2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
The most popular material for walls and roofs of greenhouses / greenhouses is polycarbonate. Its varieties differ in technical and operational characteristics. In this article, we propose to get acquainted with information about the types of polycarbonate, the selection rules, taking into account the cutting for installation
Classification of polycarbonate
For a greenhouse / greenhouse, you can use two types of polycarbonate - a honeycomb with a low price and an expensive monolithic, more durable. Which one to choose for walls or for a roof can be understood by reading the characteristics of these types.
Cellular polycarbonate
The thickness of the material is not the main factor for the application, for the greenhouse it is important what surface the inner side has. Check out the main subspecies and recommendations for use.
• 2R (4 mm) is suitable for small sheds, temporary greenhouses that will not experience high pressure, shock loads and cardinal bends.
• 3R, 3RX (6 mm) is recommended for walls and roofs in greenhouses of small and medium volume. During installation, it is recommended to create additional supports, supporting rafters and narrow window openings.
• 4R (8mm) is considered a durable material for medium sized greenhouses.
• 5R (10 mm) is characterized by increased resistance to loads, suitable for covering and vertical cladding of structures with a large area.
• 6RS (12 mm) withstands significant loads, suitable for roofing with large spans without additional supports.
Experts advise buying polycarbonate with a multi-chamber internal structure and a large thickness when building winter greenhouses. For walls - at least 10 mm, for roofing 12-16. This material will ensure that the snow pressure is maintained.
It is useful to know the weight of the polycarbonate. With a thickness of 4 mm, a sheet of one square meter weighs 0.8-1 kg, 10 mm - 1, 7-2; 16 - 2, 5-2, 7; 25 - 3, 4 - 3, 5; 32 - 3.7 kg. Thickness also affects light transmission: thickness 4 mm - 82%; 16 - 76; 32 - 50-73%.
Monolithic polycarbonate
Monolithic polycarbonate is considered the ideal material for covering greenhouses. Light transmission practically does not differ from high quality glass - 90%. An important fact is the low weight, which allows you to create a lightweight frame, significantly reducing the cost of the structure.
A standard sheet is large enough 3050 * 2050 mm with a thickness of 2-12 mm, a density of 1.2 g / cm3. Weight is "tied" to thickness and ranges from 2, 4-14, 4 kg / m2.
Criterias of choice
To avoid additional work on cutting polycarbonate, you need to take measurements of the existing greenhouse and buy material of suitable parameters. When building a new structure, this is not relevant, since a frame will be created already for the existing width of the sheet. The goal of a prudent owner is to reduce the cost of trimming, with the output of the joints to the supporting elements. Therefore, the distance between the stiffening ribs must match the width of the material.
For arched greenhouses, it is necessary to consider when choosing not only the width, but the bending radius. For example, with a thickness of 4 mm, the permissible flexibility is 0.7 m; 6 - 1.05; 8 - 1, 4; 10 - 1.75; 16 mm - 2, 8. The width of the sheet can be selected according to the thickness. The thicker the material, the wider the sheet, respectively, 4 mm will be 98 cm, 16 mm - the widest 2 meters 10 cm. The optimal length for arched structures will be 10-12 m.
Pitched varieties have minor multiple areas of coverage. Here it is better to use averages, which are more convenient to work with and easier to cut. You can choose any color, since this factor does not have a special meaning for light transmittance.
Feedback from agricultural farmers and discussions on construction forums lead to the conclusion that pigmented / colored polycarbonate justifies itself only with high aesthetic requirements and is important in site design. As for the thickness, this is only important for winter greenhouses.
Choosing a manufacturer
The technical parameters of the grades of the same type depend on the manufacture. Which manufacturer should you choose?
• The Russian company Carboglass provides a 15-year warranty without compromising performance. The material is of high quality, but expensive.
• The second domestic manufacturer Novattro is in the middle price range and guarantees durability for 14 years.
• Plastilux's Sunnex brand comes with an eight-year warranty. Average price.
• The lowest price of the Czech company Vizor. The quality is mediocre and the warranty is 5 years.
• A reasonable price is set by the Chinese (Italon firm). Product with a five-year warranty is limited in thickness, color palette and quality.
Conclusion
When choosing polycarbonate for greenhouses, analyzing and summarizing the characteristics and requirements for operation, conclusions can be drawn. For a greenhouse / greenhouse of an average size, it is sufficient to have a thickness of 6 mm for the walls, 8 for the roof. Using a monolithic / cast sheet, it is sufficient to choose a material with a thickness of 3 mm.
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