Polycarbonate – modern, universal, affordable building material, widely used both in the construction of complex structures and in the creation of individual architectural elements. Its physical and technical properties make it possible to make a thorough roof for houses, verandas, garages, arbors, greenhouses and other structures, where sufficient daily illumination is required.
Polycarbonate roof construction is quite accessible and technologically simple. This solution allows you to actively use sunlight for household needs or other important tasks.
Features of the material
Polycarbonate is a plastic polymer with light transmission, resistance to mechanical influences and tolerance to significant temperature changes. Small air chambers present in it provide a significant level of sound – and thermal insulation.
For the production of polycarbonate, granules of high -molecular compounds are used, which are carried out through sequential stages:
heating to melting temperature;
the formation of plastic mass;
giving the planned form by extrusion.
As a result, polycarbonate sheets are created with a thickness of 4.0–16.0 mm, with a monolithic or cellular structure.
Positive qualities of polycarbonate
one. The small specific gravity of the canvas allows you to create surprisingly easy roof options, which positively affects the possibility of maternalizing design ideas and reducing total costs. Installation is simplified, there is no need to purchase massive lags and racks.
2. Polycarbonate protects the inner area of the premises from the dazzling rays of the sun, evenly scattering them in space. Also, polymer sheets do not pass the destructive ultraviolet.
3. Simple processing and transportation. The material, in contrast to the glass, does not break through the formation of sharp fragments and is easily cut, drilled, glued.
Attention! In some cases, it is assumed to grind the edges, which is carried out by fine -grained abrasives!
four. Good heat, hydro- sound-and vapor barrier properties. This allows you to use plastic paintings without additional layers of other materials.
5. Flexibility – polycarbonate is able to easily bend to certain limits in one plane. This property allows you to use sheets to create intricate arched structures.
6. Ideal smoothness of the surface – precipitation does not accumulate on the roof, but freely remove (flow, roll, move) beyond its limits.
7. Affordable price.
Disadvantages of polycarbonate
Along with a lot of excellent advantages, the material is characterized by winging attention with the shortcomings:
Temperature expansion – the dimensional dimensions of the sheet increase when heated (especially long) over 39.5 degrees;
Important! To level the temperature deformations, it is necessary to use special varieties of fasteners designed to fix thermal materials!
low resistance to micro -aggregates – scratches easily appear on the smooth surface of polycarbonate;
With excessive flexion of the canvas, a strong internal voltage is formed, contributing to the darkening and rapid destruction of the plastic polymer.
Design options for the roof
First, you need to analyze the possible types of roofs that can be created from polycarbonate, and choose the most acceptable project. In modern construction, two types of structures made of plastic materials are used – pitched and arched. The functions of such roofs are the same, and the differences are determined only by the external form.
Name roof
This is a classic external roof configuration. It can have both one and several (4, 6 or more) planes, oriented at a certain angle with each other and relatively basic supporting elements. With this arrangement of sheets, there is no need for their bending and special fixation, which reduces labor costs and saves time.
Such a constructive option can be noted the advantages:
optimal consumption of the material used;
A fairly simple technology for the installation of polycarbonate sheets and the components of the sides of the skeleton;
The same distribution of the load of the ice or snow layer.
It is important to correctly equip the horse – the contact connection of the roof planes during the construction of the gable roof. It is better to use special aluminum profiles for installation.
Arched structure
Such a variety of polycarbonate roofs is more popular than a pitched option. This is due to the external grace of the design and the capabilities of the material (sufficient flexibility).
Since the frame has a complex shape, its manufacture is more expensive and takes more time. In this case, the roofing plastic coating should fit very tightly to metal arched farms. Exceptions include a small roof of polycarbonate greenhouses in area. Installation of the crate in it is optional.
Technological stages of roof installation
At first, the correct calculation of the polycarbonate roof should be performed. The best option is to contact specialized offices where there are qualified engineers. Although, if initially the size of the structure is small, you can carry out calculation yourself. Now there are a lot of available programs on the Internet that can accurately calculate the right number of racks, materials consumption and the optimal step of the crate. In accordance with the final data, materials are acquired.
The methodology for performing a polycarbonate roof consists of a sequence of certain stages:
one. Preparatory actions. Here the foundation for installing racks takes place here. There will be a sufficient columnar version of the base.
If integration with the wall of the building is planned, then it is necessary to provide for the use of installation elements (dowels, anchor, etc. P.).
2. Installation of the frame. When a metal skeleton is arranged, it is better to use a tubular profile of 40.0×40.0 or 50.0×50.0 mm (thickness from 1.0 mm). To form the supporting wall, you need to connect a number of racks with farms. Then their perpendicular fastening is carried out, and a frame crate is installed on top.
The described technological scheme is suitable for small -sized designs. If the areas are significant, it is recommended to carry out phased placement and attachment of each side on the wall or foundation.
3. Cutting polycarbonate plastic. Before starting the cutting of polymer sheets, you need to draw up a cut plan (paper layouts). It should contain the detailed dimensions of all fragments installed on the roof.
The patterns are laid out on a polycarbonate sheet in the most profitable orientation – with the least number of extra sections. A permanent marker is careful along the boundaries of placed stencils. Using a mounting knife, hacksaw or electrolobesis, plastic is cutting. With this methodology, the amount of waste should be minimal.
four. Mounting. After the preparation of all fragments, their installation placement from the edge of the crate begins. For consolidation, it is more correct to use special bolts that balance the thermal expansion of the material.
Clue! In order not to damage the integrity of the superficial structure, the latches cannot be very tightly twisted!
Between the sheet edges, it is advisable to leave a compensation gap (2.4–3.1 mm), which is covered with a transparent insulator (construction tape). A special vapor permissive mass is applied to the sheet ends of the cellular polycarbonate. The monolithic variety does not need this, the edges of such plasticity are sufficient to be polished.
This is where the creation of a polycarbonate roof is considered completed. Such an instruction affects only the general points of the installation, without detailed accounting of design features, wind load, climatic precipitation and other similar nuances.
Polycarbonate roof is a good constructive solution for many situations. Despite certain inconvenience and difficulties that can be found when working with this plastic, the use of polycarbonate material in construction is justified by the presence of many significant advantages.
