Conservatories are the brightest rooms in most houses, which is why people love them and why they are hard on artwork. With glass on several sides and often overhead, a print in a sunroom gets far more daylight than one in a sitting room. Conditions also vary more: a conservatory can feel cold and damp on a winter morning and much warmer on a summer afternoon. Anyone printing for these spaces should plan around both.
Light is the main enemy
Fading happens gradually and is usually noticed only when a print is taken down and compared with the paler patch around it. Colourjet, the coating used in Landor Liquid Lamination, contains integrated UV inhibitors to help guard against premature fading, and adds a protective layer that improves lightfastness. It cannot stop fading altogether, so good positioning still matters:
- Hang artwork on the solid house wall rather than on a dwarf wall in direct sun.
- Consider blinds or solar-control glazing for rooms that get sun all day.
- Print on pigment, latex, UV or eco-solvent devices, the print types Landor Liquid Lamination is designed for, and use media intended for demanding conditions.
Our guide to preventing fading explains the factors in more detail.
Condensation and plants
Many sunrooms double as plant rooms, and watering, misting and condensation on cold glass all add moisture. The Colourjet coating protects printed surfaces from water, chemicals and abrasion, so a coated print copes better with the occasional splash or a damp spell. It is not a substitute for ventilation, and prints should not sit against glass that runs with condensation.
Framing and wall graphics
Glazed frames in a bright room can be almost unreadable from some angles. Coated prints and canvases can be hung without glass, which removes the glare and the risk of moisture being trapped behind glazing. See framing without glass.
For the solid wall of a conservatory or orangery, a printed feature wall can work well, but treat it with care. Phototex printable self-adhesive fabric is recommended for interiors only. A well-insulated, heated orangery is effectively an interior room, but an unheated or poorly sealed conservatory the conditions may be closer to outdoors, and we would not recommend it. Try a test piece first, and if in doubt ask us before ordering.
Test the combination
Solvent coatings do not suit every substrate or ink. Before coating a large print for a client’s sunroom, coat an offcut of the same media and check the result. It takes little time and avoids an expensive reprint.
Not sure whether a particular sunroom is suitable for printed décor? Describe the space to us on 01252 624 411, or write to us through the contact page, and we will give you an honest view.