Conservatory roofing sheets?

[Agile]

A friend has an old fashioned lean to conservatory with corrugated plastic roofing sheets in poor condition.

I was thinking of replacing the roof using the flat double/triple polycarbonate sheets from Wickes.

These are quite expensive but at least look more modern that the old corrugated ones which look very dated now.

Whats your views on these sheets? How easy are they to cut?

Whats the most common/best way to support/joint these flat sheets?

Tony

 

[noseall]

i would imagine that if wickes sell polycarb' sheets then they are likely to sell the intermediate glazing bars, wall plate, eaves beam and end glazing bars.

 

[Symptoms]

Tony - don't waste your friend's money on twin/triple wall polycarbonate PLUS the glazing bar system needed. Just replace the corrugated stuff with new corrugated; bigish spans use 1.1mm thick stuff, 0.8mm thick shortish spans. Use sheet fixing screws, draughtproofing eave fillers and the appropriate profile flashing at the wall. You can get the sheets in lengths up to 3.05m. 3.05m x 1.1mm sheet = £18, 0.8mm sheet = £12.

Old fashioned conservatory is likely to be single glazed and not heated so waste of dosh upgrading roof covering to twin/triple wall.

 

[Agile]

Part of the intention was to improve the insulation and make it more inhabitable in cooler weather.

I agree though that the polycarbonate sheet is expensive but is there any other alternative to improve the u-value and still have light transmission?

Tony

 

[IJWS15]

We have a Wickes conservatory that we bought as a kit. Four wall roof.

Looks like the biggest problem cutting them is keeping dust out of the cavities. Can't imagine it being easy with a knife.

They have a permeable barrrier over the bottom end so it can breath but the bugs don't get in, no barrier at the top.

If you are interested I can provide details of all the roof glazing sections and trims from the instructions

 

[Agile]

I take it that you mean the roof sheets have three cavities thick.

I would be very grateful if you could scan any instructions and send it to me at my email address in my profile.

It sounds as if you have the bits and are going to fit them yourself shortly. I will be very interested to hear how you get on cutting the sheets!

Thanks

Tony

 

[Thermo]

easiest way i have found to cut the sheets by far is with an angle grinder. Gives a very clean cut. everyting else is a nightmare, especially with the corrugated sheets which just break up.

 

[EddyP]

easiest way i have found to cut the sheets by far is with an angle grinder. Gives a very clean cut. everyting else is a nightmare, especially with the corrugated sheets which just break up.

Ive got to cut some soon as was planning on using either a fine tooth blade in the jigsaw or the circular saw, do you know if either of these ways will work ok?

 

[Thermo]

depends on what you are cutting, corrugated or the twin/triple wall stuff.

a circular saw will just rip them to shreds and cause splintering. jigsaw works ok on the triple wall stuff.

still go for an angle grinder, much neater cut, but im sure others on here will have other suggestions. mines just based on bad experiances of destroying the stuff using different options!

 

[IJWS15]

It sounds as if you have the bits and are going to fit them yourself shortly. I will be very interested to hear how you get on cutting the sheets!

Thanks

Tony[/quote]

Tony

Will do when I get chance - the conservatory shell went up two years ago, Finished landscaping the garden around it in September, just plastered inside and am now tiling the floor.

Being a kit I did not have to cut any, they were delivered cut to size.

 

[masona]

I was thinking of replacing the roof using the flat double/triple polycarbonate sheets from Wickes.

These are quite expensive but at least look more modern that the old corrugated ones which look very dated now.

Tony

Tony, have a look at http://www.mrplastic.org/ a lot cheaper than Wickes, I think the nearest depot for you is Rainham(?)

I use a multi-cutter and a round blade for cutting sheets, never thought about grinder though!

 

[Thermo]

i only did through desperation. dont use a serrated one such as a diamond marcrist blade