Like a transparent veil: polycarbonate roof

Imagine having a roof that protects you from the elements and lets in sunlight like a transparent veil, bringing natural light into your room. This sums up a polycarbonate roof, a contemporary option that is becoming more and more well-liked for its distinctive fusion of practicality and visual appeal.

The long-lasting thermoplastic used to make polycarbonate roofs is renowned for its remarkable strength and clarity. They provide the same advantages as conventional roofing materials, such as wind, rain, and UV protection, but they also have the added benefit of letting light through, making the interior feel bright and welcoming.

These roofs are adaptable and can be found in many different types of settings, including commercial and residential buildings as well as outdoor structures like greenhouses and pergolas. They can be designed to fit architectural styles and individual preferences because they are available in a variety of colors and finishes.

The lightweight nature of polycarbonate roofs in comparison to glass makes them easier to install and transport, which is one of their main advantages. They are also renowned for being more resilient than many conventional roofing materials, withstanding impacts and harsh weather.

Benefits of Polycarbonate Roof	Provides natural light transmission, durable against weather, lightweight and easy to install.
Applications of Polycarbonate Roof	Suitable for greenhouses, patio covers, and skylights, providing UV protection and flexibility in design.

Features of polycarbonate for the roof

You should take into account the types and characteristics of polycarbonate in order to determine whether it is appropriate for the roof.

Kinds

There are three categories for polycarbonate:

• wavy (profiled);
• cellular;
• monolithic.

In addition to being straight, monolithic carbonate is rounded.

Table: Parameters of different types of polycarbonate

Type of polycarbonate	Appearance	Characteristics	Basic properties
Wavy (profiled)	Monolithic sheets with waves or trapezoidal profiles	Thickness – 0.8–1.5 mm, standard sheet width – 480–1217 mm, and average length – 6 m. The height and shape of the wave can be different. Any color, not excluding smoky and matte shades	The temperature range is from -50 to 130 ° C, the density is 1.2 kg/m 3, the strength limit is 65 kg/m², that is, the material is similar to corrugated board, and weighs much less
Cell (cellular or structured)	Material with cells inside, that is, from 2 to 5 layers of plates connected by jumpers (stiffness ribs)	The thickness of the sheet is from 2 to 25 mm, the width is 2.1 or 1.2 m, and the length is 6 and 12 m. Any color, different sot structure	The temperature regime of operation is from -40 to +130 ° C, the limit for the gap -60 kg/m²
Monolithic straight	Solid smooth material, comparable to glass, but differs from it with less weight and greater functionality, because it is more dense and better misses the light	The thickness of the panel is 1–20 mm, the presence of several layers is possible, one of which is responsible for strength, the other for transparency for light, and the third for the ugly material. The average sheet size is 205×305 cm	Impact resistance -20–21 kg/m², temperature regime -from -50 to 130 ° C
Monolithic rounded	Monolithic polycarbonate, which was made rounded using hot formation technology using special domes with a radius of 4-5 m

Advantages and disadvantages

Among polycarbonate’s benefits are:

• resistance to most chemical reagents, including saline and alcohol solutions;
• the ability to withstand serious loads due to good strength;
• protection against ultraviolet radiation, because its surface is covered with special spraying;
• relative ease and special flexibility, thanks to which it becomes possible to build a roof of the original shape;
• good thermal insulation, since the material has great thermal resistance (in comparison with glass and polymethyl methacrylate);
• high temperature resistance (melts, but does not burn);
• excellent sound insulation, which improves with an increase in the thickness of the material;
• immunity to moisture (does not absorb and does not pass water);
• Simple installation, because the material is easily cut, drilled and fixed on the basis of the roof;
• the ability to pass sunlight, which eliminates the need to use artificial light.

Considered are some notable drawbacks of transparent material:

• high risk of deformation during transportation;
• the need for careful installation and careful care;
• low abrasive resistance, which is expressed in the rapid appearance of cracks and scratches.

Hail is polycarbonate’s principal enemy. The structural integrity of transparent material can be breached by the impact of ice lumps.

Life time

The majority of manufacturers guarantee that polycarbonate roofing will endure for a minimum of ten years. However, as demonstrated by actual use, the transparent material’s useful life can last up to 30 years. In order to accomplish this, adherence to the following guidelines is required:

• Monolithic material is transported in an upright position, fixing with belts, and cellular – in horizontal and necessarily on the floor of the body without protrusions;
• prevent thin sheets (up to 10 mm thick) go beyond the car during transportation;
• mount the material on the roof without deviating from the requirements of the technology;
• periodically inspect and maintain the roof;
• choose the type of material and its thickness taking into account the current loads from snow, wind and hail.

The minimum slope angle

The polycarbonate roof has a minimum inclination of 5°. If it is decreased, the roof of the material will appear to be damaged because it is not as good as ceramics and metal.

The homeowners prefer to tilt the roofing ramp by at least 10 degrees, though, since they understand that polycarbonate is simply plastic that has been hardened. They can thus let go of concerns about whether the roof can withstand the weight of the snow and the droplets of rain. When a кровельный скат is non-neoplastic, it dissolves from stains rather quickly.

The use of polycarbonate on the roof

Polycarbonate that is both monolithic and cellular is typically used in roof construction. There is a little less demand for the profiled material.

Table: for which roofs is polycarbonate suitable

Type of polycarbonate	Application area	additional information
Profiled	Roofs of residential and public buildings, awnings, roofs of arbors, terraces, greenhouses	For the construction of the roof, it is recommended to use material with a wave height of 1.5 cm, since it is characterized by better strength. It is desirable that the coating is opaque so that it can hide the rafters and a crate, replacing materials such as slate, ondulin and corrugated board
Monolithic	Roofs of various areas and configuration of any buildings, including a small bath, greenhouses and a residential building	You can not be afraid to use complex roofs to build, since the material has the prospect to withstand the pressure of a large snow mass. With a thickness of 12 mm, this coating will not break even under the blow of an adult strong man
Cellular	Complex elements of arches and roofs, awnings above the pools and stadiums, the roof of the hangar, outbuilding, greenhouses, arbors, greenhouse, greenhouses or house	Thanks to the porous structure, the material allows you to make the roof beautiful without damage to the strength of the structure, because its thickness can be up to 32 mm

Nonetheless, selecting a polycarbonate for the roof is not primarily dependent on the kind of material. Its thickness matters more than anything else.

Table: The use of polycarbonate depending on the thickness

Polycarbonate thickness (cm)	Usage
3.2	Coating a large building that will experience significant pressure
1.6	Large spans, since moderate loads will not be terrible
1	Vertical elements of the roof of public and private buildings
0.8	A canopy for the yard, recreation areas and car
0.4	The roof of a small greenhouse and a canopy above the entrance to the house
0.3	Roof of the greenhouse and greenhouse

Photo gallery: polycarbonate roofs

Polycarbonate roof helps to create the necessary microclimate in the greenhouse for the growth of plants of polycarbonate visor decorates and protects the door from sediments from polycarbonate over the open canteen helps to create a special atmosphere in the gazebo with a polycarbonate roof, you can have a good rest, without hiding from polycarbonate, can be An interesting and budgetary version of the car garage as a covenant for a greenhouse polycarbonate is much better than a film, since it will not break and let the cold with polycarbonate roofs be covered with the sun, which makes it beautiful, and the flowers do not suffer from light deficiency of polycarbonate over the light of light. the pool allows you to fence off the recreation area without depriving it of it with sunlight

The main thesis of the article "Like a transparent veil: polycarbonate roof" on the website "All about the roof" could be, "Homeowners seeking natural light and aesthetic appeal can find a modern and versatile solution in polycarbonate roofs." Polycarbonate roofing acts as a transparent veil over spaces, combining flexibility and durability to allow for imaginative architectural designs and improve energy efficiency through efficient light transmission. This article highlights the function of polycarbonate roofs in contemporary roofing solutions by examining their features, advantages, and considerations. By presenting the subject, highlighting its advantages, and indicating the topics the article will address, this thesis statement establishes the scene.

Installation of polycarbonate on the roof

Making a crate and preparing the materials with tools is the first step in installing a polycarbonate roof.

Necessary materials and tools

The proper screws and the appropriate quantity of material must be bought for the roof installation to be successful.

Calculation of polycarbonate

The polycarbonate calculation is done using the formula n = STo:Sl, where n is the appropriate material amount, sTo is the roof area, and Sl is the area of a single polycarbonate sheet.

Assume the following: We will install a polycarbonate panel measuring 210 cm in width and 6 m in length on a 5 by 6 m roof.

1. Determine the roof area (5 m*6 m = 30 m²).
2. We find out the area of ​​the sheet of the roofing (2.1 m*6 m = 12.6 m²).
3. We calculate how many polycarbonate sheets are required to purchase (30 m²: 12.6 m² = 2.4).
4. We round the resulting number to 3. If the installation of the material is carried out with overwhelmingants (which is characteristic of wave polycarbonate), then we increase the amount of material by 15 %.

Selection of screws for roofing polycarbonate

Polycarbonate should be secured to the roof frame using special screws that have a puck-seal and gasket.

The seal washer ensures that the fasteners will attach to the material securely and sit nicely in a pre-drilled hole. Additionally, the gasket prevents water from penetrating through the roofing’s attachment point to the interior structure’s frame.

For polycarbonate, a self-tapping screw’s ideal diameter is either 4.8 or 5.5 mm. When screwing, larger self-tapping screws can cause material cracks, while smaller ones won’t be able to handle the task of fixing the roofing coating.

As per the guidelines, the diameter of the hole for a self-tapping screw should be marginally less than the fastener’s diameter. For example, a 4.8 mm self-tapping screw requires a 4 mm hole, and a 4.5 mm drill bit is needed for a larger mounting element.

A self-tapping screw of about 3–4 cm is a reasonable length for installing polycarbonate roofing. You must see the thickness of the frame in order to precisely calculate this value. The fasteners’ length ought to be marginally less than the combined thickness of the polycarbonate, washer, and roof base.

Necessary tools

The following supplies are needed to attach polycarbonate to the roof:

• battery screwdriver with a set of nozzles and sovers;
• clamps (for temporary fixation of thin sheets of material that can vibrate);
• ladder;
• roulette;
• level;
• A building knife with a retractable and replaceable blade.

Using a drill when working with polycarbonate is not something I advise. Its power will not be improved; nozzles will continually slip and get damaged, and self-tapping screws will be pulled. If light material installation is done, the drill is difficult and awkward to hold in your hands.

Comack for polycarbonate

You must determine the thickness of the finish material in order to choose the spacing between the roof frame’s components. There is a relationship between these two variables that calls for the crate’s step to be 100 times greater than the transparent sheet’s thickness.

The components of the crate should be placed 40 centimeters apart, for instance, if the material has a thickness of 4 mm. Additionally, the frame details need to be mounted with a step of one meter when using polycarbonate that is one centimeter thick. To put it simply, a rarefied crate is made for fat polycarbonate, and a more common one for thin polycarbonate.

The roof’s slope has an impact on the finish material’s thickness as well as the space between the components of the crate. The steps between the frame components should be modest if the roof is rounded. The situation is completely different when there is a steep roof because the snow mass does not delay and does not pose a threat to a strong snow load.

An additional factor to consider when selecting a crate step is the wind load. As a result, плементы каркаса берез большие расстояния неразумно раскладывать в регионе строительства дома.

If the total wind and snow load is calculated using the provided cards, you can avoid doing complicated calculations for the crate step and instead refer to the table that has been put together based on the advice of experts. It allows you to select three different combinations for the crate’s step and the space between the rafters for every "Polycarbonate thickness – load" combination.

Table: The recommended step of the crate for cellular polycarbonate depending on the total load

Load in kg/m² (snow+wind)	The thickness of the polycarbonate
	6 mm	8 mm	10 mm	16 mm
	The recommended step of the crate (mm)/ distance between rafters
100	105/79	120/90	123/92	125/95
	90/90	95/95	100/100	110/110
	82/103	90/110	90/115	95/120
160	88/66	100/75	105/75	115/90
	76/76	83/83	83/83	97/97
	70/86	75/90	75/95	85/105
200	80/60	85/65	95/70	110/85
	69/69	76/76	78/78	88/88
	62/78	65/85	70/85	75/95

Polycarbonate installation process

Examine the installation guidelines for polycarbonate on the cellular material example. It must be laid down:

1. Fix on a crate on top of those rafters where polycarbonate sheets, connecting profiles will joke.
2. Free the sheets of polycarbonate from the protective film from the wrong side and insert them into the installed profiles, leaving a 5 mm gap, designed to compensate for the lack of space in case of expansion of the sheet due to severe heating in the heat. It is necessary to ensure that the front side of the finish coating is the one on which the word “top” is written or the manufacturer of the material is indicated– A special coating is applied to it that protects the material from the action of ultraviolet rays.
3. Every 30 cm, connect the finish material with crate self -tapping screws with washers. The fasteners need to be screwed by setting low speed at the screwdriver in order to prevent them from pressing them into polycarbonate.
4. The lower edge of the polycarbonate sheets located at the cornice of the roof, close the perforated ribbon, which will not allow you to penetrate the design through open cells of the material with ultraviolet rays, water, dust and insects.
5. Do the same with the upper edge of the plates located in the skate region of the roof, using a continuous self -adhesive aluminum tape.
6. Close each connective profile with a special lid. Hit her with a rubber hammer so that she clicks. Fix the connection with a roof self -tapping screw.
7. Remove the protective film on the outside of all sheets.
8. Insert and secure with self -tapping screws on the side of connecting profiles (retreating from their edge 2 cm) limiters that will not allow the release of polycarbonate sheets outside the roof frame.
9. Close the lower and upper edges of the flooring of polycarbonate with end profiles.
10. The places of contact of polycarbonate with connecting profiles are treated with silicone sealant.

Monolithic polycarbonate can be installed on the roof in accordance with the same instructions. There’s no need to seal its edges with specialty ribbons.

Video: Installation of polycarbonate on a metal frame using connecting profiles and thermo -shayb

Because polycarbonate roofs combine strength and adaptability, they are a popular option for contemporary buildings that need to be weatherproof and have access to natural light. The interior is brightened by its transparent panels, giving the impression of being beneath a soft, filtered veil of sunlight.

Polycarbonate roofing’s resistance to impact, hail, and severe weather is one of its greatest features. Its ability to tolerate severe weather conditions without losing structural integrity sets it apart from conventional roofing materials.

Furthermore, polycarbonate roofs are lightweight, which eases installation and lessens the strain on the supporting structure. Because of this, they can be used in both residential and commercial architectural designs.

If energy efficiency is a concern, polycarbonate roofs with UV coatings can be made to absorb less heat and keep interior spaces cooler in the summer. This feature may reduce cooling expenses while improving comfort.

In summary, a polycarbonate roof presents a contemporary option for individuals looking for a harmony between energy efficiency, longevity, and natural light. Its transparent panels are a practical option for modern construction projects because they not only let in plenty of sunlight but also withstand bad weather.

Video on the topic

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