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Polycarbonate Roofing Installation
Polycarbonate Roofing Installation
Written by JD
08/05/2018 14:10:06
A Guide to Roofing: Using Polycarbonate
Sheets
One of the common areas of advice we are asked about at The Plastic People is about using
polycarbonate sheets for roofing. Polycarbonate sheets (/products/plastic-sheets/polycarbonate/) have
been designed for both domestic and commercial roofing and there are many glazing systems that
support polycarbonate sheets since its growth as a popular choice for roofing projects. Here's a picture
of a DIY roofing project completed by one of our customers using multi wall polycarbonate:
Twin-wall and multi-wall polycarbonate is the plastic material that is a prevalent choice for roofing projects
because it is so light making it easy to install, so strong it is virtually unbreakable and it offers some
insulation too helping to keep spaces warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Because it can be cut to
any shape, polycarbonate is suitable for many styles of roofs. Polycarbonate can be cut into triangular
shapes making it suitable for gable end roofs (typically a gable is the triangular portion of a wall between
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a canopy with a polycarbonate roof
What Is Twin-wall and Multi-wall Polycarbonate
Multiwall polycarbonate is a polycarbonate with many walls or layers. Where the polycarbonate has two
layers it is known as Twinwall Polycarbonate and where it has three or more layers it is known as
Multiwall Polycarbonate.
multiwall polycarbonate has insulating layers
It is this layering combined with its weight (very light) and strength (it is virtually unbreakable) which
makes this type of polycarbonate popular. The more layers the polycarbonate has, the more insulation it
provides. The material is often chosen because of its insulation properties. For someone taking on a
roofing project, the fact that installation can be likely done single-handedly because it is so light and easy
to handle is another attraction.
The other draw to this type of polycarbonate is the UV protection it offers along with its ability (via its
layers) to diffuse light and therefore give a more even distribution of that light and heat. For these reasons,
twinwall and multiwall polycarbonate is a popular choice for greenhouses, conservatories and
roofing.
This proven way of reducing the intensity of the light reaching inside the rooms / greenhouse means
there is also a reduction in hot and cool patches too. Research has shown that evenly distributed light
can help improve crop yield and leaf count as well as preventing plant injury such as leaf burn.
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privacy and yet also much lighter. Twinwall and
multiwall polycarbonates are incredibly impact resistant. In fact, our twinwall and multiwall is bomb
blast resistant! Because it is virtually unbreakable it is a safe choice for the home and public
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• Twinwall/multiwall insulates brilliantly- twinwall polycarbonate has two thin sheets of polycarbonate
separated
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sheets of polycarbonate separated by vertical dividing sheets. The thicker the multiwall, the more
dividing sheets it contains. The dividing sheets give this polycarbonate a fluted appearance and
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structure. About
Air is trapped within the flutes which (/about-us/)
prevents heat escaping. Generally speaking the
thicker the multiwall the higher the insulation; the thinner the twinwall/multiwall the higher the light
transmission.
• Twinwall/multiwall provides UV protection - our twinwall and multiwall polycarbonate almost totally
blocks harmful UV radiation while still allowing exceptional levels of visibility.
• Twinwall / multiwall is easy to use - twinwall and multiwall polycarbonate is very light in weight, easy
to lift / handle and cut if necessary.
Polycarbonate roof panels are easy to manipulate if you are planning to build your conservatory
yourself
• Twinwall / multiwall is low maintenance - cleaning is simple with soap and warm water.
• Twinwall and multiwall are quicker and easier to fit than traditional glazing and offers a much nicer
and longer lasting finish than corrugated sheets.
• Choosing polycarbonate can save a great deal of money, especially if your conservatory is large.
Climate Control
Keeping conservatories, summer rooms and orangeries cooler in summer and warmer in winter is a
common issue for homeowners. Polycarbonate roofing can provide an excellent solution when combined
with reflective insulation. This insulation reflects the sun's heat off polycarbonate rooves and back
outside, thus keeping your room cooler. Polycarbonate roof panels can be bought which already come
with this insulation or the insulation can be bought and added to polycarbonate yourself.
If you have a room with a glass or plastic roof that gets too hot in summer and too cold in winter, another
solution is climate sensor multiwall polycarbonate. This particular multiwall polycarbonate will reduce the
temperatures in your room. It works by preventing over 80% of the sun's solar energy entering a roof
resulting in up to 40 degrees decrease in internal room temperatures. And, the alternate upside: in winter
your same room will feel warmer.
Climate sensor multiwall is visually transparent as opposed to the opal effect of many other heat reflective
sheets. At the same time, it still has the safety and strength benefits of normal multiwall polycarbonate.
Choosing The Right Thickness For A Polycarbonate Roof
Twin-wall polycarbonate and multi-wall polycarbonate have the same properties but offer different levels
of insulation. The easy way to remember it is the more layers there are, the greater the level of insulation
provided by the polycarbonate. Because of this, the more layers the higher the cost too. It is important to
consider how much insulation you need as the thicker multi-wall polycarbonate may be unnecessary or
very necessary depending on how much additional heating may be required through longer, colder
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thicknesses of polycarbonate sheets, suiting different purposes. Here are some of the popular choices:
here (/about-us/privacy-policy/#CookiePolicy) and to find out more about how we use data,
please click polycarbonate
• 4mm here (/about-us/privacy-policy/) to read
for greenhouse, cold our privacy
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and sheds
• 10mm polycarbonate for carports, pergolas and sheds
• 25mm and 35mm polycarbonate for conservatory roofs
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How To Plan
Home Your Twin-wall
& Garden or Multi-wall Roof Services (/services/)
(/home-and-garden/) Advice (/advice/)
Because your polycarbonate sheets need to fit between your roof joists it is important to make careful
measurements and get the right size. You can either buy polycarbonate sheets suitable for roofing and
cutContact Us (/about-us/contact-us/)
them (despite About
its impressive strength, you can (/about-us/)roof sheets fairly easily yourself
cut polycarbonate
using a fine-toothed saw) or buy the polycarbonate at the sizes you need. The Plastic People can help
you with either option if you would like.
Start off with a basic drawing of your roofing project. To work out how much twin wall or multi wall
polycarbonate your roofing project requires it is best to begin with a drawing of your roofing area. Show
all sections of wall, roof and any existing support rafters. The purpose of this is to show the size of the
area that you need to cover so you can decide how many twinwall sheets you will need or what specific
cut sizes you will need to buy.
Decide where your rafters will go. If you already have support rafters in place this will determine the
size of each multi-wall sheet (e.g. it will be the size of the distance between your support rafters) and play
a part in how thick your multi-wall sheets should be. Essentially the wider apart your support rafters are,
the thicker the multi-wall you need to use and the narrower the width between your rafters, the stronger
your roof will be. As a guide, choose 16mm multi-wall at minimum if your support rafters are 980mm
apart. Due to varying pitch factors, wind loading and snow loading we recommend that 1050mm is the
maximum distance between rafters.
Choose your multiwall polycarbonate sheets. Sheets come in different sizes up to 5m x 2m. It is best
to use sheets no wider than 1050mm wide to allow for adequate expansion and contraction. You can
buy them cut to the size you need, or you can cut them yourself using a fine-tooth jigsaw or circular
saw. Think whether you would like clear, bronze or opal twin-wall or multi-wall polycarbonate. Opal lets
in less available light so may make a better choice if you want more shading
Select your fixings. Use your sheet dimensions as a guide to do this – each joining sheet will require a
glazing bar. You can buy gable bars where the last rafter is free standing and wall bars for the end rafters
that butt against a rising wall. At the bottom slope we recommend closing the sheets off with an
aluminium end stop bar which also helps to keep the multiwall sheet even more rigid. Glazing bars are
normally supplied with necessary fixings and gaskets you require – like the ones here.
This site,
Fitting like many others,
Polycarbonate uses
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Sheets Close
your journey
Assuming youbetter. To find
are using out more about
polycarbonate our for
sheets useaof cookies andoryour
conservatory options,
carport roof,please click
the fitting of the
here (/about-us/privacy-policy/#CookiePolicy)
polycarbonate and to find out sheets
sheets will be via glazing bars. Polycarbonate more about how weare
themselves use data,actually
never
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screwed to anything: they 'clip in' to a glazing system which offers you a quick and easy method of fitting.
Glazing systems typically consist of PVC or aluminium bars which have a top and bottom section. The
bottom Plasticof(/products/)
sections Cut to
the glazing bars should beSize (/services/cut-to-size/)
screwed along the centre of your roof joists. Have your
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polycarbonate sheets cut to fit between them and lay them into place. The top sections of the glazing
bars clip on
Home & once
Garden the sheets are in place, in effect 'capping’
(/home-and-garden/) Servicesthe(/services/)
joint and holding Advice
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sheets in place, allowing for expansion in hot weather and contraction in cold weather.
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When you fit your polycarbonate roof you will need a sealant to attach capping bars onto the bottom
edge of your roof. Choose a non-hardening sealant which is safe to use with plastic / polycarbonate.
Using other sealants could crack, discolour or make your polycarbonate brittle.
When you use your multi-wall, position the sheets so that their channels run vertically which will allow for
condensation (if any) to drain. Bearing this in mind, the twin-wall or multi-wall polycarbonate sheets can
be cut so that you get the best use of the material.
Your polycarbonate sheets should arrive covered with a protective film. This should be left on until you fit
the sheet. The top and bottom end of the sheet will also be capped when the sheet is whole. If you are
cutting the sheet, try to keep the top end capping in place; cover the cut end with some perforated self-
adhesive tape. A plastic cover bead can finally be fitted over the tape (with your non-hardening sealant)
to capping the end.
A last important note: keep moisture from entering the flutes in your polycarbonate. If you are storing
polycarbonate before use, choose somewhere dry (not outside or on wet grass).
Further Information
Visit our polycarbonate roofing (/home-and-garden/polycarbonate-roofing/) area for further details on
twinwall polycarbonate and multiwall polycarbonate. We have twinwall available in 6mm, 10mm and
25mm thicknesses.
Need some advice?
Our friendly customer services team are happy to provide specific further assistance for your project.
Please let us know if we can help you in any way. Reach us via 0113 249 2222 or email (/about-
us/contact-us/).
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