If you want to install a pergola in your backyard, you may not be sure if you should go with a traditional wood design or something more modern, like polycarbonate sheets.
Both designs have pros and cons, but which is your choice?
Pergolas made with polycarbonate sheets offer various advantages that may make them the best choice for your project.
What is a Pergola?
Pergolas are outdoor living space garden structures or features that create a shaded walkway or seating area with vertical posts or pillars that often support decorative cross-beams and a sturdy open framework.
Pergolas are an excellent way to add shade and outdoor space privacy without blocking visibility like an enclosed roof or wall.
However, choosing the right design and materials—cedar or aluminum—is more difficult.
A cedar pergola will weather a soft gray, while an aluminum pergola will stay silver.
You can also purchase pre-stained pergolas.
What is the Difference Between a Pergola and a Gazebo?
The major difference between pergolas and gazebos is that a pergola has an open framework, while a gazebo typically has four walls and a roof.
You can place pergolas against the side of a house or freestanding in the middle of a garden, while gazebos are usually placed in a more open area, such as a flagstone patio.
Both structures provide shade and can be decorated with flower beds and lights, but pergolas will not keep out the rain as a gazebo will.
What is the Difference Between Polycarbonate Roofing and a Standard Roof?
Polycarbonate roofing differs from standard roofing because of its unique features.
Polycarbonate is transparent plastic made of two or more sheets molded together.
The sheets are then heat-treated to create rugged, resilient materials.
Polycarbonate is often used on pergolas because it is lightweight, translucent, and has an attractive smooth surface.
It also has high impact resistance, making it a good choice for Denton County, often subject to high winds and severe weather.
You can also use polycarbonate on patio covers, roofs, and houses.
It is a popular choice for construction because it is affordable, dependable, and easy to install.
What are Polycarbonate Pergola Roof Panels?
Polycarbonate panels are a versatile product often used as roofing or siding sheeting, specifically designed to withstand impacts and weathering.
However, you can also use panels in various other applications, such as the construction of greenhouses, canopies, or carports, much like simple metal roofs.
When choosing the right type of polycarbonate sheeting for your project, there are a few factors you’ll want to consider.
First, you must decide what application you will use for the sheet.
For example, if you’re looking for polycarbonate material, you’ll need to consider the weight of the sheet and how it will be supported.
You should also consider the climate where the project is located.
For example, if you live in an area that experiences severe weather, such as high winds or hail, you’ll need a sheet that can withstand these conditions.
Polycarbonate Sheet Strength and Durability
Polycarbonate sheeting is high-impact resistant and can withstand significant blunt pressure impact.
It can withstand extremes in temperature, including extreme heat and cold, without the risk of breakage and cracking.
These advantages make it the perfect roofing material for commercial and industrial buildings, especially in areas that see harsh climates.
Versatility
As a thermoplastic, polycarbonate is a highly flexible and versatile material. This means you can easily adjust and play with colors and shapes when using it in roofing; you can also change the light transmission percentage depending on your needs.
UV Resistance
Polycarbonate sheeting comes covered with a layer of UV rays resistance. This protective layer is far superior to that offered by applying sunscreen, for example.
This high level of protection is essential, as natural light can have an eroding effect. The UV protection available on polycarbonate means that this eroding effect is severely delayed and slowed, making it a long-lasting material with a long lifespan.
Energy Efficient
Polycarbonate roofs are an excellent choice for energy efficiency. They make the sheets with a thermal insulation layer that helps keep buildings cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
In addition, the sheets can help reduce the need for artificial lighting and cooling in buildings, leading to even more energy savings.
Polycarbonate Roof Lifespan
Alternative elements, such as fiberglass, become brittle and lose their color. However, a polycarbonate sheet maintains its color, transparency, and shape for years.
This makes it a highly cost-effective element, as the long lifespan means you won’t have to replace it as frequently as other construction panels.
Flame Resistant
The heat-resistant properties of polycarbonate also extend to fire. As a result, polycarbonate is highly fire-resistant, making it a superb choice if your structure is in a fire-prone area.
You can enhance this property using other retardants to ensure the building is as safe as possible.
Many people have a primary concern with using polycarbonate for their roofs is the cost.
Polycarbonate is more expensive than other roofing materials, which is one of the primary reasons it is not frequently used on residential roofs.
However, many people believe the advantages offered by this material more than justify and make up for the higher costs.
Final Thoughts
If you’re wondering whether polycarbonate sheeting suits your home and budget, contact DKG Roofing Company at (940) 497-2833.
We can walk you through the polycarbonate roofing process and help you determine whether the demands on your home’s roof mean that the benefits of polycarbonate will offset the higher costs.
