If there was ever a bank holiday that gets people thinking about installing a garden room, it is the one that has just passed.

According to the Met Office, the bank holiday Monday of May 25th brought the hottest May temperature on record, with 34.8 C recorded at Kew Gardens, a record that lasted all of one day.

Of course, there will be those who predict that, after the inevitable thunderstorms, the summer might bring loads of rain, but recent years have provided ample reasons to expect a summer with lots of hot days.

Indeed, a record May temperature raises the issue of climate change and, whatever the ramifications of this, if our summers are to be consistently hotter in the years ahead, it makes sense to be prepared.

This is an important consideration for garden rooms, because if they are to be enjoyable places to spend a summer’s day, the last thing you want is somewhere that gets too hot.

Why Is Too Much Glass Bad For Staying Cool In Summer?

A good example of how not to design something for hot weather can be seen in the flaws in the design of some conservatories.

This comes from having floor-to-ceiling glass, which creates a greenhouse effect. This is hardly surprising: if it looks like a greenhouse, it will heat up like one.

Not many people would have a garden room made mostly of glass, but it is worth considering the kind of design you seek. You may consider the following:

  •       How big should the windows be?
  •       What direction should they face? (southwards will get direct sunlight in the middle of the day)
  •       Should it have a skylight?
  •       Will the installation of blinds or shutters help to keep it cool?

The other thing to consider is a different issue faced by conservatories, which is that the ones that get very hot in summer are also cold in winter, as floor-to-ceiling glass leaves them with limited insulation.

How Can Your Garden Room Stay Cool In Summer But Warm In Winter?

Insulation is worth considering if you want to use your garden room in winter, as temperature control is a key consideration for a year-round facility.

This is a crucial issue when planning a garden room. It is always important to think carefully about how and when you will use it, but it can be very easy on a hot sunny day not to consider what you need on cold, wet days in December and January.

Meeting different seasonal needs can be a challenge in any climate. For example, in Australia, homes are designed better for dealing with heat than in the UK, but they feel much colder in their winter, despite conditions being milder than here, as they are less insulated.

Among the factors to consider are not just the materials that the garden room is made of, but its exact location. You may have some constraints on your options depending on the dimensions of your garden, but, often, it may offer some advantages.

For example, you may be able to situate your garden room in a place that gets a lot of natural shade, either from trees and bushes or adjacent buildings. The key is to consider where the sun is in relation to it between noon and three in the afternoon.

In such circumstances, you can add more insulation so that the building is reasonably warm in winter, while the shade stops it from getting too hot in summer.

Why Are Ventilation And Colour Important Factors In Temperature Control?

Direct sunlight and glass are not the only considerations. There are some further practical considerations.

Having windows that can be opened is important to allow a breeze in, and, if you are connecting your garden room to the electricity grid, you can install a fan.

Either way, having more ventilation can be crucial, as anyone who has had the misfortune of having to work in an office where the windows do not open will testify.

Other factors can include the colour scheme. Many buildings in hot countries are painted white to reflect more sunlight and ensure less heat is absorbed.

That doesn’t mean you have to have a white garden room and, indeed, you may have a particular colour scheme in mind. However, it is certainly a possibility to consider, in the same way that wearing white clothing can help you stay cooler while in there.

Climate change or not, there will be plenty of hot days this summer and in years to come, so if you are planning on getting a garden house, you need to take these matters into consideration to ensure that it is a pleasant oasis of leisure, not an oven.

Equally, with the right temperature control, you can also have a room that is flexible enough to stay warm enough to use and enjoy in the cold months.