Verande per terrazzi

Types of verandas for terraces

Verandas are essentially two types of constructions (always made up of a structure plus glass), attached to one or more walls of an existing building:

• the closing of a balcony;
• a structure built on a terrace or garden, with 2 or 3 sides of glass surface.

What the law says

The law regulates the construction of verandas in both cases described above, with some differences between one and the other.

The procedures common to both cases are the following:

• a plan must be drawn up by a qualified technician or professional (surveyor, architect, engineer), which illustrates the planned intervention in detail;
• you then need to prepare a request for authorization ;
• both documents (the project and the application) must be submitted to the Technical Office of the Municipality to which the apartment that will be subject to the works belongs;
• If the apartment is located in a condominium, unanimous approval from the condominium members is required, and once obtained, this must also be submitted to the Municipality along with the other documents.

Necessary requirements

In order for the permit request to receive a positive response:

• the veranda must not alter the aesthetics of the building’s facade;
• the veranda must not block light or air circulation from neighboring apartments;
• The area must still have the necessary volume available for the construction of the veranda, and this depends on the Master Plan of each individual Municipality.

Requirements for a veranda on a terrace

The veranda built on a terrace must:

• be used only for the residence of people and therefore cannot be habitable;
• can be removed, therefore it cannot have foundations or masonry parts;
• do not exceed a certain size, which varies from one municipality to another, but usually does not exceed 25% of the total surface area of ​​the terrace;
• If it is located in a condominium, it should be set back from the facade so as not to be seen from the street.

After the construction of the veranda

Once you have obtained the building permit , you must submit a DIA , Declaration of Commencement of Activity, to the Technical Office of the relevant Municipality and then the work can begin.

During construction, it is usually possible (check with your local municipality to avoid illegal practices) to equip the veranda with air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical systems, complying with energy-saving regulations.

Typically, according to Article 69 of the Civil Code’s Decrees, an increase in the apartment’s volume results in changes to the ownership interest and the actual square footage. Therefore, the ownership interest must be updated at the condominium meeting and the land registry informed of the changes.

Why build a veranda?

But why build a veranda when it requires so much bureaucratic procedures and possible discussions with the condominium?

There are many answers to this question. If you have a sizable outdoor space, such as a balcony, terrace, or garden, a veranda is a solution that adds charm and style to your home: a light-filled room, directly overlooking the outdoors, opens your mind and lifts your spirits.

But the reasons aren’t just psychological and aesthetic: a veranda significantly increases the market value of a home; furthermore, by increasing the square footage, you effectively have an extra room, which, depending on the chosen features, can open completely to the outside, transforming into a pergola when needed, or can be used as a full-fledged additional living room throughout the year.

What a veranda looks like

As mentioned, a veranda consists primarily of a load-bearing structure and glass sections. This is because the law prohibits the construction of masonry sections. But there’s no need to worry, as the materials and construction techniques used for verandas provide the same stability and safety as a masonry structure.

The supporting structure , which can be made of various materials resistant to weather and wear, is attached to one or two walls of the building and is anchored to the ground or floor.

The glass doors are equipped with outward openings , making them completely versatile; in this sense, the veranda is modular, allowing you to choose the type of opening you want: types of openings (hinged, sliding, etc.), windows, French windows, and doors transform the veranda into an enclosed or open space, or simply one that overlooks the outside.

Another fundamental element of verandas is the covering , created specifically to protect from the sun and prying eyes, and which can be internal or external.

Finally, verandas can be built with effective thermal and acoustic insulation systems .

Load-bearing structure

The supporting structure can be made of different materials:

• wood appropriately treated for outdoor use;
• aluminum appropriately treated for the exterior;
• PVC, which represents the most widely used solution due to its natural weather resistance, durability, sturdiness, and the possibility of being created with different aesthetics.

To make the load-bearing structure more resistant, steel reinforcements are usually applied that have been previously subjected to static tests. These remain aesthetically invisible and ensure a considerable lifespan of the structure itself.

Connections and fittings of the load-bearing structure

There are several systems through which the structure can be attached to the wall, roof and floor.

The best system for attaching to the wall and roof is one in which the sealing is performed on the inside using expanding tapes and on the outside with insulating sheaths and aluminum cladding sheets.

As for the connection to the floor, which must be insulating and resistant to cold, it must allow for the application of moisture protection film and sheet metal.

The connections between the external corners of the structure must be resistant, must guarantee good thermal insulation and must also ensure high mechanical strength.

Types of glass for stained glass windows

There are several options for creating veranda windows, some strictly necessary, others to choose from to make it safe and functional.

First and foremost, the primary requirement for veranda glass is safety: the glass must withstand the elements, particularly wind and hail. Secondly, it must also resist attacks by thieves and intruders, who might be attracted by the apparent ease of access to the home due to the presence of glass. Furthermore, the glass must resist impacts and breakages, so as not to become a danger to those who regularly use the veranda.

Armored glass can be of two types:

• laminated glass; made up of two sheets of glass held together by a tear-resistant film that holds the glass fragments together in the event of breakage;
• Tempered glass; highly impact-resistant, if broken, tempered glass shatters into small, blunt pieces that are not sharp.

The law itself requires the use of laminated safety glass for roof and parapet glazing.

The types of glass (always safety) that you can choose from depending on your specific characteristics are:

• Reflective or absorbent glass; these are glass types that use different systems to ensure that excessive heat from outside, during the hot season, is not absorbed inside the veranda, but is instead pushed outward;
• low-emissivity glass; this glass retains up to 90% of the heat accumulated inside the veranda during the cold season, allowing for significant energy savings;
• sound-absorbing glass, capable of acoustically insulating the veranda;
• Self-cleaning glass, especially for canopies, which are more difficult to keep clean: the special coating applied to this glass dissolves organic dirt with the help of sunlight, and natural rain then washes away any remaining dirt particles.

Types of openings

The veranda openings to the outside can be:

• windows
• French windows, present only in verandas located on terraces or gardens, through which you can directly access the external surface.

Both windows and doors in a veranda can be made with different opening systems:

• swing, is the classic opening with one or more doors;
• folding, where the smaller glass panels fold together on one side like an accordion, sliding on a double track; once opened, the panels take up very little space;
• sliding, where the open doors do not take up any space, as they slide sideways along the walls.

With these last two types of openings, you can keep the veranda completely open to the outside, if desired, except for the awning, which can however be useful for protection from the sun or bad weather. The veranda can thus become a beautiful portico at will.

Closing the doors and windows of the veranda

Obviously, both the doors and windows of the veranda can be closed and opened using handles, which can be located only on the inside or both inside and outside, and can be made of a wide variety of shapes, materials, and colors: from anodized or painted aluminum to brass to stainless steel.

Each closure can then be equipped with a button and lock, to further protect the veranda and the house from intruders.

Ventilation

Ventilation is crucial in a veranda: the inflow and outflow of air allows for fresh air exchange and moisture removal.

Naturally, air rises upwards, so it is usually recommended to use inflow systems, i.e. air intake systems, to be placed in the skirting board or on the veranda’s parapet, while outflow systems should be placed at the highest points, i.e. on the canopy.

Types of ventilation

Ventilation can occur mainly in two ways:

• Natural ventilation, necessary and indispensable: it doesn’t produce noise and the openings can be visually unobtrusive; to calculate the size of the necessary openings, you need to know the volume of the veranda, and the surface area dedicated to this purpose usually varies between 5 and 12% of the total glass surface area;
• Mechanical ventilation, optional but highly recommended for a veranda: mechanical ventilation provides air exchange even in the absence of natural ventilation; inflow and outflow systems allow air to enter and exit and can be regulated by a thermostat or humidistat.

Coverings

Veranda windows are essential to maintain a comfortable temperature and light, as well as providing the right amount of privacy.

Meanwhile, the covers can be of two types:

• internal
• external

The external covers can then be fixed or mobile.

Fixed roofs are made with panels featuring high thermal and acoustic insulation and safety features; these panels are usually available in a variety of materials and with aesthetic effects ranging from rustic to modern.

Retractable awnings, on the other hand, consist of Venetian blinds, usually made of weather-resistant metal, that can be adjusted from the inside manually or remotely. Retractable awnings are typically found on veranda awnings.

Internal coverings can be created with simple curtains, but aluminum Venetian blinds are more effective: light penetration is adjustable, the sunshade function is guaranteed by the deflecting of light inward by the Venetian blinds themselves, and the covering can be applied to the entire glass surface.

Thermal and acoustic insulation in the veranda

Thermal and acoustic insulation is achieved by combining insulating glass with suitable coverings.

Thus, low-emissivity glass prevents heat loss and maintains a comfortable temperature in winter; reflective or absorbent glass and internal and external sun protection ensure cool temperatures in summer; sound-absorbing glass and films placed between the veranda and the floor provide acoustic insulation.

Air conditioning systems

To improve the temperature and comfort conditions inside the veranda, it is possible to equip it with adequate and effective air conditioning systems.

If you live in a warm area, installing solar panels on your roof could also be an ideal solution in terms of energy savings.

Air conditioners and climate control systems can be another possible solution.

There are also heating systems available that can be inserted into the veranda floor, for particularly cold climates.

We recommend working with your installer to determine which system is best for your veranda, based on your climate zone, the veranda’s exposure (north, south, west, or east), and how much you plan to use it. Some systems are more effective when installed at the same time as the veranda’s construction.

Flooring

The veranda floor can be made of any material: it can match the tiles of the terrace on which it rests, in an indoor version, or it can match the flooring of the apartment, or it can be chosen specifically to contrast with the rest of the house.

The veranda floor will obviously be raised above the terrace or garden, as the veranda must be anchored to the floor with a slab, and the protective film and sheet metal must be placed underneath. Therefore, a concrete or other material staircase can be built around the veranda to make it easier to walk outside.

Colors, aesthetics and dimensions of verandas

Verandas can also be chosen based on aesthetics. There are various visual effects to choose from: from wood veneers to bright colors with powder coatings, to smooth, embossed, or satin white.

The aesthetic effects can vary: the interior can be designed according to your personal taste, while the exterior can be designed completely differently, if the aesthetic needs of the condominium or the area require it.

The shapes depend on the type of balcony or the building the verandas are attached to. Generally, they can be:

• in the centre of the wall, with a low vaulted roof, spacious, tall and bright;
• corner that externally connects two sides of the house;
• corner with sloping roof, on two walls of the building.

The dimensions of the veranda are obviously customizable, also because they depend on the surface area of ​​the terrace or balcony: verandas are therefore always made to measure.

In private homes, not condominiums, it is also possible to create two-story verandas, if the building’s layout allows it.

Inside the veranda

The veranda, as mentioned, can actually serve as a separate room year-round if equipped with adequate air conditioning. By law, however, it cannot be used as a living space, so it cannot be a kitchen, bathroom, or even a bedroom.

The veranda can therefore be a second living room, opening onto the outside and therefore furnished with furniture, sofas, and armchairs that work well for both areas, for example, rattan or wicker. If the veranda is large enough, adding a table and chairs can also transform it into a scenic dining room.

Furthermore, the veranda can have a study corner: studying or working while looking at the view or nature can be very productive, or the veranda, if it is not very large, could find space for a fitness corner or it could even be a place dedicated to hobbies.

To illuminate the veranda at night, we choose floor lamps or wall lamps to be attached to the wall of the building against which the veranda is attached.

Links to useful websites

Finstral
http://www.finestral.com/
The website features images and information on the verandas produced and installed by this leading brand. Catalogs and a list of sales outlets are also available.

TenderGroup
http://www.tendergroup.com/it/index.php
This well-known company’s website features an interesting photo gallery of its projects, downloadable catalogs, and technical information. TenderGroup creates folding glass structures.

Velux
http://www.velux.it/
A leading manufacturer of windows, awnings, and sunshades, both manual and motorized. Purchase additional accessories for your conservatory.