Why do you use hardwood?
Does it need any maintenance?
Only with hardwood can you obtain the required amount of detail finish that distinguishes our designs. Plastic is cold and unsympathetic and quite inappropriate for many of our customers houses. We use an African hardwood called Idigbo that is naturally resistant to rot and fungal attack. Natural oils present also resist water penetration and contribute to longevity of the timber. All timber used comes from managed renewable plantations.

After planing and jointing the assembled timber goes through an automated painting and drying process, which includes base coats and top coats providing a factory finished product. This means that there is no requirement for on-site painting other than some touching up. Depending on where you live and how exposed your conservatory is will determine how often it should be repainted; as a general rule though we would recommend about every three to five years using a micro-porous paint.

What special tools will I need?
Any competent self-builder will have all the necessary plant and equipment to complete the installation. From a convenience and safety point of view a light access scaffold tower is extremely useful when assembling the roof and installing the lead flashing. A scaffold tower can be hired from most hire shops throughout the country.

I have a difficult property that doesn’t suit standard framed conservatories. Can you make me a special design?
David Salisbury’s success has been largely achieved by designing and supplying bespoke conservatories. See the portfolio of pictures on our main website Conservatory Gallery then contact us.

The only place I can put a conservatory faces north. Shall I bother?
More people complain about how hot their conservatory gets rather than the reverse, so a north facing elevation is often the best position for a conservatory. South facing conservatories usually need blinds; sometimes air conditioning and the latest solar control glass could be worth considering. Visit the specialist glass manufacturer www.glaverbel.com for more information.


Problems?
Send us your building problem and we’ll post it here, with our suggested solution. But maybe you have an alternative? Just let us know.

Our response: Cavity trays are tricky to retrofit for the self-builder and are only needed in exposed conditions subject to driving rain with porous brickwork. Some reconstituted stone is particularly susceptible. We would suggest treating the brickwork above the wall plate with a proprietary water sealant like Robex TWP that is brushed or sprayed on and has a life of ten years.

ROOF LEAKS
My PVCu conservatory roof leaks when it rains, have you thought of a better system?
(JF, Hackney)

Our response: We have developed a dry-glazed roof system that uses a specially designed rubber gasket covering each roof member, which can withstand torrential rain. It is simple and quick to install and requires only a Stanley knife. The entire roof is well protected with aluminium rafter cappings and lead flashing (where necessary). (See page 41 of our conservatory manual).

AWKWARD MANHOLE
I have a manhole right in the middle of where I wish to place my conservatory. What can I do about it?
(GT, Solihull)

Our response: It may be expensive to move so you should consider fitting an airtight cover over the top. You will not be able to place permanent flooring over the cover as access may be needed in the future.

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