Which plastic roofing material will last?

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elpenguino

3392 posts

Uber Geek

#316220 26-Sep-2024 13:24

Hi zoners,

I need to replace some corrugated plastic roofing over a verandah for a volunteer organisation. The material is quite old and has been holed in one or two places. Most of it is in good condition so I just want to replace one or two lengths.

What material on the market is decent and will last a reasonable time?

I ask because, a while ago, I put a piece of UV rated clear plastic from bunnings into my garage roof and it perished and cracked within a couple of years, and I dont want that to happen again.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

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8266 posts

Uber Geek

#3286630 26-Sep-2024 13:47

"I ask because, a while ago, I put a piece of UV rated clear plastic from bunnings into my garage roof and it perished and cracked within a couple of years, and I dont want that to happen again."

Sounds like you used a PVC product?? ... Go Polycarbonate for the win

Bung

6402 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3286652 26-Sep-2024 14:40

Or used it upside down. Polycarbonate usually has a UV resist film on only 1 side.
I've use SunTuf and Laserlite with good results. The. Clear just yellows a bit.

johno1234

2741 posts

Uber Geek

#3286653 26-Sep-2024 14:40

Anyone used Crystalite or ClearVue systems? They are use a flat clear roofing sheet with an extruded aluminum glazing bar system. I am thinking of using it to put a clear roof over an existing pergola to cover a patio.

I do wonder if the area will get too hot in summer. The house is on one side and the garage on the other, open at each end.

wellygary

8266 posts

Uber Geek

#3286718 26-Sep-2024 16:05

johno1234:

Anyone used Crystalite or ClearVue systems? They are use a flat clear roofing sheet with an extruded aluminum glazing bar system. I am thinking of using it to put a clear roof over an existing pergola to cover a patio.

I do wonder if the area will get too hot in summer. The house is on one side and the garage on the other, open at each end.

What's the orientation??

Does the gap run N/S ( i.e only gets full sun at Midday, but less in the morning and afternoon)

Or does the gap run E/W and get sun pretty much all day in summer ?

Goosey

2793 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3286722 26-Sep-2024 16:14

wellygary:

johno1234:

Anyone used Crystalite or ClearVue systems? They are use a flat clear roofing sheet with an extruded aluminum glazing bar system. I am thinking of using it to put a clear roof over an existing pergola to cover a patio.

I do wonder if the area will get too hot in summer. The house is on one side and the garage on the other, open at each end.

What's the orientation??

Does the gap run N/S ( i.e only gets full sun at Midday, but less in the morning and afternoon)

Or does the gap run E/W and get sun pretty much all day in summer ?

I think you need to consider cleaning… it won’t be clear for long…and by looking at the path there it looks like you get a bit of rain….rain brings dirt….thats before bird poop

Brunzy

2016 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#3286730 26-Sep-2024 17:23

I have built four conservatories and used twinwall polycarbonate on all of them.
Even that succumbs to the UV eventually, I only ever tend to notice it if there has been hail then you’ll probably have little holes in it, but it only goes through the top layer and in one case I reused it and turned it upside down.

johno1234

2741 posts

Uber Geek

#3286760 26-Sep-2024 18:04

wellygary:
johno1234:

Anyone used Crystalite or ClearVue systems? They are use a flat clear roofing sheet with an extruded aluminum glazing bar system. I am thinking of using it to put a clear roof over an existing pergola to cover a patio.

I do wonder if the area will get too hot in summer. The house is on one side and the garage on the other, open at each end.

What's the orientation??

Does the gap run N/S ( i.e only gets full sun at Midday, but less in the morning and afternoon)

Or does the gap run E/W and get sun pretty much all day in summer ?

Roughly north facing

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elpenguino

3392 posts

Uber Geek

#3286780 26-Sep-2024 20:48

Brunzy: I have built four conservatories and used twinwall polycarbonate on all of them.

Interesting stuff. I have to use corrugated to match the rest of the verandah.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

elpenguino

3392 posts

Uber Geek

#3286783 26-Sep-2024 20:55

Bung: Or used it upside down. Polycarbonate usually has a UV resist film on only 1 side.

Quite possibly. I didn't know that was a thing.

Bunnings has a datasheet for one product:

SUNTUF™ should be installed with its sticker ‘This Side Up’ facing
the sunlight. This is the side that has been treated with a protective
coating against UV rays and therefore protects the sheets durability.

RTFM.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

Bung

6402 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3286784 26-Sep-2024 21:10

AFAIK all brands of corrugated polycarbonate are similar. The side where the printed strip is readable has the UV coating if the sticker is missing.

gabba

84 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#3286898 27-Sep-2024 04:52

Bought my last lot of polycarbonate here and saved some $$$

https://sunnyside.co.nz/product/polycarbonate-roofing-sheets/

They have some good resources online also.

We ended up getting the opaque as wanted to reduce heat at our front door.

I remember driving a forklift over a sample sheet of suntuff polycarbonate once. Didn't even mark it! The pvc stuff used to break in the racks if not stored properly and we would tell people 2-5 yrs max. So PC stacks up pretty well cost wise if you consider replacing a pvc solution every 5 years.

johno1234

2741 posts

Uber Geek

#3292960 4-Oct-2024 13:52

elpenguino:

Bung: Or used it upside down. Polycarbonate usually has a UV resist film on only 1 side.

Quite possibly. I didn't know that was a thing.

Bunnings has a datasheet for one product:

SUNTUF™ should be installed with its sticker ‘This Side Up’ facing
the sunlight. This is the side that has been treated with a protective
coating against UV rays and therefore protects the sheets durability.

RTFM.

FWIW "SolarTuff" have their stickers the other way round:

pih

649 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3315374 2-Dec-2024 22:33

Sorry for the necro, but I remember seeing this thread and just today I replaced some polycarbonate roof panels on my place. Only one of these panels was installed the right way up by a former owner of this house, can you guess which one?

The white hazing is UV damage, they'd become very brittle. Bought the replacement panels from Mulford Plastics, cheaper than Bunnings or Mitre10, and what I need was actually in stock. Very happy.

elpenguino

3392 posts

Uber Geek

#3315376 2-Dec-2024 22:48

I bought some material but haven't installed it yet. Main challenge is working on the verandah without breaking the bits that aren't broken (yet).

And not falling off.

But yes, I noted the strip advising of the orientation, thanks.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

Bung

6402 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3315386 3-Dec-2024 00:28

pih: Sorry for the necro, but I remember seeing this thread and just today I replaced some polycarbonate roof panels on my place. Only one of these panels was installed the right way up by a former owner of this house, can you guess which one?

At a first glance it looks like the former owner also didn’t put the recommended number of screws in.

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