Loggia as part of the living space

Today we will talk in more detail about joining the loggia to the common living space of the apartment, about various design solutions to this issue and the technical side of the matter..

Unlike simple glazing, which you can do yourself or with the help of firms specializing in this, joining a loggia is a rather complicated process and requires contacting a serious repair and construction company. By the way, such companies help to formalize the legal issues related to this: the fact is that this kind of redevelopment requires the consent of the MVK (interdepartmental commission) at the district prefecture. As a rule, the customer does not have time for approval, and besides, a competently executed project can only be done by a professional designer.

First of all, the idea to attach a loggia arises from the owners of those apartments where every meter counts and where it is simply necessary to use any opportunities to increase the living space. In such ‘babies’ it is not always possible to get rid of the extra partitions due to the fact that they are usually load-bearing. And then the only way to somehow increase the space is to combine the loggia and living space.

If you decide to take this, then you need to start work with a fence, which can be made of brick or reinforced concrete slab. Most often, there is a place for drainage under the fence. Therefore, before insulating the loggia, it is necessary to close all the cracks at the bottom and, if necessary, from the sides. This can be done by laying them with bricks.

The next stage of work is the installation of window blocks. For the glazing of loggias with this kind of redevelopment, a hollow profile made of rigid PVC (polyvinyl chloride) with thin partitions is most often used. Such a profile is wear-resistant, hardly flammable, does not conduct electric current, and also retains heat well and provides the necessary mechanical strength. For this, the walls of the profile are made no thinner than 3 millimeters, and a galvanized steel reinforcement with a thickness of 1.5 mm, 2 mm or 3 mm is placed inside. On the Russian market, you can find a variety of systems of such profiles, in our opinion, you need to stop your choice on the products of the German companies VEKA or REHAU.

For example, the system of PVC window and door profiles of the VEKA company allows you to assemble a large number of various types of structures, not only those indicated in the company’s catalog, but also those invented by you. You can choose the width of the frame, the number of doors and the way of opening each of them, the number of ‘blind’ parts, the type of glass unit (single-chamber or double-chamber). We recommend a double chamber (with three glasses), which will significantly improve heat and sound insulation.

Only after the completion of the work related to the outer wall, you can start dismantling the window, balcony door and expanding the resulting opening. The greatest difficulties will arise when solving the third problem, since it does not always allow achieving the desired result. In panel houses, the outer walls are usually made of hinged reinforced concrete panels. In them, you can only cut off the window sill, and even then on condition that the working fittings are not damaged. In brick houses, the outer wall can be load-bearing and self-supporting.

In the first version, only part of the wall under the former window can be removed, in the second it is possible to expand the opening due to the side walls.

The insulation itself requires maximum accuracy and accuracy. We will tell you about this step by step. First, a frame (wooden or metal) is mounted, then a vapor barrier (polyethylene, foil) is laid, then insulation and waterproofing (polyethylene, roofing felt, mastic). Unlike walls and ceilings, where lightweight insulation (mineral wool slabs) can be used, the floor must be insulated with a rigid insulation (‘Formglas’ or ‘Stirodur’). It is forbidden to use polystyrene for insulation, as it is a fire hazardous material and, moreover, emitting toxic substances during combustion.

Materials for finishing the resulting space are selected based on whether you want to see it visually combined with the room or not.

As a rule, the surfaces of the side walls and ceiling are sheathed with plasterboard, which can be painted, pasted over with wallpaper or veneered with wood panels. Parquet, ceramic tiles, and carpet are suitable for flooring. It is best to install a warm floor on the former loggia, it will replace all the necessary heating devices.

The functional use of the resulting space can be varied.

For example, in this case, the most comfortable bedroom turned out from the loggia. Before the redevelopment, the owners, who liked to receive guests, had to combine the functions of a private room and a living room on the same territory, which did not suit them at all. In order to make a bedroom, they decided to attach a loggia to the kitchen area. The result is a kind of alcove that accommodates a sleeping place and comfortable shelves for personal items. But they did not stop there and, taking part of the area from the kitchen, arranged a dressing room next to the bedroom, dividing them with sliding doors. To separate the personal area from the kitchen, a partition had to be erected. The redevelopment also affected other premises: the rest of the kitchen area was combined with the room.

Before redevelopment

After redevelopment

In the resulting area, there was a place for a household area, a dining group with a bar and a recreation area. Now the once small apartment has magically expanded by one room. Such projects are not common, but they very clearly characterize the potential of the designer..

More often, there is an option when the loggia does not create an additional room, but organically flows into an already existing room, increasing it. In this case, by attaching a loggia, it was possible to create a dining area in the living room. The kitchen could not accommodate a large table, and placing it in a separate room was too inconvenient.

After the redevelopment, the dining table, placed on the podium, fits comfortably near the large window.In each case, the space of the loggia can be used in different ways, depending on which room it is located next to. Most often, the neighbor of the loggia is the bedroom, combining which with the loggia, you can get a wonderful boudoir or a cozy place for romantic conversations for two. Busy people can arrange an office on the new territory, fencing off the room with sliding panels or simply curtains. Library, dressing room, gym – all this, if you wish, you can create on the square of the former loggia. If your loggia is adjacent to the kitchen, then you can create space for a bar, mini-dining room, or use it as a small relaxation area, where you can admire the sunsets or sit with friends over a glass of wine by the beautifully tidy window.

If we talk about the disadvantages of such connections, then they are rather constructive and relate to the difference in floor level, to the portal formed by the protrusions of the old wall and the lintel above the old window. But they also easily turn into pluses, one has only to skillfully beat this forced zoning. Beautiful curtains, columns, bar counters, steps are perfect for this. The main thing in such a redevelopment is that the loggia becomes an organic part of the common living space..