{"id":19,"date":"2018-06-23T21:12:51","date_gmt":"2018-06-23T21:12:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/easybackyardoffice.com\/?p=19"},"modified":"2019-11-14T10:10:21","modified_gmt":"2019-11-14T10:10:21","slug":"warm-backyard-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/easybackyardoffice.com\/warm-backyard-office\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep Your Backyard Office Warm and Cozy During Winter"},"content":{"rendered":"
There are many different ways to keep your backyard office warm and cozy during winter. Winter can be a difficult time for you and your backyard office if you are not prepared enough. Not only will you be cold and miserable if unprepared for winter, but you will also be less productive in your backyard office.<\/p>\n
The key things to consider when keeping your backyard office warm is proper insulation, windows and doors, flooring, interior materials, curtains, and electrical equipment such as heaters and air conditioners. <\/strong>I will expand more on these items throughout this article.<\/p>\n Steps can either be taken during the construction of your backyard office or if you already have an existing backyard office. Obviously, it’s better to plan ahead and prepare your backyard office for all four seasons. However, do not despair if you’ve already had your backyard office built and now find it unbearably cold during the winter. Read on to find out how exactly to prepare your backyard office for cold winters – both during and post-construction.<\/p>\n Doors and windows can be taken into account during construction or even after your backyard office has been constructed. It will obviously cost more to remedy your doors and windows in an existing backyard office as in most cases it means replacing your existing doors and windows with new ones.<\/p>\n Proper insulation is an important factor not only in keeping your backyard office warm during winter, but also keeping it cool during the summers. Insulation is best applied DURING the construction of your backyard office, as it’s usually applied between the studs in walls.<\/p>\n Fiberglass wool is probably the most common type of wall insulation. I say this because I (and many other architects) specify this type of insulation for almost all the projects we do. Other alternatives are:<\/p>\n Insulation boards could be a great solution if you already have an existing backyard office and you do not wish to tear into walls to install fiberglass wool insulation. These insulation boards can be applied to your existing interior walls. You can either paint over them or leave them as is – most of them have neat finishes and will look pleasing without a paint job.<\/p>\n A floor can get EXTREMELY cold during winter. At times I can feel the coldness right through a thick pair of work boots. And you’ve probably guessed it already, that the type of floors I’m speaking about is hard floors. This is usually a tiled or hardwood floor.<\/p>\n Ideally, you want to have insulation installed between floor joists. However, if your backyard office is already built then this would be a problem.<\/p>\n I’m not going to suggest heated flooring or anything drastic – although, how awesome would that be?! And I’m not going to suggest you fully carpet your backyard office floor, unless you already have, in which case you don’t have much to worry about as far as your floors are concerned.<\/p>\n The simplest solution would be to throw a thick rug on your floor. This won’t totally eliminate coldness from your floor, but it’s definitely better than nothing. And, when summer comes you can simply roll it up until the next winter. Plus, a nice looking rug often adds a touch of class and sophistication.<\/p>\n Do not underestimate the power of layers. Remember we spoke earlier about double glazed windows? Well, layered clothing kind of acts in the same way. The extra layers of clothing will add to the warmth, but the air between those layers acts as insulation and will keep you warm and toasty right throughout the day.<\/p>\n The best clothing materials that will keep you warm in winter are:<\/p>\n All materials around you will play an important role in how warm you feel. Below I will go over a few simple suggestions that you can use to make your backyard office feel much more warmer and cozier during the winter.<\/p>\n Wood is the best furnishing material for warmth. Since most backyard offices will be constructed with wood, it would make sense to have wooden window and door frames as well. These might not make that much of a difference to the temperature around you, but the aesthetic look alone will just psychologically make you feel warmer.<\/p>\n Try to avoid silver and steel in your furniture e.g. desks, shelves, chairs etc. Some of you may want a more industrial feel to your office, but just remember that steel can make an office seem cold. Wood, on the other hand, will make your office seem warmer during winter and it goes well in the summer too. Wood is also an excellent choice for floors.<\/p>\n When it comes to keeping warm, I don’t blame you for instantly thinking of a fireplace. Let’s face it, nothing beats a cozy fireplace on a cold winter’s day. However, they do tend to make you feel lazy and can be counterproductive in a workplace. The problem is when I think fireplace, I think relax. Personally, I wouldn’t have a fireplace in my own office.<\/p>\n If by chance you do have a fireplace that you’re not using, be sure that you cover the front opening to block any drafts and cold air coming down from the chimney.<\/p>\n If your backyard office has windows, you should open the drapes every time there’s sunshine outside. As soon as the sunshine disappears, close the drapes to seal in all the heat. When you’re done for the day, make sure to close the drapes so that the heat remains sealed overnight. Do not underestimate the amount of heat this trick will provide for your office during the winter.<\/p>\nDOORS AND WINDOWS<\/h3>\n
DOORS – WHAT TO LOOK FOR<\/h4>\n
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WINDOWS – WHAT TO LOOK FOR<\/h4>\n
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INSULATION<\/h3>\n
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FLOORING<\/h3>\n
CLOTHING<\/h3>\n
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INTERIOR MATERIALS<\/h3>\n
FURNITURE<\/h4>\n
FIREPLACE?<\/h4>\n
WINTER SUNLIGHT<\/h3>\n