Metal Roof Solariums

A metal roof solarium pairs an aluminum frame and PVC windows with a roof of galvanized steel panels: full shade on the hottest afternoons, rain that runs off instead of pooling, and a room built to stay up rather than come down every fall. Gazebo Penguin makes the Florence roof from reinforced 0.75 mm galvanized steel and says the unit can be left up year round; the Myrdal adds ceiling hooks for plants and lights; the Sojag Korado protects its extruded aluminum frame with AkzoNobel Interpon powder coating. These are three-season rooms, not insulated living space.

Choose the fit first. Wall-mounted models (the Florence Add-A-Room and the Korado wall solariums) share a wall with the house, so a patio door becomes the entrance; freestanding models stand on a deck or patio on their own. Sizes run from 8 x 12 to 12 x 18 ft, including 10 x 16. Prefer daylight overhead? See polycarbonate-roof solariums, or browse every solarium and sunroom kit.

Metal roof solarium FAQ

Metal roof or polycarbonate roof — which should I choose?

A galvanized steel roof is opaque: it gives full shade, keeps the room cooler under a summer sun, and you hear the rain on it. A polycarbonate roof lets filtered daylight through, which suits plants and grey days. The Gazebo Penguin Florence comes either way, so you can pick the roof and keep the same frame.

Can a metal roof solarium stay up in winter?

Gazebo Penguin says the Florence can be left up year round and is designed to withstand rain, snow and UV, and Sojag describes the Korado as protection from snow and rain. Neither publishes a snow-load rating with the listing, so follow the assembly manual and clear heavy snow from the roof, as you would on any outdoor structure.

Is a metal roof solarium a four-season room?

No. The roof is steel, but the walls are PVC windows and screens with no insulation or vapour barrier, so these are three-season rooms: comfortable from spring to late fall, and meant to stand through the winter rather than be heated in it. The solarium buying guide explains the difference.

Wall-mounted or freestanding?

A wall-mounted solarium attaches along one side of the house, opens straight off a patio door and needs one wall fewer of framing. A freestanding solarium can go anywhere on a level deck or patio — the Florence 12 x 12 to 12 x 18, the Myrdal 11 x 10 and 11 x 14, and the Korado 10 x 14 to 12 x 18.

How do they ventilate?

The Florence has wind panels that slide to five positions or all the way down, and two sliding doors that can be set to open left or right. The Korado has screened PVC sliding windows with three positions. Sojag presents the Korado 12 x 12 as a shelter for a hot tub, where that airflow matters.