Pros and cons
You need to decide whether you need a balcony in a private house and weigh the pros and cons before you start developing a design project for a future cottage.
Benefits | disadvantages |
---|---|
Due to its attractive appearance, the loggia becomes a beautiful decoration of the facade. |
The addition of a loggia to the house requires large cash costs. |
The glazed inner balcony is used as additional living space. |
Due to an assembly error, the structure may collapse. |
Free access to fresh air is provided. |
If the loggia is not insulated and not insulated, the balcony door contributes to a significant heat loss of the space. |
The balcony can be part of a veranda or porch structure and protect the extension from precipitation and other factors. | |
If a critical situation arises, the loggia can serve as an emergency exit. |
What types of balconies are there?
There are two types of structures.
Open balcony in a private house
Such a loggia is a decorative element of the facade. Therefore, its decoration, decoration and choice of materials deserve special attention. For open balconies, a metal fence is often used. The width between the bars of the lattice should be no more than 10 centimeters.
Closed balcony
Due to the glazing, the closed loggia is protected from wind, rain and other precipitation, and also has good sound insulation. This balcony will be a great place to grow plants that need plenty of sunlight. Thanks to the partial, panoramic or stained-glass type of glazing, it is possible to turn the extension into an original and aesthetically attractive element of the facade of the house.
Material
For the construction of balcony structures, materials with high strength are used.
Wooden balcony
In decorative terms, a wooden balcony is significantly superior to structures made of other materials. Thanks to natural wood, a cozy and warm atmosphere is formed on the loggia. In addition, wood can be perfectly combined with various finishes.
To ensure the strength and durability of the wooden balcony extension, the surface of the handrails and all elements is carefully sanded, oiled and coated with a water-repellent, frost-resistant varnish and hydrophobic paint. To cover the floor, it is better to use boards with a thickness of at least 4 centimeters.
To make the structure more stable, the beams are attached to the walls using metal bolts or corners. The cantilever balcony is equipped with vertical pillars.
Brick balcony
When creating a project for a brick loggia, you need to calculate the load on the slab, and, if necessary, strengthen the concrete base with brackets.
Brickwork, even without additional cladding, has a wonderful appearance and is an excellent base for creating any interior.
Concrete balcony
Such a loggia needs a special approach. Since the concrete base is heavy and exerts a large load on the walls of the cottage, the balcony is equipped with additional supports.
A structure on a concrete base should have a depth and protrusion of no more than one meter and differ in a slope angle of about 2%. The upper level of the slab is set five or eight centimeters below the floor level. The concrete base is equipped with a water-repellent coating and covered with a cement screed. The fence is securely attached to the floor and the load-bearing wall of the house. The height of the parapet should be at least 1 m.
Metal balcony in a private house
Due to its originality, it turns into a real decoration of the facade. A forged balcony can have a straight, radius, blown, arched or mixed configuration. Metal fencing is mainly made using natural, geometric shapes or openwork weaves that look exclusive, stylish and respectable.
Special anti-corrosion agents will help to make the structure resistant to precipitation and high humidity.
Balcony location
The cottage project provides for a different arrangement of the balcony. For example, a structure can be equipped above a terrace or veranda, above a porch, on the second floor under a roof or at the end of a building.
The widespread placement of the balcony is above the entrance to the house in the central part of the facade. This solution is perfect for a small cottage. The loggia, covered under a frontal canopy, will be a great resting place, which can be furnished with a small table, chairs or a sofa.
The corner loggia rests on two walls of the house and on an additional column. The facades of the cottage are often complemented with unusual shaped outriggers, which are based on the protrusions of the ground floor or on the inner corners of the building.
In the roof of the house, they equip an opening in the form of a balcony-window, as well as a pediment or roof structure, which can protrude beyond the facade of the building or be deepened.
The structure above the veranda visually divides the house into two parts, contributes to an increase in the volume of the structure and gives it a more airy look.
Photo of a balcony in a wooden house
A private house with a balcony made of logs, designed in the style of a Russian tower, is distinguished by an interesting view. Thanks to this material, the structure can be supplemented with balusters, handrails, threaded railings or decorative posts.
In a wooden log house, a balcony is most often equipped in the attic. The recessed type of structure is reliable and safe.
A balcony with a triangular configuration, located under the same roof with a wooden structure, will add integrity to the cottage.
Which canopy to choose?
There are single-slope structures that have a sufficient slope for water drainage and more stable gable-type canopies that are suitable for corner loggias.
For the construction of canopies, slate, ondulin, metal or polycarbonate are used. Polycarbonate products are considered the best option. The structures are easy to install, have a high level of noise absorption and a long service life. Wide awnings are complemented by special posts.
The elegant appearance has an arch-shaped visor, which is also quite functional and practical to use.
A solid and expensive dome canopy is a less popular solution, since it has certain technical difficulties.But despite this, the owners of cottages prefer to decorate the loggia using this method, which makes the structure presentable.
You can protect the open loggia from the sun due to the original awning canopy. Such a product will favorably decorate the facade of the house, as well as prevent the accumulation of snow and the formation of icicles.
Placing a balcony under the roof helps to expand the functionality of the loggia. The size of the roof should have a slight slope and be slightly larger than the balcony slab.
Design and shapes
An open balcony structure of a semicircular shape will attract the eye with its magnificent design. A railing and a canopy with artistic forging will add even more elegance to the structure, and turn the balcony into a bright area for relaxation.
The bay window is practically no different from the glazed loggia, but inside it is a continuation of the interior of the room. A bay window protrusion can have multiple edges separated by windows.
As a decor, it is appropriate to put boxes with large plants on the balcony, hang pots with flowers, and decorate the fence from the outside with hanging or curly greenery.
Photo gallery
The balcony is a characteristic part of the facade of a country house, which is paid attention to first of all. Therefore, the arrangement and external design of the loggia should be approached responsibly in order to solve many functional tasks and give the structure individuality.