For many of us, spending weekends performing DIY tasks is an enjoyable experience. Not only is it a great way of picking up new skills and improving our home, but it also can save us money and time in waiting to find a builder who has the capacity to work on a project. When it comes to doing DIY, having the right tools and equipment to do a good job is very important. Something that is always a great option is polycarbonate sheeting, and here at The Glazing Shop, we sell this to many amateur builders looking to do some work on their property across the UK.
We’ve created this guide to let you know what makes polycarbonate sheets so good for DIY, so let’s take a look.
The Sunwood aluminium capped rafter bar – why it is top of our list and should be top of your roof!!
When looking for a rafter bar there are lots of different types out there to suit a range of projects and a wide range of budgets. The best of the bunch in our opinion is the aluminium capped rafter bar from the Sunwood range.
This range has been tried and tested in the market place for over 30 years and this simply designed yet very attractive bar has been there from the start.
It has many advantages over a PVC capped bar both in terms of appearance and strength. It costs a bit more due to its powder coated aluminium make up but there are many benefits to easily justify that.
It suits any thickness of glazing
The bar top cap screws down to accommodate any thickness
There are sometimes accusations that get thrown at polycarbonate roofing, and throughout this guide we’re going to answer these, and the results may surprise you.
Let’s take a look.
Why We’re Happy to Debunk Your Myths
We’re always delighted to speak to our customers and answer any questions or concerns they have regarding any of our products.
In this case, with polycarbonate roofing, there are frequently asked questions that we are happy share information on, including the four below.
But why do we think this is so important? Well, here are three key reasons:
· It Gives Out Accurate Information – It is hard to
It has great thermal qualities, is versatile and efficient to install, and also has great impact resistance and durability.
Polycarbonate sheeting doesn’t last forever though. Like every other aspect of your property, it must be maintained and cared for to make sure it is always producing optimal performance and maintaining its longevity.
But how can you do this? Well, in this guide we’re going to give you five tips that will ensure your polycarbonate roofing works like new right throughout its lifespan.
But first, let’s start at the beginning.
What is the Life Expectancy of a Polycarbonate Roof
A good estimate for how long a polycarbonate roof will
Rafter supported glazing bars are generally used on timber frameworks or rafters. These wooden rafters will fall from the higher to the lower part of the roof. Rafters create the structural strength of the roof
At this time of year when it is cold and damp many properties suffer from condensation. This is particularly as problem for older single glazed properties. This is both unsightly and unhealthy with damage often extending past the windows themselves. Curtains, blinds and the surrounding walls can develop dampness and even mould.
The good news is that this is an easy problem to solve. Ecoease Secondary glazing works by creating a layer of static trapped air between your cold glass and the inherently warmer PET glazing unit. As warm air falls within your room and hits the PET panel it doesn’t condense into moisture as it would if it hit the cold glass.
Provided you have created this static air you will reduce any condensation and in the vast majority
Going into April the weather is typically wet and still chilly! We are trying not to rely on central heatring as much as possible. Trying to reduce your energy bills with secondary glazing has never been more of a good idea. Energy prices are higher now than they have ever been! Now is the time to start thinking of cost effective ways to keep your home warm without raising your bills further.
We are often asked if you need planning permission for secondary glazing, or if it is permitted on Listed buildings. If the system makes permanent changes to the structure of the windows then it would be needed. However, our magnetically attached system is not classed as a permanent feature as you can easily remove it. This means no planning consent or permissions are required.
When designing your roof you need to be aware of the spanning capabilities of each thickness of sheet, in other words the maximum width of each sheet you should use. Lower thicknesses of polycarbonate sheet are not as strong or rigid when compared to thicker sheets, so the allowed unsupported spans are less.
To make things easier we have given the recommended maximum spans of each thickness of polycarbonate sheet below:
The maximum recommended spans by sheet thickness are:
