effective.

Window shutters would be a good idea and you could also consider awnings to prevent the sun from hitting directly on the window panes.

Constructing frames and Gyprocking the room is a considerable investment in time and money, but it might be to your advantage when selling to have an additional temperature-controlled room in the house.

Please let me know if you need further information or have questions.

Mitchell

[Terryahh]

 

 

Hello I am interested in this topic as well as have a very similar sun room that is very hot in summer and very cold in winter.

Im wondering if there is any lightweight insulation that is weather proof that could be added to the OUTSIDE ie on top of the roof rather than the inner part of the roof. The I can see if that is enough and then do more for the walls below the windows later if need to. It seems to me most of the heat comes in via the roof.

This way also the insulation will not be taking up some of the floor to ceiling space and may be easier to add?

Your help will be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Terry

ps I just improvised today not sure if it will work. I bought some FC cladding hardie board 6mm thick and under that I placed 25mms of foilboard insulation panel. However I did not put then inside the sunroom but i put them on top of the roof on the outside. So I placed the foilboard under the FC cladding hardie board and then screwed them into the hills of the corrugated colourbond roofing with metal hex screws- i just used 12 gauge 45 mm long. So we will see how that goes with the heat and also if it lasts being on the outside??? Bit of an experiment so far.

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @Terryahh. It's sensational that you've joined us, and many thanks for your question about insulation.

There are not many insulation products I can think of that are designed to go outside your roof. I've heard of solar reflective paints that claim to help reduce heat transfer through a roof. There are also roof ventilators for summer to vent the hot air inside back outside. You could even consider having a shade sail installed that was 150mm above your roof. The UV rays would hit it, be converted to heat, and then released into the surrounding air, instead of hitting your roof and transferring into your room.

I'd be keen to hear if @TedBear or any of our other members had some thoughts.

Mitchell

[TedBear]

Hi @Terryahh . I think @MitchellMc 's suggestion of shading the roof is the best for what you are trying to achieve. Also, consider painting the top of the roof metal white, if it is not already a light colour. I worked in some unairconditioned equipment buildings on the Nullarbor many years ago and the method for keeping them cool was to enclose the whole building (size of a modest shed) inside a vented outer building. Keeping it all under shade, with air flow was surprisingly effective.

[Terryahh]

Thank you Mitchell 

I didn’t realise you had replied so quickly and went into action with my own invention.

Not sure if it will help. I added my attempt by editing my question and putting it as a ps with the question and uploading a couple of images.

I hope what I did isn’t totally flawed. I like the idea of the shade sale 150 mm above and also maybe on one side of the sunroom as well so might do that as well. I’ll let you know if what I’ve done works and if I add the shade sale. Perhaps even the ventilator if needed. Thank you. 

[Terryahh]

Thank you tedbear 

Your I out gives me a good visual of what to do next if my attempt with my one solution fails or doesn’t work well enough. I like the idea of shade sail that is 150 mm above and perhaps I can place a wall of shade sail on one side of sunroom similar to how people protect plants with heshen. I can’t enclose the whole sunroom but the image you gave helps with possible future direction. Thanks again.  

ps I edited my original post to show what I ended up trying. 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Terryahh,

It sounds like your idea will quite possibly reduce the temperature inside the room. You might need to add the board and sheeting to the entire roof to see a significant result. Make sure you're using screws that have a rubber seal washer on them to prevent water from migrating down the holes into the room.

I'm looking forward to hearing your results.

Mitchell

[Terryahh]

Thank you Mitchell

 I will do what you suggest and add to the entire roof and see.

The section to the side of the one I just put in won’t take a full Hardie board without cutting it. However I’m thinking of instead of cutting the foam and Hardie board then just raising that one edge with strips of timber and then overlap on top of the already laid insulated hardie board. This way I have a section with air under it and also then a strip section with overlaid double insulation and double Hardie board.  
Not sure if any issues with doing that ? Such as possibly making an area that rats or mice might like to make a home in or birds that may then chew the foam?