Best way to fill this gap.

[Dodgyrog]

Hi, any thoughts how best to fill these strips either side of the French door?. We wanted a render strip between windows and door to break up the double glazing a bit but a slight misunderstanding led to the gaps ending up a bit narrower than expected at 89mm - which is still fine from the look point of view but makes it a bit more awkward to fill in a stable way prior to rendering. Obviously some insulation but then what is best rather than a narrow tall column of bricks? Treated wood with something like backerboard as a covering would be easy to fit but isn't timber frowned upon in cavities etc? Originally thought maybe a concrete lintel but it's now thinner. I could always drag the builder back but we thought it was something I could sort as he had handed over whilst waiting for windows to be done - and I'd like to get the render done asap.

 

[noseall]

I can't help thinking the window sill needed to extend all the way to the door jamb and then consideration for the infill should be a UPVC thing.

 

[Dodgyrog]

I can't help thinking the window sill needed to extend all the way to the door jamb and then consideration for the infill should be a UPVC thing.

Yep that would have been the easy way but we didn't want the look of a continual run of glazing and plastic in what is a key view of the house. The whole width of the block built room is glazing but by having everything completely framed by render gives it more of a room look (which it is) than a conservatory. It's a minor detail which the builder, plan drawer, wife, window fitter, dog etc all originally looked at me funny when I requested it ..... but now all completely agree it would look so much better...... once the gap is filled of course

 

[kingandy2nd]

Timber against the steel to pack out the depth, then topped with cement board?

Whatever you do, you’ll need to reinforce the hell of of it, both the infill and the render, as the door will put all sorts of twisting forces on it.

 

[kingandy2nd]

Ps - I’d have been more worried about the non symmetrical velux rather than these gaps if you were concerned with the visuals…but perhaps that’s just my OCD kicking in

 

[^woody^]

we didn't want the look of a continual run of glazing and plastic in what is a key view of the house

So you settled for the look of random frames thrown together across the whole elevation instead!

For the badly designed infill strip, timber and cement board then your finish. Don't forget to deal with the cold bridge and let us know how you get on with the insecure frames and the wobble every time you use the doors.

 

[noseall]

I wouldn't hold much hope of a rigid finish surviving on a little strip of (much impacted) render board...

 

[noseall]

we didn't want the look of a continual run of glazing and plastic

But that's exactly what you have.

 

[Dodgyrog]

So you settled for the look of random frames thrown together across the whole elevation instead!

For the badly designed infill strip, timber and cement board then your finish. Don't forget to deal with the cold bridge and let us know how you get on with the insecure frames and the wobble every time you use the doors.

I get what you are saying but just to clarify the left and right gables are existing building that we are stuck with and the central bit is the new extension and projects outwards from the building by 4 meters. When viewed in the flesh that new frontage dominates things as the gables recede back and it looks a lot better than what the drawing shows - perspective is wrongly given by a flat drawing.

I raised concerns about flexing but was reassured by the builder and structural engineer - there's a major steelwork frame all around that glazing and that looks to be proven as the only area that flexes slightly is the centre of the french doors, which they naturally would do anyway. My thought was to further bolster things up by using lintels vertically in those gaps if need be - but having tried hanging off it myself it feels solid enough to me already.

 

[Dodgyrog]

But that's exactly what you have.

It's a garden room so we wanted to maximise the glass but I'm not a fan of bi-fold doors. Maybe the sketch above shows better the subtle difference towards making it look more like a room than a conservatory. I just don't want white plastic strips between the doors and windows.

 

[Dodgyrog]

Ps - I’d have been more worried about the non symmetrical velux rather than these gaps if you were concerned with the visuals…but perhaps that’s just my OCD kicking in

I get that OCD too - but don't panic....the velux are options we put in to get planning - the one on the right will not be going in as it was to let more light in to the bathroom in the original main building, which is not needed now. The other 2 are for a vaulted ceiling option. The perspective on that flat drawing makes it look bad, in reality the roof pitch means you can't see the velux unless you are stood right at the back of the garden and even then they are sloped back.