Andrew Thomson, Design and Development Director at Ultraframe discusses the new Sunroom conservatory roofing system

Wednesday 18th May 2005

Following its extremely successful launch at Glassex, Sunroom is Ultaframe’s new and unique offering to the conservatory market, now offers even more configuration options. It is now available in “P” and “T” shapes and offers a host of contemporary design alternatives that will appeal to your clients.

Sunroom is Ultraframe's latest innovative conservatory roofing system. It forms part of the company’s drive to offer the highest quality, technologically advanced roof systems designs to meet the UK market’s increasingly demanding style and performance requirements.

Andrew Thomson, Design and Development Director at Ultraframe said: “We recognised the need for a completely new roofing system that simplifies the installation process of highly complex roof shapes. Sunroom allows installers an opportunity to offer a distinctive, flexible and good value product to their customers, with excellent thermal performance and structural integrity.”

Last year Ultraframe commissioned independent research which identified a new generation of homeowners who are looking for a new conservatory experience. As a result there is a growing demand for cost effective structures that bring the space and comfort of a conservatory to a greater number of people.

Andrew continued: “Response to changing market demands is critical. At Ultraframe, we are working hard to deliver pioneering products and services which offer a unique value proposition to all our customer groups. As the industry leader we are totally committed to long term investment in product innovation and marketing to provide our customers with a range of products to suit all styles, applications, consumers and price points.”

Click on to faster business
Fundamental to Sunroom is unique Ultraframe Clicklock™ technology. This ‘boltless’ technology has been designed for speed, ease of installation and to ensure the structural performance of the roof. It means Sunroom roofs are the ultimate in fitter friendliness. A patented ridge hanger which provides for built-in adjustments to deal with on site tolerance needs is characteristic of the attention to detail that has gone into the fitter friendly elements of Sunroom. More evidence of this attention to detail can be found in the bolt free glazing bars which simply click into place and a built-in spirit level, integral to the aluminium ridge. Sunroom also boasts the highest level of pre-fabrication ever – with so many pieces pre-assembled, there are 75% fewer installation steps than on a competitor roof of an equivalent size.

Andrew Thomson said: “The Clicklock installation system has been specifically designed to benefit both the installer and the consumer. It ensures perfect structural integrity with each joint designed to withstand the required performance loads upon it for added security. Only when the components are all in place and accurately aligned will the joint fully engage.”

Increased configurability
Ultraframe Sunroom also features box gutters, valleys and drop-down hips. These provide an almost limitless number of ways to cover a conservatory foot print with designs that will suit any architectural requirement, such as using a drop-down hip to join two ridges of different heights.

The Sunroom box gutter design has a higher back, which means installers do not have to drill through the gutter. Available in two widths, the standard (245mm) and large (345mm) capacity box gutter comes in straight or ‘L’ shapes and is fully insulated with structural straps and external hangers to allow for single or double ended design options.

Installers now also have the option of “P” and “T” shapes, plus single or double ended, bay or square fronted, floating add-on or integral wrap around styles. The use of glass, polycarbonate and contemporary tie bars means that virtually any design of roof shape can be accommodated.

Market leading thermally efficient properties
The thermal performance of the roof is exemplary, along with Ultraframe Elevation lean-to roofing system, Sunroom is the most thermally efficient roof on the market.

Andrew Thomson commented: “Sunroom offers homeowners market leading thermal performance. It employs thermal sleeving and has controllable stack vent trickle ventilation which minimises heat leakage, condensation and cold spots in the conservatory. Sunroom has been developed with the aluminium structural elements placed on the inside of the roof and are thermally broken on either end using structural plastic components. This gives the roof an overall ‘u’ value of only 1.7 – which is 0.1 less than the value of the polycarbonate glazing material used and makes it more than twice as thermally efficient as competitor systems. This means customers have the ultimate in comfort and installers have the added assurance that Sunroom meets the expected building regulations.”

Innovative styling
Sunroom is available in 4 colours, White, Deeplas, Rosewood and Light Oak and, like all Ultraframe products, is supported with full BBA accreditation. It is available in three facet and square fronted styles and spans up to 4.8m x 4m with25mm polycarbonate is a choice of five colours. It is also available unglazed for 24mm glass.

Andrew Thomson continued: “Sunroom has been developed with the new generation of conservatory buyers in mind. It has a contemporary feel that appeals to younger buyers who want a technologically advanced conservatory roof that will be flexible enough to be used in almost any design.”

Sunroom retains many favourite additional features for a flawless finish. The use of PVC internal cladding ensures a stylish reversed bar profile creating a sleeker internal finish. The roof is topped with a unique finial design with low profile ridge and optional clip-on cresting. Six exclusive new Ultraselect styles are also available to add a personal touch to the interior. Alternatively homeowners can paint and customise their Sunroom Ultraselect strips themselves to their own taste.

Andrew Thomson concluded: “The fast fitting and cost saving benefits coupled with the distinctive style and flexible options available with Ultraframe Sunroom are going to make this a hugely popular conservatory roof. Not only will our customers find it extremely good value, they can be confident that the conservatory roof benefits from market leading thermal performance, and a look their clients will love. However, the technical achievements of Sunroom don’t stop there. Ultraframe will continue to develop the roof system over the coming months to offer even more unique styles and further expand the boundaries of configurablilty.”