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Recently, buildings with polycarbonate have become increasingly popular. The material is inexpensive, aesthetically attractive, has high plasticity, which makes it possible to decorate non-linear surfaces with it. In dachas or near the house, polycarbonate gazebos are increasingly being made. It is used for the roof and / or for wall decoration, some for glazing. There are good experiences and not so good ones. We will tell you what you need to consider in order for your building to be classified as “successful”.
User experience
If you ask about reviews of polycarbonate gazebos, there is a very strange picture: some are satisfied, others are not. Moreover, one and the other are categorical, they express opinions not just like that, but on the basis of their own experience. Two contradictions emerge from these reviews:
- It is hot under polycarbonate even in an open gazebo. However, not all. Someone there even at noon has a shadow “like under the trees.”
- The roof was hit with hail, and through and through. Someone has hail, and even stones thrown by “kind” passers-by can withstand.
If you understand everything, everything is understandable. There are two types of polycarbonate: cellular (cellular) or monolithic (cast). Both can be used for individual construction. Monolithic is a material that was previously called plexiglass. If it is thick enough, its strength is very high: the glazing in some banks is made of monolithic polycarbonate. True, it is covered with a special protective film – so as not to scratch. If such polycarbonate is laid on the roof of a country gazebo, then it will withstand the stones. But. It costs two or three times more than a cell phone.
Cellular or cellular polycarbonate, as the name implies, consists of cells that are somewhat similar to honeycombs. That’s where the name came from. It is formed by several thin sheets, which are interconnected by jumpers. Layers can be from two to six, and the cells can be of different shapes. Some of the structures are shown in the photo below. Looking at this figure, it is easy to explain the contradictions described above, even if all the reviewers used cellular polycarbonate.
The cheapest material consists of two sheets connected by vertical jumpers. Here it is – fragile and brittle. It can be easily squeezed even with your fingers. Especially if the cell is large. The more complex the structure, the stronger the material. How do you know which one is in front of you? Look at its cross section. You can see the geometry of the cells there. This is about the strength and fragility of polycarbonate.
Now about the fact that someone is hot under polycarbonate, but someone is not. There are two factors that influence this. The first is regional. In some regions, the sun does not bake even in the middle of summer, but warms, and not very much. And even if polycarbonate is chosen the one that is used in greenhouses – passing 80-90% of the sun’s rays – this does not scare people, but pleases: it’s nice to warm up.
The second factor is the wrong type of material. As already mentioned, there is polycarbonate, which transmits the sun’s rays almost completely. It is used for greenhouses. There is one that transmits about 30% of the light. Here it should be placed on the roofs of gazebos or used for awnings. That’s not all. Both the structure and the thickness of the material affect the thermal insulation characteristics: the more layers, the better the thermal insulation properties. In the case of the gazebo – under thick polycarbonate (8 mm) in the gazebo, even in the southern regions, it is not hot. The situation, in general, is familiar: cheap materials have a low price for a reason. So do not save: it will be hot, and even beat with hail.
What are polycarbonate gazebos
In form – any. It is difficult to make a very sharp bend – the minimum radius is six times the thickness of the sheet, but this is not needed when building arbors. All other forms can be sheathed.
If we talk about cellular polycarbonate, then it is mounted on some kind of frame. It lacks its own carrying capacity. Monolithic with sufficient thickness – from 8 mm – can be mounted without any supports. But it is used very rarely, because it will not be discussed further.
Polycarbonate is attached to any arbors, but most often to metal ones. It looks especially beautiful with forged ones. A roof made of another material will “ground” the structure, and translucent plastic looks weightless and does not attract attention, only emphasizing the beauty of the patterns. Several photos of polycarbonate gazebos are collected in the photo gallery, which is located below (scroll with arrows or by clicking on the icons, you can enlarge to full screen).
The types and features of brick and stone arbors are written here.
Mounting Features
During any construction, there is always a struggle: on the one hand, you want to save money, on the other hand, to make it beautiful, high-quality and reliable. In the case of polycarbonate, it is better not to save. Firstly, the quality strongly depends on the manufacturer, and secondly, even buying a thin sheet will save you a little in the end. After all, the step of the crate depends on the angle of the slope and the thickness of the polycarbonate: the smaller the thickness, the more often it is required to install the crate. Well, and a number of reasons why this should not be done, we discussed above.
What can be the basis for polycarbonate? Any material: wood, plastic, metal. If polycarbonate is mounted on a tree, it must be treated with antiseptics that will prevent fungi and bacteria from multiplying. This is due to the fact that condensation forms between the plastic and the wood. High humidity also creates conditions for the development of fungi.
When laying on metal, another problem may arise. Under the sun, it heats up very much, plastic is heated from it in small areas. This phenomenon leads to the fact that it swells above the metal frame. To avoid local overheating, a thin layer of heat-insulating material is glued to the metal. If you buy polycarbonate from a well-known manufacturer, self-adhesive thermal insulation tapes are included in the kit. If the material is “unknown”, any dense and flexible material with appropriate characteristics can be used. Rubber and cork come to mind first, but a strip of felt, thin polyethylene foam, etc. may work. It will have to be glued with sealant.
If the base is plastic pipes, there are no problems: the materials have similar characteristics, coexist without problems.
The process of making a carport from polycarbonate is described here.
What and how to cut
You can cut polycarbonate sheets with any tool that works with wood. This is a hand saw, electric jigsaw, grinder with a wood disc.
You can cut both along and across the honeycombs. The ends of the transverse cuts must be sealed. When buying branded materials, you will be offered sealing (glued to the upper cut) and perforated tape (closes the cut at the bottom, and perforation – to remove water vapor or condensate drops), which are glued to the cut. If you do not have such tapes, you can cover the honeycomb with a transparent sealant, but so that there are no gaps.
Why can’t they be left open? Firstly, dust and debris get into them, which over time makes the roof or walls untidy and almost opaque. Secondly, when air enters, condensation forms on the walls, and microscopic green algae reproduce perfectly in it in the light. And polycarbonate becomes a strange color, and the view at the same time … ugly.
After the sheet is cut, the honeycombs must be cleaned of dust that has fallen into them. The best way to do this is with a vacuum cleaner. Then close the honeycomb.
Read about how to build wooden gazebos here.
How to strengthen
When installing, it is important to remember that polycarbonate for roofing on one side has a protective coating against ultraviolet radiation. It cuts off the harmful spectrum. Manufacturers stick a film with logos on this side. When mounting a roof or walls, this film must be on top. It is removed immediately after the installation is completed. Not “before” – so as not to scratch, and not in a week – the film will stick in the light, and it will be problematic to remove it.
For fastening, special thermal washers with plugs or bolts with a mandatory metal and rubber washer are used. A hole is pre-drilled for each fastener. Its diameter should be 3-4 mm larger than the diameter of the fastener. If a thermal washer is used, it has a rather thick leg. Therefore, the diameter of the hole must also be larger.
When installing fasteners, the main thing is not to overtighten. The plastic shouldn’t bend. When using a thermal washer, its leg serves as a limiter, and with self-tapping screws, you will have to control the force.
Special profiles are used for joining plates. They allow you to compensate for thermal expansion (approximately 3 mm per meter of length) and at the same time guarantee a secure fixation. Details about the profiles and all the intricacies of installation are described in the video.
Blueprints
Any of the wooden or metal gazebos can be covered with polycarbonate. Therefore, there are practically no separate projects. This is only a special case of finishing. We will post several drawings that can be made from both wood and metal in the photo gallery below: scroll through, choose.