Gullwing Style Conservatory Explained

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What is it?

A Gullwing, stretched front Victorian are all common names for this style. The conservatory is the same basic design for all. It most commonly has three sections (known as facets) across the front where the front section is longer (or 'stretched') than the two angled sides.

Plan (Bird's eye) view of an Gullwing: Click here for a larger view

The roof is a forward pitch sloping style (usually at around 15 degrees from the horizontal). This means that it slopes upwards from the front of the conservatory meeting at the property wall. The roof around the angles and sides is also pitched, and similarly converges at the rear against the property wall, this gives it the distinctive 'wing' effect, hence the name. As the roof on a Gullwing meets at it's apex against the property wall the 'ridge' is more often referred to as the 'Wallplate'.

The rafters around the angled facets (roof bars) are often known as spider rafters (also referred to as Victorian hip rafters), meaning they splay out from the end of the Wall mounted spider plate to meet with their respective corner points, looking a little like... surprise, surprise, spiders legs splaying out away from it's main body. The Gullwing roof commonly also incorporates jack rafters (refer to Edwardian section for more detail).

Advantages of the Gullwing Style

• Retains some of Victorian style qualities to enhance the original features of a Victorian era property whilst offering the greater width capability.
• Gives a softer aesthetic look to a conservatory with the 'hard' edges softened by way of the angled corners.
• Helps to blend with boundary lines if they are not straight or at an angle to the property position.
• Can have a double hipped roof if any height restrictions are at the property where the conservatory is to be sited.
• Blends well in a corner position with no sharp corners imposing on the overall layout between property and garden area.

• Does not generally lend itself to a Double Hipped design, therefore is not normally practical on bungalows or properties with height restrictions.
• Generally has a maximum width available so do not normally lend themselves to applications where width is more desired over projection.