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Lean-to roof: solid polycarbonate

  • 22-10-2020 12:04AM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 564 ✭✭✭


    Just completed a car port type structure on side of house with a EPDM roof. Now plan to add on another 3m length but with a clear poly roof in 5mm or 6mm clear solid. Not keen on the multiwall and want the end result to look as much like glass as possible. Just wondering has anyone else used the flat solid poly on a roof ? Support structure is all timber - joists at 6oomm ctrs. Roof slope 10 degrees. Length 3m x 4m across slope. Will probably use 2 sheets of 3050mm x 2050mm. Will need to notch around SVP, flue and wall pier. I believe it is relatively easy to cut and drill ? Will fix directly to timber below with cladding / rubber washer screws.


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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 34,185 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    It will look. Like glass for the time it's in the tape wrapping and for five minutes after its installed.

    Weather and the sun will take care of the rest. It makes a poor glass replacement for those reasons. It makes an ok roofing structure to allow decent light through but likes wise it is what it is.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,490 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Have you considered using ordinary toughened glass panels?

    It's probably similar or cheaper than 5 or 6mm polycarbonate. You can presumably just give exact dimensions with cutouts to the supplier, or supply cardboard templates.

    Then bond it to the timbers using an appropriately flexible product (Tek7?). If you keep the widths down and maybe use 400mm centres they shouldn't be too heavy to handle.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,493 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    I would go multiwall, your use case is what it's designed for.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 Rover365


    DIY KING wrote: »
    Just completed a car port type structure on side of house with a EPDM roof. Now plan to add on another 3m length but with a clear poly roof in 5mm or 6mm clear solid. Not keen on the multiwall and want the end result to look as much like glass as possible. Just wondering has anyone else used the flat solid poly on a roof ? Support structure is all timber - joists at 6oomm ctrs. Roof slope 10 degrees. Length 3m x 4m across slope. Will probably use 2 sheets of 3050mm x 2050mm. Will need to notch around SVP, flue and wall pier. I believe it is relatively easy to cut and drill ? Will fix directly to timber below with cladding / rubber washer screws.

    Im about to put up solid poly in the next couple of weeks. Im using a 6mm clear poly fixed with alum glazing bars. Ive sourced the materials from clear amber in the uk. Worth checking out. There are suppliers of clear poly in ireland but limited in size of sheets. Im sure they do 3x2m though i needed 5m lengths.

    How are planning to fix the sheets to the timber? If its in an exposed spot id be worried just using screws


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 393 ✭✭popa smurf


    DIY KING wrote: »
    Just completed a car port type structure on side of house with a EPDM roof. Now plan to add on another 3m length but with a clear poly roof in 5mm or 6mm clear solid. Not keen on the multiwall and want the end result to look as much like glass as possible. Just wondering has anyone else used the flat solid poly on a roof ? Support structure is all timber - joists at 6oomm ctrs. Roof slope 10 degrees. Length 3m x 4m across slope. Will probably use 2 sheets of 3050mm x 2050mm. Will need to notch around SVP, flue and wall pier. I believe it is relatively easy to cut and drill ? Will fix directly to timber below with cladding / rubber washer screws.
    Any pics hoping to build a seating and barbecue area in back of house a fairly open spot so would need to be fairly sturdy.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,931 ✭✭✭✭Calahonda52


    Rover365 wrote: »
    Im about to put up solid poly in the next couple of weeks. Im using a 6mm clear poly fixed with alum glazing bars. Ive sourced the materials from clear amber in the uk. Worth checking out. There are suppliers of clear poly in ireland but limited in size of sheets. Im sure they do 3x2m though i needed 5m lengths.

    How are planning to fix the sheets to the timber? If its in an exposed spot id be worried just using screws

    Are yiou a distributor for clear amber, or did they just sell it to you anyway.
    What did the shipping cost as a % of the total?

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 Rover365


    Are yiou a distributor for clear amber, or did they just sell it to you anyway.
    What did the shipping cost as a % of the total?

    I ordered through roofingmegastore. Buildforless.co.uk also deliver to ireland. Delivery was around 80 in an order of about 4k but think that is a fixed cost with roofingmegastore. I think it comes direct from clear amber. When ordering they said it would be about 6 weeks wait but came in 2.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,490 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Ooh, this "patterned" polycarbonate looks interesting. No issue with scratching if it comes pre-scratched. :pac:

    https://www.roofingmegastore.co.uk/axgard-pattern-flat-glaze-polycarbonate.html


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,490 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    btw, I reckon it works out cheaper in materials to go with 400mm centres and thinner polycarbonate. That stuff is really expensive compared to treated timber and nails.

    Also, 400mm goes into 2050mm wheras 600mm doesn't.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 34,185 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    Glass for me, I hate poly stuff. Hate it with a passion. Reminds me of all the cheap sheds ive ever been in.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,490 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    listermint wrote: »
    Glass for me, I hate poly stuff. Hate it with a passion. Reminds me of all the cheap sheds ive ever been in.

    Bus shelter!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 Rover365


    listermint wrote: »
    Glass for me, I hate poly stuff. Hate it with a passion. Reminds me of all the cheap sheds ive ever been in.

    I was originally looking at glass but getting 5m lengths was an issue. Also safety. I dont like the look of the normal poly so hopefully this clear stuff looks better and will last a decent amount of time. Its got uv protection so hoping to get 10 years of it looking good and can easily replace


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38 Rover365


    Lumen wrote: »
    btw, I reckon it works out cheaper in materials to go with 400mm centres and thinner polycarbonate. That stuff is really expensive compared to treated timber and nails.

    Also, 400mm goes into 2050mm wheras 600mm doesn't.

    Im going with 1m centres (6m x 1m sheets) as i think it will look better and let in more light. 400mm centres u'll have alot more timber.

    Will hopefully have it all up in the next 2 weeks so will let everyone know how it goes


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,490 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Isn't 1m too wide for 6mm poly? Will it not sag?

    Oh, I guess you'll have noggins to support it, right?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,931 ✭✭✭✭Calahonda52


    Lumen wrote: »
    Isn't 1m too wide for 6mm poly? Will it not sag?

    Oh, I guess you'll have noggins to support it, right?

    My guess is it will, I have seen triple poly sag at 1m

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 564 ✭✭✭Fine Cheers


    Thanks everyone and apologies, I must have had my email notifications switched off.
    All feedback appreciated. Budget is key here too. The area is for bins, bikes, veg table etc.
    I have set out the roof at 3050mm long to suit sheet. Sheets will be UV treated.
    Sourcing from either 365 plastics or plastic solutions both in Ireland circa €280 per sheet for 6mm.
    Just have to re-route a balanced flue before I can finalise roof.
    I plan to use the proper cladding screws with washer seals every 600mm ctrs.
    I also need to consider joints in the poly and keep them to a min.
    Thinking of just overlapping the sheets as you would with standard metal cladding.
    This will result in only one joint across the midpoint of the roof ie perpendicular to the slope.
    An overlap detail would surely be more weather tight than a glazing bar that could also hold water.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 5,235 ✭✭✭blackbox


    People seem to be confusing polycarbonate with perspex (also known as methacrylate, Crylux, Plexiglas acrylic, Acrylite, Astariglas, Lucite).

    Perspex is very easily scratched, but polycarbonate is quite scratch and weather resistant, but much more expensive.

    Still not as scratch resistant as glass, but has other benefits.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,490 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Well it really depends on how the light falls on it.

    This is a piece of polycarbonate (5mm maybe) I've had lying around the kitchen the last few weeks. It was perfect, now it is scratched.

    PXL-20201023-092655867.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭Mango Joe


    I'd love to see photos/plans people.

    Would love to have a bit of outside shelter for patio etc.

    Also to stick a clotheshorse!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 34,185 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    blackbox wrote: »
    People seem to be confusing polycarbonate with perspex (also known as methacrylate, Crylux, Plexiglas acrylic, Acrylite, Astariglas, Lucite).

    Perspex is very easily scratched, but polycarbonate is quite scratch and weather resistant, but much more expensive.

    Still not as scratch resistant as glass, but has other benefits.

    no confusion here, it wont be looking well after a year outside. Glass is cheaper actually. you could even source second hand units off adverts strip them and use them. For a project like this id probably spend the money on the wood and get second hand glazing. Especially if im using the area for growing veg. far easier to keep glass clean looking as good as install day.


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  • Posts: 7,681 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    listermint wrote: »
    no confusion here, it wont be looking well after a year outside. Glass is cheaper actually. you could even source second hand units off adverts strip them and use them. For a project like this id probably spend the money on the wood and get second hand glazing. Especially if im using the area for growing veg. far easier to keep glass clean looking as good as install day.

    I'm planning on building a greenhouse. I'm currently looking for disused windows. Much cheaper than buying one of the glass is free.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,837 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    Another person who would like to see some photos of ongoing builds or finished ones.

    Thinking of sticking a lean-to on to the side of my garage so both cars can be sheltered in the winter nights.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,490 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    In greenhouse applications the problem with traditional horticultural glass is that it's usually not toughened, and is very thin to keep costs and weight down. I did a tour of a restored walled garden a few years ago and they said their glasshouses needed substantial repair after every winter due to storm debris. If you put that stuff on something humans walk under you'd be tempting serious injury. A kid in my school died when he fell through a plate glass window and cut his jugular.

    However, toughened glass should be perfectly safe provided it can't fall down, as it smashes instantly into tiny cubes which are completely safe even raining down on people's heads.

    Anyway, polycarbonate is amazing stuff provided that you can tolerate scratches.

    I'm planning a covered pergola/pavillion thing next year and still haven't decided.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,493 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    For those using perspex/acrylic/polycarbonate and fixing with screws, make sure you make the holes wider than the screws as otherwise, come next summer, you are going to have cracks from every hole...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 564 ✭✭✭Fine Cheers


    I will take a few snaps over the weekend, still a bit of a building site.
    I am calling it a car port but there will not be any vehicles in it.
    Pool table and gym at one end for teenagers, (and occasional clothes horse), bins, bikes etc at other end.
    3/4 of it has solid timber roof (T&G boards on rafters) with EPDM, the remaining quarter to be polycarbonate clear roof, just to keep bright as I have solid composite cladding gates to the front. This is all built to the side, between house and boundary wall. 12m long x 3.6m wide.
    Currently open at back end but getting side covers made to close in during the winter.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,350 ✭✭✭rje66


    This is something I did recently. Works for me. BTW its glass.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 34,185 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    Lovely job


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,044 ✭✭✭whizbang


    I overlapped multiwall ploycarbonate once.

    Never again.
    It just wicks the water through, turns the whole lot green and manky in about a month.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 564 ✭✭✭Fine Cheers


    Nice job with the glazing. Are they painted timber joists with glazing gaskets and cappings ? What glass spec did you go with ?
    On the overlapping of the multiwall, you hardly have any photos ?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,490 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    whizbang wrote: »
    I overlapped multiwall ploycarbonate once.

    Never again.
    It just wicks the water through, turns the whole lot green and manky in about a month.

    I think the ends are supposed to be sealed to prevent this.


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