The finishes we fit
The colour is the finish on the top aluminium skin of each panel, and the caps and trims on the bars are chosen to go with it, so the finished top looks like one surface, not a patchwork of strips. These are the finishes that have gone onto our jobs so far.
| Usually paired with | From an upstairs window | |
|---|---|---|
| White | White uPVC frames, the most common conservatory | Bright and clean, shows leaves and dirt soonest |
| Light grey | White or grey frames, pale render | Softer than white, hides weathering well |
| Anthracite grey | Grey or black frames, modern windows | Dark and crisp, a strong outline against the house |
| Copper tone | Oak effect or wood grain frames | Warm, close to the colour of the frame |
Matching the roof to the frame and the house
The safest rule is to follow the frame. A white frame under a white roof reads as one piece; a grey frame under an anthracite roof looks deliberate. Mixing them can work too, a grey roof on white frames is the most common mix, but stand back and picture it from the end of the garden before you choose.
Then look at the house. Red brick usually suits white or anthracite, pale render suits white or light grey, and if your windows and doors were changed to grey or black, an anthracite roof ties the conservatory to them. The gallery has finished roofs on real houses to compare.
Does a dark roof make the room hotter?
On a bright afternoon a dark skin warms up more than a pale one, the same way a black car is hotter to touch than a white one. But under that skin is 75 mm of foam bonded to a second aluminium skin, and foam is very slow to pass heat through. The panel holds heat at about 0.43 whichever colour is on top, so the colour matters far less to the room than it would on a thin sheet.
If the room faces south and you are torn between two colours, the lighter one is the cooler choice on the roof surface. Inside, you will not see the difference: the ceiling is white either way. More on what the panels do for heat is on the U-value page.
Copper tone and oak effect frames
Conservatories with oak effect or wood grain frames are the hardest to match, because white looks stark against them and grey can look cold. On some of these jobs we have fitted copper tone panels, which pick up the warm colour of the frame instead of fighting it.
Inside, the oak effect bars stay visible between the white ceiling panels, so the room keeps the look of timber rafters. Ask at the survey which finishes suit your frame.
Inside: always a white ceiling
Every panel has a white underside, so the room gets a plain, smooth ceiling between the glazing bars. Whatever colour the bars are, white, grey or oak effect, they show as clean lines across it. White bounces the light that comes through the glass walls back into the room, which is a large part of why a panel roof does not feel as dark as people expect.
If you want more light from above, a roof light can go into one bay, and spotlights can sit in the ceiling panels. See how much light a panel roof takes away.
Choosing without regret
Three questions settle it for most people: what colour are the frames, what colour are the house windows, and what will you see from upstairs every morning.
If you are still unsure, leave the decision for the survey, when we can talk it through standing next to your frame in your own light, and ask then whether the finish you like changes the figure. When you want a price, start a quote; the cost page has the guide figures by size and shape.
Follow the frame
- White frame: white or light grey roof
- Grey frame: light grey or anthracite
- Oak effect frame: copper tone
Then check the house
- Window and door colour
- Brick or render tone
- The view from upstairs