Recommendations for insulating and enclosing a patio wanted

[projectkarara]

Hi everyone! I am very new to renovating so I'd be very grateful for any recommendations or advice regarding my project. I am planning to enclose a patio that is currently semi enclosed with pull down blinds. I'd like it to be insulated and used all year round, so the plan is to completely enclose it.

At the moment, the floor is tiles. I am thinking of wooden decking. but not sure if some engineered wood or another option would be best. I don't want to remove the tiles, so something that can go over them would be best. there is a small step down (pictured) from the indoor floor to outdoors, so I think that will also be good as it will level things out?

There is currently a blue fencing around the patio, which I would love to repurpose and use as a frame to go around the patio. I just don't know what kind of material I could use as a backing on the fence to cover the gaps. I think it'd be nice to have to fence part on the outside, a backing material, insulation (not sure what to use) and then another material that would be showing on the inside. I'm not sure if any of that makes sense! But basically wanting to use the wood and insulate it to be used as the bottom half of the patio walls.

I am planning to enclose it where the big round posts are, and have a door at each end (where the big gaps currently are). I would like to have glass around the whole thing (top half of the patio), would plexiglass be good for that? I've also heard of clear insulation that can be used on glass. would anyone recommend that?

It would be good to have some of the glass as windows that can be opened as well.

As for the doors. I think just simple doors that swing open is fine. I really don't know what other options there are.

I'm going to remove the horrid fan that is currently there and replace it with maybe two big ones.

Finally, I need to close the top of the patio where there is a gap between the house roof and the patio roof. I assume the same material the patio roof is made of will be fine?

Any other suggestions or ideas would be amazing. Thank you in advance!

a door at this end.

This is the blue fencing I want to bring in to where the shades currently are. remove the shades of course. the wooden decking will go out until the end of the patio however.

these shades will be removed. plan to then use the blue round posts as a guide for patio enclosure walls/glass.

 

other door here.

wooden decking to go onto tiles (this is a door mat) and level with the bricks.

       

[JacobZ95]

Hi @projectkarara, 

It looks like you’ve got a lot of great ideas and not a lot of direction on where to start. 

On any construction project a good set of plans will ensure that the finished product matches up with what is desired. When a construction project is in the proposal stage, a scope of works will be produced to outline what it is that’s trying to be achieved and allow contractors to quote on the project. 

Might I suggest as a starting point listing your ideas in dot-point format, doing some basic sketches and taking some basic measurements.

This will help both you, and anyone else involved in the project get a clear idea of what you’re trying to achieve.

Just going off your description, it is likely that this project should be broken down into smaller “sub-projects”.

Once you’ve done this, you can decide whether it is something you could take on yourself, or something you should hire a professional to do. 

I hope this helps,

Jacob

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @projectkarara. It's sensational to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about enclosing a pergola.

Some excellent advice from @JacobZ95 there. Since this will be a fairly complex multi-stage project, it's best to have a clear plan.

To add decking material, you typically fasten it down to a timber frame and not directly to the tiles, so that will elevate the surface outside and create a step up onto it. This would generally be considered not a fantastic transition to the exterior area. 

By enclosing the area and effectively removing any airflow, the temperatures will skyrocket, especially if your choice of wall is glass. The enclosure of the area would need to be teamed with extensive insulation in the roof and walls. Even then, you could see higher than ambient temperatures without air-conditioning in the space. You might consider insulating the roof space, installing multiple fans, and keeping the walls open as an alternative.

Regardless of what you do with the space, if the aim is to make it more livable, I recommend you start with the roof. Install fibreglass insulation batts and enclose them with plasterboard. That should help lower temperatures. You can then look at how you'd like to enclose the space.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[projectkarara]

Thank you 😊

I was actually hoping to leave the roof as it is to let natural light in as we don't get a lot of light otherwise. most of the sunlight is afternoon light and for a short period before the sun sets. 

If I do want to leave the roof uninsulated so that natural light can come in, would it be enough to insulate the walls? and glass windows for the upper half of the walls, that open up to let a breeze in.

we are also planning to get two ceiling fans to help circulate the air on hot days.

[MitchellMc]

My thoughts are you'd be essentially creating a greenhouse @projectkarara. Any enclosed space where light can enter, and heat can't escape rapidly becomes hot.

Why was it that you wanted to install glass on the walls? The shadecloth blinds you currently have are likely the best solution for keeping temps down within the space.

Mitchell

[projectkarara]

Yes, a sunroom is what I am hoping to create. I would like to use glass (or windows of come sort, maybe double glazed for extra insulation) to be able to see the garden and have good visibility as well as extra light.

the shade cloths would help, as well as windows that can open.

[MitchellMc]

I think the key will be allowing airflow through the area @projectkarara. This will be particularly important through the morning and midday to prevent heat buildup. Otherwise, I have concerns that the proposed alterations will leave the area unusable due to the heat.

Mitchell