PVC-u, aka uPVC or un-plasticised Polyvinyl Chloride, often has a stigma attached to it when used as a construction material. This is mostly due to its use in double glazing, unimaginatively designed white frames, and produced in a highly competitive industry fronted by bizarrely dressed salesmen in over the top TV adverts.
One supplier that is working tirelessly to create the next generation of PVC-u is Nordic Garden Buildings, Europe’s leading manufacturer of freestanding PVC-u garden buildings. Nordic believe that PVC-u is a superior construction material for outdoor buildings, and aim to dispel the many ‘myths’ that surround PVC-u, including the most popular, that it is only available in one style and colour.
‘They don’t last long’
Un-plasticised Polyvinyl Chloride is one of the most durable of all materials. In Nordic’s case, its garden buildings, orangeries and greenhouses have all been tested in extreme conditions – way above and beyond UK requirements and are guaranteed for 10 years. Timber structures may seem as though they are built to last – but as we know they are prone to rot, meaning PVC-u buildings have a life span that is four times that of wood.
‘I don’t have time or money to spend on maintenance’
Perhaps the best thing about PVC-u, and the secret behind the popularity of Nordic’s garden buildings, is that they are virtually maintenance free. As wood is prone to rotting, it therefore requires hours of laborious sanding, treating, painting and varnishing – all of which represent extra costs in time and money. Nordic’s buildings are designed to require little or maintenance. Cleaning can be achieved with nothing more than a quick sweep of the hosepipe whilst watering the plants, leaving you more time to relax in your garden.
‘PVC-u is hardly environmentally friendly’
PVC is a man made material – but what many people don’t realise is that it takes less primary energy and less fossil fuel to make than any other commodity plastic. In fact, 57% of it is actually made from sodium chloride – or salt. It’s also a ‘thermoplastic’ – meaning that it is soft when hot and hard when cooled – so it can even be melted down and made into something new. Nordic’s buildings are nearly 100% recyclable.
‘PVC-u buildings all look the same’
With Nordic PVC-u orangeries, conservatories, orangeries and garden rooms, there are in fact a wide range of styles to choose from – whether the required effect is a sleek, contemporary design or a more traditional and homely style.
An extensive range of designs, sizes, roof types, optional extras and colour options mean that there are over 4,000 different combination to choose from, meaning you can achieve your own personal space, customised to match the look you want. What is unique about the Nordic Garden Buildings is that its products all come with a unique roof beam construction, with gutters that are integrated into the load bearing supports, allowing them to blend into the building – making it difficult to notice them, unlike most other stand alone structures.
‘PVC-u is only available in white’
White is the most popular colour for consumers buying buildings and windows made from PVC-u, but there are actually six other options when it comes to choosing a Nordic garden room. You can now choose black, green, grey, rosewood, orange and white, and Nordic can even work with the consumer to help their new outdoor buildings to match other features of the garden or home. A different colour can become an entertaining talking point with neighbours and visitors when told that the building they are admiring is actually made of the same material as their double glazed windows.
‘It must be hard to install’
Nordic’s PVC-u garden buildings aren’t made-to-measure, so there’s hardly any fiddling about, cutting extra pieces or going back to get extra parts during the installation. Many customers have put together their own greenhouses – with detailed fitting instructions available for all models both as printed material and fitting videos. Nordic’s dealers each have access to fully qualified teams or expert installation professionals that can install within a day, building to the same standard as domestic housing regulations, and ensuring that the building can be used almost immediately.
‘PVC-u structures won’t stand up to freak weather conditions’
This misconception can be laid to rest simply upon looking at Nordic’s CE mark. The CE Marking is a verification by a manufacturer that its products meet all EU safety, health and environmental requirements relevant to its class, and even tests weight of snow on structures.
Nordic Director Justin Williams explains in more detail: “The load test easily surpassed the UK snow loading requirements of 60kg/sq m, and also passed the Scandinavian snow loadings of 175kg/sq m, being tested to a maximum load of 300kg/sq m. To put this into perspective this is more than a typical car park would be designed to support and is equivalent to around 3m of fresh snow, or around four tonnes on the roof.”
Other facts about PVC-u freestanding garden rooms from Nordic Garden Buildings
- Not just summer living but outdoor living year round with the option to install a wood burner for larger buildings. Being double glazed allows cost effective and efficient heating in winter
- No planning permission is required, meaning a cost-efficient and rapid installation
- Comfortable, multi-purpose space away from daily distractions of house and home
- Private and secure with multi-point door and window locks
- Each structure can be fully equipped with sockets and fittings for power and connectivity
- Low maintenance and running costs
- A new additional room in no time for you to start enjoying the benefits – far quicker than building an extension
- Multi-usage – a home office in the day; a casual dining area at night
Find out more
To find out more about Nordic Garden Buildings please visit www.nordicgarden.co.uk
