A beautiful 300-year-old oak framed country house stands picture perfect in historical Cranbrook, Kent – but it’s the 13-year-old orangery that had sadly seen better days.
Suffering from leaks and a lack of maintenance, the 30ft orangery, constructed in 2010 on the south-facing elevation of the house, was in need of a full renovation. Award-winning conservatory refurbishment specialists Apple & Oak were tasked with replacing it with something befitting the traditional chocolate-box home but that also had all the modern benefits of comfort and performance.
Apple & Oak completed a full external preparation and treatment of the oak timber work, adding new leadwork, additional oak drip sections and, using leading glass specialists TuffX as their supplier, installing a new glass roof.
TuffX supplied 6mm bronze toughened glass with polished edges. During installation, working with the original rafters proved difficult as they were twisted and bowed from drying out over time, which meant the glass had to be tightened to the rafters carefully and with equal pressure.
The hard work paid off with a stunning orangery that is now fit for the future. “This project really shows what we can do, and cements our reputation as a leading company for bespoke conservatory restoration,” said Apple & Oak’s managing director Adam Brown.
Apple & Oak has been a TuffX customer for three years. “We chose TuffX as our suppliers because they have a wide range of products for homeowners looking to upgrade the thermal performance and usability of their conservatory. There is a good amount of choice but not so much it confuses customers. TuffX also provide a great sample pack so the customer can see the difference in appearance between the alternative types of glass as well as comparing thermal and UV performance.
“From an installers point of view, the oversize glass TuffX can provide – single conservatory roof glass units up to 4000mm – is really useful, as it looks great and reduces the potential for leaks. Plus TuffX offer great customer service and are always fast at providing quotes and pricing when needed.”