Open-air living space – all year round

More than just a trend: Create your own outdoor oasis

Barbecuing with family and friends, peacefully reading a good book, working in your home office – the possibilities for using a terrace, a gazebo or a conservatory are extremely diverse. Often, the floors of these quasi-outdoor spaces are covered with tiles or natural stone slabs. To ensure long-lasting enjoyment, the floor coverings should be installed and grouted with low-emission products.

In recent years, street cafés have been increasingly offering al fresco drinking and dining – even in winter. More than ever, people are drawn to the outdoors. It has also become a habit in private homes – especially since Corona – to spend as much time as possible close to nature. To achieve this goal, homeowners have numerous options to create their own “garden room”: for example in the form of a terrace, a gazebo or a conservatory. Nowadays, an open terrace can be easily transformed into an enclosed conservatory. How? Simply by covering the terrace with a roof of adjustable louvre blades and screening it in on the sides with flexible glazing. Depending on the temperature and personal preferences, the space can then be closed or opened up as much as this is necessary or wanted.

The location of this additional “garden room” depends on its use. If you want to set up a studio or a workshop, you may be better off on the north side. For entertaining family and friends after work, the south and west sides are ideal. In any case, it is important for the terrace and conservatory to be equipped with a shading device to protect the place against overheating in summer. In addition, ventilation in the form of roof vents or extractor fans is essential for an enclosed conservatory. Also LED-based integrated lighting should be provided to promote the well-being and comfort of the residents.

Typically, terrace and conservatory floors are covered with tiles or natural stone slabs. When installing the floors, homeowners should exercise the same care as when planning the outdoor room as a whole. These days, housebuilders and renovators are attaching more and more importance to a healthy living environment. They should therefore ensure that all building materials used – for example mortars, adhesives and grouts – are as low-emission as possible. The EMICODE^® seal provides useful and reliable guidance in this respect. It was established by the GEV – the Association for the Control of Emissions in Products for Flooring Installation, Adhesives and Building Materials. The EMICODE^® is a vendor-neutral quality seal that is only awarded to building products with the lowest possible emissions. Independent laboratories continuously monitor through unannounced spot checks whether the manufacturers comply with the required limit values. For consumers, the EMICODE^® label is therefore a reliable indicator of which building materials they can put their trust in to enjoy a healthy indoor climate in their conservatory.

Floors made of ceramic tiles or natural stone have the advantage that an already existing underfloor heating system can be extended by another heating circuit in the garden room. Alternatively, also a wood-burning stove or a radiator will do a good heating job. In earlier days, conservatories were not very energy-efficient due to the large glass surfaces. This has changed since the introduction of heat-insulating glazing. Nothing therefore stands in the way of year-round use of a roof-covered and glazed-in terrace, gazebo or conservatory. Speaking of which: How about enjoying your next Christmas dinner there?

Photo: ©Narin/stock.adobe/GEV

Living in harmony with nature – all year round. Terraces, pavilions or conservatories offer a wide range of options for outdoor living. Modern glass elements can be opened or closed to suit your needs. Indoor air quality, however, must not be ignored when all elements are closed due to cold or bad weather. Therefore take care to choose very low-emission products when installing the floor covering. If you want to be on the safe side, look out for the EMICODE^® seal on the packaging.