Garden rooms provide modern homeowners with a fantastic opportunity to expand the working or living space available on their property with minimal disruption and often no need for planning permission. When considering a new garden room, it’s important to think about the building materials and methods available to you and understand the different pros and cons involved with these options.
Many garden rooms are constructed with timber and stainless steel, and while these common materials are generally fairly robust, they are susceptible to weather damage and can be difficult to maintain. The carbon fibre and glass fibre we use to construct our Garden Retreats pods, on the other hand, provide a fantastic alternative thanks to the strength, versatility and durability of these materials.
In this article, we’ll describe the many benefits of carbon fibre and glass fibre and explain why they are ideal for constructing garden room frames.
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Carbon fibre
Carbon fibre is a composite material made up of very thin strands of the element carbon. This gives it a high tensile strength, which means it can withhold a great deal of stress before it breaks. Its strength makes it a brilliant material for construction because it can form robust and durable structures. It’s also very rigid which makes it resistant to bending or stretching, another important factor when constructing structures such as garden rooms.
Another valuable feature of carbon fibre is its low weight. Steel has traditionally been used in construction to provide a rigid and strong structure, but it’s incredibly heavy which limits its uses and makes it expensive to transport. Since carbon fibre is very lightweight, it offers more flexibility and sustainability in construction methods and is relatively inexpensive to transport which can reduce its overall cost in construction projects.
These features of mean we can put a sun terrace on our Garden Retreats. Carbon fibre is so strong and light that it can support weights that a wooden garden room could not cope with.
Carbon fibre is also chemically stable and resistant to corrosion. It won’t deteriorate when exposed to rain, wind or UV rays from the sun. Unlike other common construction materials like steel and wood, carbon fibre will not degrade with time and requires very little maintenance to keep it in excellent condition.
Finally, carbon fibre is non-flammable. This is important in the construction of buildings like garden rooms because it means that in the event of a fire the carbon fibre structure will not easily ignite or burn rapidly. This provides reassurances on safety and minimises the likelihood of damage to a garden room before a fire is extinguished.
Glass fibre
Glass fibre, also often known as fibreglass, is a composite material made up of melted glass that is extruded into a material that resembles string. This string is then woven into a yarn-like material which in turn is used to create a cloth-like material. It can be bonded or moulded into a variety of different shapes for a wide range of uses in the construction industry.
Glass fibre is similar to carbon fibre in that it has a very low weight and high strength. Additionally, it is waterproof, resistant to corrosion and chemically stable. It won’t swell, shrink, warp or rot like a timber frame might, nor will it rust like steel. It requires very little maintenance to remain in excellent condition for decades. Plus, it offers good fire resistance which makes it a very safe construction material.
Glass fibre provides excellent insulation for a garden room. It helps to inhibit heat loss in the cold winter months and keep an indoor space cool during hotter weather. Like most composites, glass fibre is a great construction material from an environmental point of view. Because of its durability and resilience, it lasts for decades with little need for repairs or replacements.
Garden room frames made from carbon fibre and glass fibre
Here at Garden Retreats, we use an innovation modern design process using a combination of carbon fibre and glass fibre to construct the frames of our garden rooms. Since both of these materials can be manipulated into unique shapes very easily, we can use them to construct frames that simply slot together without any nails. This makes the build process relatively fast and easy compared to steel and timber frames. Plus, it means that our frames can easily be dismantled and reassembled if you choose to move house and want to take your garden room with you.
Since our frames are so lightweight, the costs associated with transporting the materials are much lower than if your garden room were constructed from heavier materials like steel. Plus, since carbon fibre and glass fibre can sustain a great deal of stress without cracking or breaking, you don’t have to worry about the garden room being damaged during transit.
Another benefit of our glass fibre and carbon fibre frames is their durability. Unlike timber frames, which can swell, shrink, warp or rot with changing weather and water exposure, carbon glass and carbon fibre frames will remain stable in all weather conditions. There’s no risk of carbon and glass fibre frames being damaged by burrowing insects. They also won’t corrode like steel when exposed to moisture.
The zero-maintenance nature of carbon fibre and glass fibre give you peace of mind that your garden room will last and last without you having to worry about doing any complex, time-consuming or expensive routine maintenance.
Frequently asked questions
Why is a glass fibre and carbon fibre frame better than a timber frame?
Glass fibre and carbon fibre are both resistant to rot, unlike timber. Timber frames typically require nailing together, meaning they cannot be taken apart. Like everything in our Garden Retreats pods, our building frames are designed to be easily dismantled so you can take your pod with you and rebuild it if you move.
Are glass fibre and carbon fibre frames low maintenance?
Glass fibre and carbon fibre frames do not degrade when exposed to harsh weather conditions, so they don’t need to be painted or sealed to protect them. They do not require any maintenance and will remain in excellent condition for decades to come.
Contact a member of the Garden Retreats team today for more information about our low maintenance luxury pods or to book a free site survey.