Stunning Oak Sunroom
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"The oak sunroom with attached outdoor enclosed seating has ensured the garden is used all year round"
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Title

Stunning Oak Sunroom Replaces Dated Conservatory
Call Us: 01423 593 794

Summary

Clients Name: Hannah and Charlie Stevens
Location: York Village

Services

Design Service
Working Drawings
Installation
Reference: 19247
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The Stunning New Oak Sunroom With Bi Fold Doors To An Enclosed Covered Seating Area Opens Up The Home

Hannah and Charlie Stevens bought their present home a couple of years ago in the September. Built in the late 1980’s, it is a lovely family home, set within a spacious garden in a popular village on the outskirts of York.

The home came with a white UPVC conservatory, very typical of the period of the home. Over the years it had started to let in water, and as is usual with these types of conservatories, they tend to be cold in winter, and hot in the summer. This can be seen on the photo at the bottom of this article.

Replacing theirs with a contemporary oak sunroom, and making other changes to the property, was on their ‘To Do’ list after moving in.

Friends recommended Oak By Design, and after checking out the website, and really liking our work, they contacted us a couple of months after moving in to their home.

Jamie initially spoke to the couple and then arranged a visit to their home the following week to talk through their plans.

They wanted to remove their existing UPVC conservatory, and replace this with an oak sunroom . They wanted oak bi-fold doors so that they could open the room up to the garden in the good weather.

They also planned on knocking through between their existing kitchen and dining room, (which both looked out onto the garden) to create one large space, which in turn would open onto the new conservatory, thereby creating a large L shaped open plan room.

This wasn’t to be just an oak sunroom though. They also planned an open, outdoor area alongside the sunroom, with the advantage of the hipped roof continuing over, forming the perfect “all weather” sitting out area.

In total the length of both areas would be over 6.5 metres, running across the back of the house. The depth of the new oak sunroom is approx. 4 metres.

The Oak Sunroom Is The Perfect Place To Enjoy The Garden And Star Gaze!

After a few design meetings, the final plans were drawn up for the oak sunroom and sitting area. Planning Permission was approved and manufacturing was planned into the production calendar.

As well as bi-fold doors from the oak sunroom into the outdoor seating area, another set of bifold doors were to be installed. These would lead from the new room directly outside into the outdoor sitting area.

With both sets of doors open this would create a fabulous, large open space, perfect for indoor/outdoor living and hosting large numbers of people!

Oak posts, and curved oak brackets would support the roof, and a large roof light would be installed into each of the 2 halves of the new area.

Curved brackets would also be installed internally on the oak sunroom, creating a cohesive look throughout.

All the oak would be finished with Osmo Polyx UV oil in 420, a clear satin finish.

Work began on the home renovation and once the framework was ready, our installation team set to, working alongside the builders and other trades.

The build was complete during the summer and provided the perfect space for enjoying the warm evenings outside. The roof lanterns not only provide more light in both the oak sunroom and outside area, but provide a perfect frame of the night sky!

Flush, chrome light fittings are installed on the underside of the hipped roof, which add a twinkling effect on an evening.

The couple chose to finish the area around the bi-fold doors to the outside area, with oak boards. This really has created the perfect outdoor seating area. Protected on 2 sides by the house, and a full roof to protect from the weather – the family should be able to enjoy this space all year round.

Read More

The Beauty and Practicality of Oak Conservatories

Oak conservatories are a remarkable addition to any home. The combination of aesthetic appeal and functionality makes these structures an ideal choice for those looking to enhance their living space. This article aims to explore the various aspects that make oak conservatories so appealing.

One notable feature of oak conservatories is their timeless beauty. The natural warmth and elegance of oak create a welcoming atmosphere, ensuring that your conservatory becomes the focal point of your home. The intricate craftsmanship involved in constructing an oak conservatory further enhances its charm, making it a true work of art.

In addition to their visual appeal, oak conservatories offer practical benefits as well. The use of high-quality timber ensures excellent insulation, making them suitable for year-round use regardless of the weather conditions outside. Furthermore, the durability and strength of oak ensure that your conservatory will stand the test of time, requiring minimal maintenance over the years.

Another advantage provided by oak conservatories is their versatility. Whether you intend to use it as a dining area, a relaxation space, or even a home office, an oak conservatory can be tailored to meet your specific needs and preferences.

To conclude, choosing an oak conservatory is not only a wise investment but also an opportunity to add character and functionality to your home. Its timeless beauty combined with practical advantages make it an appealing choice for homeowners seeking to create a distinctive living space that stands out from the ordinary.

Green Oak vs. Air-Dried Oak: A Comparative Analysis

The utilisation of timber in construction is a time-honoured tradition, with oak being a popular choice due to its durability and aesthetic appeal. However, there are distinct differences between green oak and air-dried oak that warrant careful consideration when selecting the appropriate material for building projects.

Green oak is derived from recently felled trees, retaining a substantial moisture content ranging from 60-80%. As this timber undergoes seasoning, which refers to the gradual drying out process, its moisture content diminishes. The visual imagery of water gradually evaporating from the wood aptly depicts this transformation.

In contrast to green oak, air-dried oak is cut into desired sizes and exposed to natural elements for an extended period. This exposure allows for air circulation between the timbers, facilitating the reduction in moisture content over time. The pace at which air-dried oak dries out is captured by the evocative phrase "25mm per year," highlighting the slow but steady progress of drying.


Air-dried oak possesses lower moisture content compared to green oak due to its lengthy seasoning period, typically ranging from three to ten years depending on thickness. This reduced moisture content enhances stability and minimizes movements or shrinkage associated with timber use in construction projects.


Understanding the distinctions between green oak and air-dried oak grants building experts invaluable knowledge when making material selections. By considering factors such as moisture content and stability, professionals can ensure optimal outcomes in their construction endeavours without compromising quality or longevity.

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Working with Oak By Design on our project was a pleasure and we were delighted with the results. Joanne was extremely helpful, quick to answer any questions and generally a great person to deal with! The quality and finish of the products - RSJ covers and Oak Windows & Doors were superb and look great. Would highly recommend working with Oak By Design and would not hesitate to use their services again for future projects!

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Oak by Design have made 2 oak framed rooms for us, sunroom at the front and and "moonroom" (photo) at the back which encompasses a shower room, work area and storage. They have been helpful at every stage and the outcome is simply brilliant. They make the whole house feel roomier and brighter and are beautiful places to be. GE North Yorkshire

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I could not recommend Oak By Design more highly. Joanne and the team worked tirelessly to resolve an issue that was the result of my mistake when I ordered the porch. Great customer service.

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From start to finish Oak By Design have been incredible, nothing was too much trouble. Our new Oak doors are beautifully made and have really been the icing on the cake to finish our house renovations off. We have also had a fabulous outdoor oak structure with heating and we are very much looking forward to making the most of it in the months ahead. Thank you to the whole team I would throughly recommend.

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We can thoroughly recommend Oak by Design. Not only did they provide the best of oak floors and oak staircase to suit our new, contemporary home, but they returned to make good a problem which was not their fault. Going the extra mile separates great companies from ordinary firms. Thank you Jamie & Billy. From Mike & Barbara, York.

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Oak by Design were extremely helpful at all stages of my project from helping and advising me to choose the most appropriate beam through to advice on fixing the beam. They were extremely patient with changes to my beam dimension requirements finally providing a solution to suit my project. They provided photographs on completion of the beam prior to dispatch to ensure that my requirements had been met. I was extremely impressed by the quality and finish of the beam which has become the focal point for my fireplace project. Oak by Design provided customer care of the highest quality and I would highly recommend their services.

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Amazing customer service from beginning to end . My builder was in awe at the quality of the oak porch components. Call them and ask for Joanne - what she doesn’t know isn’t worth knowing! It’s not every day you invest in a “proper” porch so do it right. You’ll definitely be delighted!

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Pleasure to do Buisness with

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We worked with Jamie from Oak By Design on a super project near Wetherby. There was plenty of oak in this design for the team to really show their worth - and they did. The attention to detail was excellent. If anything was not quite how the client wanted it, they were straight back to attend to this. The customer care was superb. We look forward to working with Oak By Design on another project soon.

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Excellent customer service. Very friendly. Explained in detail. Product is beautiful. Would recommend. Company sent photos of finished product prior to dispatch to confirm our happiness with their work.

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From the beginning the customer service has been superb, excellent help and advice when choosing the flooring, delivery arriving when promised and a product which is extremely high quality. We have replaced the majority of our flooring downstairs and we are so pleased with the result that we would have paid more. Fantastic.

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Excellent quality workmanship and materials. Very easy and friendly to deal with on the phone. Everything done on time and no problems at all. Will definitely use again next time I need an oak porch or any other oak structures.

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When embarking on a large renovation project assembling the right team of skilled work people is vital. It involves the need for skill, imagination and trust. It was important to us to use a local company and Oak by Design seemed to tick the right boxes although we had not dealt with them or indeed heard of them before. We soon came to realise that the combination of Ben, Billy, Jamie, Matt and MIck ( listed strictly in alphabetical order ) was a great success. Skilled: highly, imaginative: an excellent creative talent, trustworthy: 100% but also such great team players that all the other trades on site benefitted from their cooperation and great good humour. I would endorse the other reviewers who have commented on the quality of the materials used, whether in the replacement windows, the light oak internal doors. the fantastic oak staircase, the secret bookcase and the pièce de résistance: the oak conservatory. It has been a great project and much of that I attribute to the work of Oak by Design. A big thank you to you all.

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Great service by a friendly professional team, a pleasure to work with. The end result of our oak glazed leisure spa and outdoor kitchen looks fantastic. Great job

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My wife and I recently purchased an oak porch from Oak By Design. We are delighted with the porch and it has been much admired. We did get some help assembling it but everything fitted together perfectly.

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Very professional. Excellent product and service. Highly recommended.

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From the moment we visited the Oak Design showroom, we knew that we were dealing with a top quality local company. Richard the owner, showed us around his design works with real pride of his product and service offering. Jamie as sales executive has discussed and agreed the options & design with costs to us and we have now implemented the first phase of our home improvement, with more work to follow. We are highly delighted with the finished product and would strongly recommend Oak Design to other interested clients. I also suggest that you pay them a personal visit at the Home Building & Renovation exhibition in Harrogate, as well as their wonderful showroom of Oak Solutions in Tockwith to get a personal guided tour.

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We decided to get an oak porch to make our home more attractive and we are so glad we did as it really is beautiful ! Joanne and the Team have been professional, friendly and just a pleasure to deal with ! Thank you so much !!

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From the initial quotation right through to the delivery and after service Joanne has been brilliant and given me an excellent product. I have just ordered another porch for another project from them and I will continue to do so for future projects . Thomas and Bell Building Contractors Ltd

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We were looking to have a bespoke oak and glass atrium for the front of our new house renovation. We wanted to find a company we trusted, who clearly understood our brief and could manufacture and install a high quality product at a competitive price. A big ask, but OakByDesign ticked all our boxes. Jamie and the team from the initial discovery meeting to completion of the installation were fantastic. The design, material quality and installation were first class and I would highly recommend you to include them within your project plans. Thank you all. Ben and Lindsay.

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Great company, always on the end of the phone to talk through design, measurements, fitting. The Oak is very high standard, looks amazing.

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Having lived with our porch for over 2 years I can honestly say it’s the best addition to our house we ever made. Not only does it look fantastic the quality is outstanding. I love that it keeps the mud out of the hall and provides a seating area to remove muddy boots.

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Great service from start to finish, Joanne was great help. Designs were spot on and so happy with the porch. 10/10. Fully recommend.

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I was sourcing an oak RSJ cover (circa 5m length) for my extension and found Oak by Design on the internet. All of the reviews I could were glowing and so I contacted them......And I'm so glad that I did. Joanne Fisher answered my initial call and she looked after my order from beginning to end - in terms of ensuring that I got exactly what I wanted she/they provided a superb service - everything on time - delivery in to the Peak District to suit when I wanted. The quality of the the RSJ cover is fantastic thick solid oak that matches my oak floor - looks amazing. If you want anything oak I can thoroughly recommend Oak By Design.

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Found this company by accident whilst passing through Harrogate, but well worth a visit.Great products choice with helpful friendly service. The wooden flooring and beams look great in situ and we are very pleased with the transformed room. Would recommend and use again.

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Oak by design were a fantastic company to deal with. They made us some treads for a bespoke stair case from large pieces of air dried oak. They were very thorough in making sure that they understood exactly what we wanted. They made excellent suggestions for small changes to our own design in order to produce a better finished product and to manage the cost. We were very happy with the treads when they were delivered. They look fantastic and fitted perfectly to the steel frame which was made by a third party. I could not recommend them more highly.

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Perfect from start to finish. The service is above and beyond. Pleasure to install

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I wish I could give more starts!! We looked at many companies before finally choosing Oak by Design. We are so glad we chose them. They were excellent from start to finish. They worked with us to find a workable design that was to our liking. Our door looks amazing (despite the building site that still surrounds it!). Their customer service is of the highest standard, Joanne could not do enough to help us. I would not hesitate to recommend them.

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A fabulous service and supportive through the design and delivery process. Highly recommended

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We got a fantastic garden structure from Oak by Design. It is a very handsome building and the design process was very patient, to say the least. We didn’t really know what we wanted, so we had to be guided through it. And we are delighted.

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What can I say, Oak By Design have been the most fantastic company to deal with. Joanne was so helpful, friendly and professional. She really seemed to care about our project, which made such a difference. We had 4 oak RSJ covers made and 2 fireplace mantles. The finish is outstanding. Everyone believes they are solid beams, which was just what we wanted. The care and attention this company will give you is 2nd to none and I would highly recommend them. Pictures will follow when we complete our project, thanks again Oak By Design. x

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Fantastic service and quality of product. I couldn’t be happier with my Oak porch, which was designed to my specification with the minimum of fuss. Joanne was so helpful and nothing was too much trouble. Incredibly well engineered and looks fantastic. Thank you so much.

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Fantastic service from start to finish, I would have no hesitation in recommending this company or using them again. Very professional and helpful. Joanne was great in assisting us with choosing both styles and colours of the beams and cladding.

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Very impressed with Oak By Design. Customer service is fantastic and they were very patient in helping me ensure what I needed was the right size. Photos sent of oak cover before it was sent to me and end product was great. It was also not the most expensive either. Would definitely recommend.

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From the start of our enquiry, the service provided was excellent. Joanne was a great help and the oak porch structure looks fantastic on our new build. It completely changed the look of the house. Very quick delivery could not recommend enough.

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On behalf of John Docherty: Oak By Design were a great company to deal with; helpful, knowledgeable, professional. The quality of the oak supplied to us for our bespoke porch was first class. Nothing was too much trouble for this company, and we will definitely be using this wonderful company again in 2022.

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Really delighted with the new porch by Oak by Design. It adds a super feature to my converted barn. Thanks to Joanne and the team.

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A first rate service from start to finish. We've used this company in the past for our floor - 40 foot of solid oak! 2 beams and 2 RSJ covers. This time a beam for our new kitchen inglenook and another RSJ cover. More than impressed with the products which more than met our spec. A very friendly and helpful team who I'd recommend to anyone.

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We purchased some engineered oak flooring and oak covers from Oak By Design and couldn't be happier with the finish and quality. They are spot on. Joanne was extremely helpful throughout the whole process and provided plenty of advice when necessary. Thank you

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Found Oak by Design searching for a new front porch to replace a canopy and knew immediately that this was company for the job and I was not disappointed. I already knew what I wanted and Richard, very patiently, developed my basic requirements, with a number of iterations, into a full detailed design. As I live outside their site working area I decided go for supply only and to install the porch myself. It was delivered as promised and it looked great even on the pallet! It took me a while to fit but it was very satisfying and the result is fantastic. The quality of the aged oak and carpentry of the timbers is excellent. I’m delighted with the porch supplied by Oak by Design - it looks superb.

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I firstly used oak by design a couple of years ago for an open oak porch. They were extremely helpful and everything was delivered on time to the highest quality. The porch went together with the oak dowels provided and looked great when it was all slated in. They have also supplied me with a oak beam for a fireplace natural random finish and it looks good.

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My company has ordered 2 porches with Joanne from oak by design, and have more planned in the future. They've been brilliant from start to finnish. Great communication right through. And the quality of the product is exceptional. Do not hesitate to order.

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As the owner of a local joinery business, Robert Davis Joinery, I have had the pleasure of using Oak by Design on several occasions over the last 8 years. They have produced bespoke interior products for me including Oak doors and timber moldings. The staff in the office and the workshop are always very helpful and friendly and the standard of the workmanship and materials are always of a very high quality.

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I first used Oak by Design in 2021 for a oak porch, I used them again 2023 for an oak pergola. Both times my clients have been Delighted with the finished product. Both times the product was delivered when stated, everything i needed was on the delivery. Oak by design listened to what I required for both jobs. The quality of the oak is excellent, all joints fit correctly & if I had a problem I only had to ring and speak to them. R Brown Carpentry always recommends Oak by Design when asked about oak structures.

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We are ‘over the moon’ with our beautiful oak porch made by Oakbydesign .From our initial enquiry to delivery and installation the service and attention to detail has been outstanding! A very big thank you to Joanne who was so helpful and friendly from start to finish which made the whole process such a pleasure. Highly recommend anyone looking for an oak porch to choose Oakbydesign . Yvonne Grant.

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Oak by design provided our engineered oak flooring. From our initial meeting and supply of samples to the final delivery we have been provided with excellent service. Carl has been in touch throughout the process and provided updates about the lead time and expected delivery dates. We are delighted with the flooring. Very happy to recommend Oak by design.

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Amazing craftsmanship from this company. The customer service from Joanne was superb. My questions and indecisiveness were never an issue and she was always on hand to offer advice and find the answers to my questions. Our oak porch has transformed the house and we are over thd moon with it. Would highly recommend Oak By Design. Joanne is an asset to the sales and promotion of this company and is very knowledgeable. Would give 10 stars if I could!

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Super friendly people helping me with my self build porch!

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Fantastic staff with fantastic craftsmanship. Great communication and always on the ball. I would highly recommend oak by design, I don’t think you could get a better quality oak porch anywhere. Extremely pleased with ours , always getting compliments from fellow villagers