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Polycarbonate is a popular building material from which greenhouses, sheds, gazebos, decorative partitions in premises, as well as advertising structures are made. The material is popular due to its good operational characteristics... These include strength, good light transmission and durability. At the same time, sheet panels can be bent, which makes them in demand not only for the manufacture of straight, but also arched structures. They do not withstand the load from snow, so the roofs of buildings must be made sloping. This is especially true for areas with snowy winters.
When using panels as cladding of structures, it must be taken into account that this sheet material must be correctly fixed to the frame. Polycarbonate mount - pretty simple job, while the tool for its implementation is in almost every home. You can quickly learn how to attach polycarbonate to metal frames; for this, a description of almost all currently existing methods is presented below. With a properly selected design, high-quality installation of sheet material and its sealing, the structure will flawlessly serve for many years.
Fastening polycarbonate to the frame can be done in four ways: point, profile (using special profiles), galvanized tape (suitable for arched structures) and mixed (considered professional).
Most often, a point method of attaching sheets to a metal frame is used. For this, self-tapping screws and washers are used for attaching polycarbonate. Moreover, ordinary self-tapping screws are used extremely rarely in installation (only in warm rooms).
It is necessary to fasten polycarbonate to metal using roofing screws with a gasket (also called an EPDM washer), as well as self-tapping screws with a rubber thermal washer or screws and thermal washers with a leg. The self-tapping screws used in the fastening should be for metal, because only such hardware can reliably cut into the iron profile and fix the sheet material.
It is necessary to disassemble in detail each of the above types of fasteners in order to understand how best to attach polycarbonate to metal frame.
Roofing screw with EPDM washer- this is the simplest and most affordable fastening of polycarbonate sheets to an iron frame. To avoid the consequences of frequent wetting, this self-tapping screw is covered with a very reliable anti-corrosion layer. It comes with an EPDM washer that looks like a rubber gasket with an iron cover. This washer allows you to hermetically close the hole under the screw and evenly distribute the load on the sheet.
Due to the small diameter and thin gasket, the screws are sometimes overtightened during the screwing process. Therefore, dents appear in the area of the fasteners, which break the tightness of the hole and moisture, dirt and microbes penetrate into the honeycomb panels. When using roofing screws in the installation, it is not necessary to make holes in the panels and the iron frame, but still experts recommend drilling them. It is better to use painted screws for the installation of colored SPK.
Self-tapping screw with rubber thermal washer- also a reliable fastener for sheet panels. It looks like a roofing screw, but it comes with a large and rather thick silicone or rubber thermal washer. When the screw is screwed into the sheet, the thermal washer flattens out from pressure and at the same time evenly transfers the load to the material. This reduces the risk of screw tightening and denting.
Self-tapping screw for metal and thermal washer with a leg- this is the new kind fasteners specially designed for cellular sheet panels. Thermal washer for polycarbonate looks like a washer with a cylindrical leg, which goes into the hole drilled in the honeycomb panels and abuts against the frame. A self-tapping screw is placed in the leg, screwed into the iron, and the head of the thermal washer evenly presses the sheet against the metal. When choosing this type of fastener, it must be borne in mind that the length of the leg should be selected depending on the thickness of the material. For the tightness of the fastening, a special sealing ring is placed under the thermal washer, and on top it is sealed with a cap. Thanks to this technology, the washer does not cut into the sheet and it is unrealistic to overtighten the self-tapping screw.
Holes for self-tapping screws for attaching polycarbonate need to be made 2-3 mm larger than the width of the thermowell leg, so that after thermal expansion of the sheet, the attachment point does not deform. High quality thermal washers are made from polycarbonate so that they have the same coefficient of expansion as the skin.
There is another type of fastener - universal thermo washers... They have no legs. This deteriorates the quality of the fastening, but at the same time you do not have to look for a thermal washer with a leg of the required length. This mount is often used in wooden structures, when working with which you need to remember how to attach polycarbonate to wood. In some cases, the cladding material breaks under the gasket (if the screw is overtightened).
Self-tapping screws for thermal washers are available with a hexagonal and round head. In addition, they can be used with a regular or Phillips screwdriver. They have the same connection quality, but still working with a hex head is more comfortable - when working with a screwdriver, the bit practically does not slide off the screw and therefore the cladding material is less likely to be damaged.
Mostly self-tapping screws with a width of 4.8 - 8 mm are used, but the length depends on the thickness of the sheets and iron. The selection of screws for an example looks like this: in the arrangement of greenhouses, panels with a thickness of 4 mm and a galvanized pipe with a section of 20 × 20 and a thickness of 1 mm are used. In this case, it is better to fasten the cellular polycarbonate to the frame with roofing screws 4.8 × 19 mm in size, and if you overlap the material, it is better to use screws 4.8 × 25 mm.
This method of fixing honeycomb panels has a drawback - from the inside of the structure protruding self-tapping screws are often visible, which do not fall on the frame elements.
In addition to the point fastening on self-tapping screws, the sheet material is attached to the iron frame with polycarbonate and aluminum connecting profiles, which are rigidly fixed to the frame. After that, sheet material of the required length is placed in them, while its width should not be more than 1.05 m. Most often, sheets with a width of 0.7-1.05 m are used, for this sheet material is cut into pieces, with practically no waste. This method is used to fasten polycarbonate to wood and metal.
Profiles are divided into two types:
One-piece profile- this is a monolithic connecting profile for attaching polycarbonate, the cross-section of which is similar to an I-beam. The ends of this profile are slightly bent inward, so they form a secure latch. The meaning of the installation of a one-piece connecting profile is simple - the sheet is inserted into the grooves of the profile and fixed with latches. Then the profile for attaching the polycarbonate is fixed to the iron frame with roofing screws or screws with thermal washers.
But it is difficult to work with a one-piece profile, because all the plates are connected in single canvas and fixing it on the frame (while not breaking anything, not bending or dislodging) is extremely difficult. It is recommended to use the one-piece profile in simple and small structures, for example, for sheathing fences or small awnings over a porch.
Detachable profiles- these are more complex fastening structures, so they are more expensive. This special profile consists of a bottom base fixed to a steel frame and a top cover. These elements are fastened together with a latch. Compared to the one-piece profile, in this case the installation is much faster, and the connection itself is very reliable.
Split profiles are made of aluminum; special rubber seals are used in their design. The metal profile is durable, durable and aesthetically pleasing.
In this profile, the edges of the material are fixed, and its central part remains loose. With an inaccurate calculation of wind and snow loads of the area in which the structure will be operated, the panels may come out of the grooves of the connecting profiles during overload, although this happens extremely rarely. Profile and spot methods can reduce costs. The most reliable and durable aluminum profile is considered.
Today, on the building materials market, you can buy galvanized tape designed to fix sheets. It has recently begun to be used in the installation of sheet materials, but during this time it has been able to win the approval of many gardeners who use greenhouses.
The fact is that fastening polycarbonate to metal in this way is simple and quick, but it is used to cover only arched structures. The panels are put in place of installation, after which the tape divided into two parts is thrown over them, then one end of each part is attached to the base of the arch frame, and the other ends are securely pulled together using a bolted connection. The main advantage of this method is that there is no need to drill holes in the coating, because the galvanized polycarbonate tape is attached to the base of the frame. As a result, after the subsequent dismantling of the greenhouse, the pieces of material can be used in the construction of new structures.
Mixed polycarbonate fastening is the use of several of the above methods in installation at once to compensate for their shortcomings. Therefore, this method is the most reliable and professional.
In addition, cellular plates are fixed with other overhead building materials (wooden, plastic and iron slats). They are installed on top of the sheet material, after which they are attached to the frame using self-tapping screws or bolted connections.
Important! All these methods of attaching polycarbonate can be used, but the most reliable, albeit the most expensive, is the mixed method.
Let's consider in detail the accessories for fixing polycarbonate.
For all methods of fastening polycarbonate to metal, profiles are used, and they differ in material of manufacture and configuration: one-piece, split and end.
Connecting one-piece profiles for fixing polycarbonate (HP) are made of polycarbonate, they can be matched to the color of the honeycomb material. The result is not only a strong connection, but also a beautiful one.
The design of the connecting split profile(NSR) consists of a cover and a base. It uses legs rounded inward, therefore, to fix the material, the profile is pulled between the sheets.
End profile(U-shaped) - needed to cover the ends of honeycomb panels so that dirt, dust and moisture do not get inside the cells.
Ridge profiles allow you to make a floating mount, which is necessary for arched structures.
Solid corner profile- with the help of such a plastic sealing profile, two sheets are securely connected at an angle of 90 °. They can be used to connect panels of different thickness.
Wall profiles fix the sheets to the wall and protect the ends facing the walls.
You can buy polycarbonate profiles in Anapa without much difficulty in specialized stores that sell building materials and construction equipment. You can also order them online.
Thermal washer for fixing polycarbonate allows you to securely fix the sheets on the frame. Its construction consists of 3 elements:
A self-tapping screw for attaching polycarbonate is most often not equipped with a thermal washer, so you need to buy it separately. Thermal washers for fixing polycarbonate gently and reliably press the sheet to the frame of the building, while protecting the material from moisture penetration. They allow the structure to look aesthetically pleasing. Moreover, the steps for attaching polycarbonate directly depend on the expected snow, wind and other loads.
Thermal washers are of three types:
For any polycarbonate greenhouse, the thermal washer is an integral element of the covering, because this type of structure must be well sealed.
Mini washers differ from conventional thermowells in their small size. They are used in confined spaces and when it is necessary to make the fastener less visible, if it is located on a well-visible part of the sheet. They are also made from different materials... The use of such washers for attaching polycarbonate allows you to make the whole structure more attractive and beautiful.
Galvanized polycarbonate straps are intended only for arched structures. Thanks to them, the material remains intact, since it does not have to be drilled and cut. They allow the sheets to be pulled together anywhere, which is necessary for fixing carbonate sheets over long distances.
A variety of profiles for honeycomb panels is the L-shaped plug with micropores, it is very similar in appearance to the panel guide. This profile must be used with cellular material - it reliably closes the holes at the ends of the sheets, while preventing moisture and dirt from entering the panels. It is important to remember which side to attach the polycarbonate to the structure.
The cover profile can be not only L-shaped, but also F-shaped. And in this case, it also looks like a guide for honeycomb panels. For the arrangement of heifers, the first option is mainly used, because the ends of the polymer sheet are buried in the ground. Both options are suitable for roof installation - everything will depend on the roof structure and the materials to which the PC is attached.
Thanks to these plugs, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the transparency of the cellular material, because dirt and moisture will not enter it. During the greenhouse effect, water passes from a liquid state to steam, therefore, penetrating into the cellular material, it makes it cloudy. It will be extremely difficult to get rid of it, which is why the safety plugs must be placed on the ends of the panels without fail.
To increase the tightness of the plugs, use a transparent film with micropores.
Installation of panels is divided into the steps below, all the specified methods of fastening polycarbonate are used by professionals.
The procedure for attaching polycarbonate to wood begins with cutting the material. Honeycomb panels with a thickness of 4 - 10 mm are cut with an ordinary knife; a hacksaw is also often used as a cutting tool. But for fast and accurate cutting, you need to use an electric saw with a stop equipped with a carbide blade. In this case, the teeth of the circular saw must be fine.
During the cutting process, the sheet material must be supported so that it does not vibrate. You can cut with a jigsaw. The cutting speed should be 10 - 40 m per minute.
After the end of cutting, it is imperative to remove the chips from the internal cavities of the panel.
Drill holes using a simple drill, sharpened at an angle of 30 °. It is required to make a hole in the polycarbonate between the stiffeners at an angle of 90 - 118 °. The hole is placed from the edge of the sheet at a distance of at least 4 cm.
At this stage of work, it is required to hermetically seal the ends of the sheets. When the panels are placed vertically or at an angle, the upper ends must be sealed with adhesive aluminum tape (protects the panels from dust ingress), and the lower ends with perforated tape, which will allow moisture to wick away. Do not seal the ends with plain tape, you must use a sealing tape. Also, it is not advised to completely seal the lower ends of the sheets.
In arched structures, panel ends are sealed from both ends of cellular polycarbonate using perforated tape.
The ends are most hermetically sealed using polycarbonate profiles and more durable aluminum ones. They look good, are practical and at the same time are very convenient to work with. This profile fits snugly on the ends, so no additional fastening is required.
Do not leave the ends of the honeycomb panels not closed, because the service life and light transmittance of the material will decrease.
To remove moisture, you need to make holes in the profile with a small diameter.
Stiffeners in the cellular material are placed along the length of the sheet (it can be up to 12 m). Therefore, the panels to be fixed must be positioned so that moisture can flow out of them.
When the cellular polycarbonate is mounted vertically, the stiffening ribs of the material must be placed vertically, and on the roof along the slope. In arched structures, the stiffeners must follow an arc.
It is necessary to take into account all the above features of fastening polycarbonate sheet in the design process.
On the street, it is necessary to use a material with a protective layer against ultraviolet radiation, it is applied to the outer part of the sheet. Therefore, this side is required to turn the polycarbonate towards the sun. This foil is marked accordingly. In order not to make mistakes during installation, the sheets must be installed with a film, and after completion of the work, remove it.
Do not bend the panels too much, the manufacturer indicates the minimum bending radius on the panels. The size of the allowable radius depends on the thickness and structure of the material.
It is also necessary to adhere to the basic rules for placing panels and do not forget which side to mount the polycarbonate.
At this stage, we will tell you how to properly attach polycarbonate using a point mount.
Point fastening of polycarbonate to the frame is performed with self-tapping screws and thermal washers. The thermal washer is a plastic washer with a leg (its height is equal to the thickness of the attached material), a special sealing washer and a cover.
Thermal washers secure the panels to the structure hermetically. With their help, "cold bridges", which form self-tapping screws, are removed. Thanks to the leg of the thermo washer, which rests on the frame of the structure, the panels do not wrinkle.
To provide a gap for thermal expansion in the panels, holes should be made 2-3 mm wider than the leg of the thermal washer. In long panels, it is still necessary to drill holes that are elongated in length. At the same time, one must not forget through what distance to fix the polycarbonate - the optimal step of the point fixing of polycarbonate is 30 - 40 cm.
When attaching polycarbonate sheets, remember that:
If it is necessary to attach polycarbonate to wooden frames, use the same materials and fastening methods as for iron.
One-piece and split profiles made of polycarbonate and aluminum are used to connect the honeycomb panels.
Fastening with one-piece profiles (HP). In this case, sheets of 50 x 105 cm are placed in the grooves of the profiles, after which the profile is screwed to the longitudinal crosspieces of the frame with self-tapping screws and thermal washers.
Fastening with split profiles (HCP). In this case, the sheets are connected by a split profile, consisting of a lower "base" and an upper cover with latches. Below we will analyze how to attach polycarbonate to wood using split profiles.
Installation process:
If you want to install and fix polycarbonate sheets at a right angle, then you need to use corner profiles. They will allow you to reliably connect the panels and make gusset almost invisible.
When the panels are adjacent to the wall, then it is required to use wall profiles in the installation.
To connect the sheets in the ridge, ridge profiles with a large grip of the wings - 4 cm are used, which allows the sheets to be bonded efficiently and to provide a temperature gap.
Sometimes the fastening of monolithic polycarbonate to metal is performed using an iron frame made in the form of a frame. The frame must have special grooves up to 25 mm deep. The sheets in the frame are fixed in two ways:
Wet way. In this case, a special putty or silicone-based sealant is applied along the edges of the frame and the sealant. This method can be used for timber and iron structures. Compact structures are sheathed with monolithic polycarbonate using glue or special tape. Outdoor work is performed with glue that is not afraid of adverse weather conditions. If a good transparency of the fastening is required, then it is necessary to use glue on polyurethane. Before applying it, the surfaces are degreased with alcohol.
Dry method. Use screws, bolts, nuts, screws and press washers. In any case, rubber gaskets or plastic profiles, in which there are no plasticizers, must be used. Do not glue the seal directly to the panels. Fasteners must be placed in 50 cm increments.It is recommended to retreat from the edge of the material at a distance of at least 2 cm.
Such a fastening of monolithic polycarbonate is used for sheathing a canopy and structures large in area.
Important! Whichever method of fastening is chosen, you need to remember how far to fasten polycarbonate (monolithic - after 50 cm, honeycomb - point fastening after 30-40 cm).
To save everyone technical characteristics cellular panels should be stored on a flat area in a dry room at a temperature of 0 - 25 ° C so that moisture does not penetrate into them. In this case, the sheets should not hang down. Store the material until installation in the original packaging.
Avoid exposing the material to sunlight, as its color may change. The top layer of UV protective varnish should be located at the top of the sheet (most often the top layer is covered with a special protective film, on which information about the manufacturer is applied).
You should also remember which side you need to fasten the polycarbonate, and treat the material with care. It is necessary to avoid mechanical impact on cellular polycarbonate, as this can lead to its breakage.
The sheets of cellular plates are covered with a protective film, which does not need to be removed during installation work, otherwise the light-transmitting qualities of polycarbonate will deteriorate. This protective film protects the material from damage and premature aging. The film is not removed until all work is completed.
Polymeric materials that are compatible with polycarbonate include:
Polycarbonate used as construction and finishing material may come into contact with the following materials:
The following polymeric materials are not compatible with polycarbonate:
There are also some chemicals that are not compatible with this material. They are:
Moreover, their effect directly depends on the duration of contact with the material, their concentration and temperature.
You can make a frame for monolithic and cellular polycarbonate from many materials. The frame made of wood looks very exquisite, but when choosing this building material, you need to know that it must be glued, otherwise the whole structure will crack and deform. In addition, almost every year the frame will need to be painted and treated with special protective compounds against insects and diseases. At the same time, you need to remember how to reliably attach polycarbonate to a wooden frame.
A frame made of thin-walled is considered to be more unpretentious shaped pipes, which is characterized by a long service life and increased strength.
Suitable for cladding frames in aluminum and steel materials. Moreover, it is possible to make steel and aluminum lathing directly on the construction site, using a reliable type of fastener for this. The aluminum frame has an excellent anti-corrosion properties. If its design is correctly calculated, then it will retain its physical and aesthetic properties for many decades. But it is very expensive, so it is rarely chosen.
For quick construction and cost savings, you can build a rarer crate, and sheathe it with thick sheets. In this case, there will be less fastenings with self-tapping screws, which will speed up the installation process. You can also save money and purchase a thin coating, but the crate should then be more frequent.
The choice depends on the following aspects:
In any case, the savings should be effective. For example, if you do not take into account the snow load and put sheets that cannot cope with the mass of snow falling in the region, then the surface will not withstand the overload and the savings will lead to large losses.
If an already constructed structure is sheathed, which cannot be changed, then the thickness of the material is selected based on the frequency of the frame lathing: the less often it is, the thicker the material must be chosen.
When installing the frame under the panels, you need to more accurately select the pitch of the lathing, which depends on the magnitude of the bending of the material, its thickness and the angle of the roof slope. The roof slope angle cannot be less than 30 °. Knowing all the nuances of the construction of the frame, you can quickly set the step of the lathing (it is equal to a hundred times the thickness of the material).
For example, for a sheet with a thickness of 4 mm, the step will be 40 cm, for 8 mm - 80 cm. In other words, the greater the thickness of the material, the less often the lathing step. It should be noted that thick cellular polycarbonate is fastened faster, because there is less step of fasteners and the material bends less. For regions with snowy winters, the crate pitch is reduced by 10-15%. When a frame with such a step is expensive, it is better to do otherwise: design the structure in such a way that the snow from the roof quickly disappears. To do this, use a roof slope of 30 - 50 °. At such degrees, the cellular panels are securely attached, and the snow melts well.
Particularly during the installation process, they are especially careful with the fastening, which is performed using washers. If there are few of them, then the sheet material will not be securely fixed. Given its large windage, there is a possibility that the leaf will be torn off by a strong wind. But it is also not necessary to install many washers, because this will lead to an increase in the load on the panels, and they may not withstand hot weather and deform. The same can happen in a snowy winter, when wet snow freezes on the sheets of material and the load on the frame exceeds the maximum permissible, as a result, the sheet material breaks. But in any case, you need to use washers so that the fastening is reliable.
You can work with this unique building material at any time of the year. But experts still do not advise mounting this sheet material in cold weather at temperatures below -15 ° C, because it can break when bent.
It is required to work with this material in cold weather especially carefully, because in winter it is very fragile. When installing in cold weather, future expansion of the material must be taken into account, because after heating it will expand. If this is not taken into account, then the panels installed in cold weather can come out of the grooves in the spring and the entire skin is deformed. In this case, you need to remember how to properly fix cellular polycarbonate.
To carry out the installation or cleaning the material, you need to use special support boards to move on the surface to be mounted on which you need to walk. They will allow you to evenly distribute the load on the sheet material.
After installation work, the surface of the cladding must be cleaned of dust and dirt. In this case, taking into account the adverse effects of acids, neutral compositions are selected. It is better to use soap solutions, they will not be difficult to clean the canvas. Do not use abrasive compounds and strong solvents. Moisture, drying oil, wax and oil penetrated into the honeycomb have a negative effect on the material. Thanks to good properties panels can be used for cleaning steam and water jets.
The monolithic version has a solid structure, like that of ordinary glass, but due to the base in the form of polymers, it is several times stronger and lighter than the same glass, and additionally has an increased resistance to physical impact due to its flexibility. Such elements are used as a full-fledged glass replacement in residential and public buildings, as well as shopping, entertainment and scientific complexes.
The honeycomb element consists of a pair of thin plates, interconnected by special stiffening ribs, the space between which is free.
This material is widely used in construction, utility and utility rooms and summer cottages, especially as a coating for greenhouse complexes.
Cellular polycarbonate elements along their length have ribs that ensure their rigidity, therefore, during installation, they must always be positioned in such a way that the hollow channels inside them have an outlet to the outside. This requirement is dictated by the need for condensation out of them, which may form due to temperature differences.
When installing such plates as vertical glazing, the stiffening ribs are also positioned vertically. When fastening to the frame as a slope or arch, it is always necessary to orient them so that the internal hollow channels inside go along the slopes or along the arc of the arch, respectively.
Today's technology of manufacturing both monolithic and honeycomb panels implies that each of them has a front and an inner side. They are distinguished from each other due to the presence on the first of a special protective coating in the form of a film with marking, which serves as its protection until the moment of complete installation, and is removed at the final stage.
When installing polycarbonate panels as an arched structure, consider and never exceed the maximum bending radius for a specific type of material indicated in its marking.
Polymer boards are supplied standard sheets, which, as a rule, always have larger dimensions than required, therefore one of the main operations with them is cutting them into pieces with the required dimensions. This operation will have to be performed both during and during the installation of a polycarbonate roof with your own hands.
The very operation of cutting optimal pieces from a solid panel is extremely simple, since the material is easy to cut. To do this, you can use a variety of cutting tools, from a hand hacksaw to electric grinder or a jigsaw.
In the process of cutting polymer, regardless of the selected tool, vibrations of the material cannot be avoided during its operation, which can negatively affect the quality of the cuts and lead to problems in the installation and fitting of finished parts, up to the rejection of some of them. Therefore, in order to make the task as easy as possible for oneself and to level the side vibrations, the material is securely fixed in advance.
In the case of a honeycomb structure, after cutting the cavity in the resulting elements, they are cleaned of chips, because if they remain clogged, condensate drainage will be difficult and moisture will accumulate inside the plates, which is especially dangerous during frost, since water frozen inside the panel can damage it.
Honeycomb plates require sealing at their ends. The one on top can be pasted over with ordinary tape, and to seal the bottom, it is better to use a special tape with perforations to drain the moisture condensing inside the sheet.
For the unimpeded outflow of condensed liquid from the panel, it is required to arrange several holes in its end part, which are identical to those used for fixing the polymer sheet.
It is possible to fasten carbonate slabs to structures made of almost any material; its type only affects the choice of elements for fasteners. As a rule, these are self-tapping screws for wood or metal with a self-tapping sting, which come with special thermal washers with a rubberized surface.
Thermal washers have a special leg and are selected according to its size so that it matches the thickness of the panel it fixes. This design not only protects the sheet structure from excessive deformation, but also reduces heat losses through direct contact with the self-tapping screw, which in this case acts as a conductor of cold through polycarbonate.
Therefore, self-tapping screws with thermal washers are a universal fastening, regardless of the material of the bearing surface, which is sheathed with polymer panels.
When installing, it is advisable to insert self-tapping screws into the drilled holes in plastic, which must meet the following requirements:
Knowing the technology of fixing polycarbonate, you can easily and reliably sheathe almost any structure with it. However, it is also necessary to master the technology of joining the panels to each other, which implies the use of special elements for these purposes - profiles, which can be either fixed or detachable.
The first ones are used with panels with a thickness of 4 to 10 mm. The second - profiles "Poliskrep", are able to join together plates from 6 to 16 mm in thickness. Removable profiles are assembled from a pair of elements: the lower one, which serves as a base, and the upper one - a cover with a lock.
Such polymer connecting profiles are necessary for the assembly of arched or pitched structures, but are also suitable for completely steep surfaces. One clamp connects a pair of panels with a width of 50 to 105 cm, and it itself is fixed with self-tapping screws. When connecting individual panels at an angle of 90 degrees, an angled docking profile is provided, and in the case of abutting to a wall, a special wall profile.
The technology of fixing a removable profile fits into several operations:
Often, when sheathing greenhouses with cellular polycarbonate, the plates are overlapped one on top of the other, instead of using special abutting profiles. This option is optimal and is possible only in the case of a small thickness of sheets, which does not exceed 6 mm, since due to this thinness they have increased flexibility, which is why they can "walk" or even jump out of the fixing profile.
But with this technique, thick polymer plates with a thickness of 8 mm or more will form strongly noticeable "steps" due to overlap, which can only be solved by using a connecting profile.
You should be aware that fastening polycarbonate sheets using the overlap method can lead to the following consequences:
Monolithic carbonate has two methods of fastening, but both of them require a support in the form of a supporting frame, which ensures reliable fixation of the slab:
Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic material that reacts to temperature fluctuations by changing its size. Therefore, in cold weather it contracts, and in heat it expands. If this fact is not taken into account in the process of attaching sheets from it, most likely, sooner or later, they will be damaged.
This is especially true for monolithic polymer elements, which not only have a higher coefficient of expansion, but also do not have structural flexibility in the form of voids and profiles. Therefore, their use in combination with the technology of rigid fastening - overlapping is impossible.
Polycarbonate is an unpretentious and fairly hardy material and, in relation to the ambient temperature, can be operated within the range from –40 to +120 degrees Celsius. However, the polymer on the basis of which it is made can both expand and contract under the influence of temperature, which is expressed in its coefficient of expansion equal to 0.065 mm per one degree of temperature for each meter of the sheet.
Therefore, to calculate the real expansion, you need to calculate the limiting temperature difference for the year and multiply it by 0.065 mm. For example, when installed in an average climatic zone with temperatures from -40 to +50 degrees
Celsius clearance should be about 6 mm for each linear meter of plastic. In the case of painting, the heating of the sheets increases by an average of 10-15 degrees, which means that they will expand more, that is, by about 6.5 mm per one meter of the plate.
Polycarbonate is an easy-to-use material. Fastening polycarbonate to a wooden frame can be done without extra costs and difficulties. For this purpose, honeycomb sheets of material are used. How polycarbonate is attached to a tree and what are its features, we will consider in this article.
Polycarbonate can be monolithic and cellular.
Monolithic sheets are usually smooth, but corrugated sheets with a special wave-like texture are also produced. Sheets are available in different thicknesses, depending on which they are used for specific purposes.
When working with monolithic plates, it is necessary to correctly calculate the temperature gap and correctly attach the edges, since due to improper installation, thermal cracking of the sheet or damage to the edges is possible.
Cellular (cellular plastic) has a more complex structure. It is produced in the form of sheets with a section containing one or more cells. These cells are called cells. They fill with air, making the material very light.
Honeycomb material is a little more difficult to handle than cast material. Special rules must be observed during installation. All ends and edges of the sheets must be sealed.
Cellular polycarbonate is quite lightweight. Compared to glass, it is about ten times lighter than the latter.
The walls of the cells act as stiffeners, due to which the material is strong in bending and can withstand external loads.
Other advantages of polycarbonate include:
Basically, timber is made from conifers... In this article, we will consider the option of a pine and larch timber.
The greenhouse frame is made from a bar of 50 to 50, 100 to 50, 100 to 100 or 150 to 150 millimeters in section. A beam of greater thickness is not recommended due to unjustified cost, and when using a thinner material, it may not cope with the load from snow.
It's important to know: It is important to choose a high-quality timber for construction. It should be flat, free from defects and bends.
It is better to take a tape measure to the store to make sure of the correct geometry and linear dimensions. Annual rings on a good bar are located at approximately the same distance. Deep cracks are unacceptable. The presence of large quantities of dark spots is a sign of poor quality of the material and its subsequent vulnerability to mold. In addition, the timber must be perfectly dry.
Let's get acquainted with the features of a larch bar:
The features of pine beams include:
To protect the timber from moisture and bacteria, it is treated with an antiseptic.
For processing, impregnations and film-forming compounds are used.
Impregnations after application gradually penetrate deep into the timber, depriving it of its attractiveness for microorganisms and mold.
Thanks to the film-forming film, an outer layer appears on the bar, which plays the role of a barrier for microorganisms.
Usually, several antiseptics are used at once in the complex. Do not believe the advertisements of supposedly universal formulations from everything at once. It is better to use several highly specialized formulations.
It will be easier to cover the greenhouse frame with water-based, easy-to-apply compounds. To do this, arm yourself with a respirator mask, brush and container of the required size. You can use a spray gun instead of a brush.
Often, the timber is also treated with copper sulfate. This substance should be used on bare wood without metal elements, as it can damage the metal.
Consider the types of self-tapping screws that are used to attach polycarbonate to a bar:
In addition, when determining how to attach polycarbonate to the tree, do not forget about the connecting profiles of a detachable or one-piece nature. They are, as it were, clamped on sheets of material.
Self-tapping screw is metal object, providing fastening of two or more materials by means of a screw connection. The required thread is cut at the moment of screwing in.
Self-tapping screws for wood have a larger thread pitch and fewer turns in comparison with those used for metal. This reduces the frictional force when screwing in. Also hallmark a self-tapping screw for wood, there is often a tip in the form of a drill, thanks to which it is easier to enter the tree.
Roofing screws are widely used. They have a large shank diameter, which favors successful insertion into solid roofing materials. Such elements are equipped with a hex head, so the screwdriver does not jump to the side during installation. The surface of the product must be galvanized to protect it from corrosion. The kit always comes with an EPDM washer, including a galvanized cover and a thin rubber gasket.
Roofing screws are considered the cheapest fastener for polycarbonate.
To solve the problem with a thermal gap, a thermal washer with a large thickness and diameter is often used instead of a conventional washer. So, the load is distributed over a large area and the deflection of the material in the place of screwing is practically impossible.
A self-tapping screw with a washer made of polycarbonate or other polymer contributes to reliable fastening and maintaining a sufficient thermal gap. It is shaped like an umbrella.
To properly attach the polycarbonate to a wooden frame, you will need the following tools:
For creating solid construction it is necessary to build a reliable frame from polycarbonate.
More details:
It is most important to orient and cut the polycarbonate plates correctly.
The correct orientation is especially important for cellular polycarbonate due to the presence of stiffening ribs. Thanks to them, the material bends with ease.
The sheets of material are oriented precisely along the stiffeners. If placed against the direction of such ribs, the polycarbonate may crack. It is also for this reason that condensate can accumulate in the cavities when the material is bent across the stiffeners. This may darken the sheets.
It is very important to cut the material correctly to get the desired shape without deforming the edge. The best for this is a circular saw, which has fine-toothed circles. At a high cutting speed, such a saw gives an even cut that does not need to be processed further.
In the absence of a circular saw, it is possible to use a grinder with a disc for cutting wood.
Nowadays, polycarbonate is used to make various designs often enough. All thanks to its advantages - high density and availability different colors... Such material is used for the construction of sheds or canopies, the construction of greenhouses and greenhouses and much more.
This type of polymer, attached to a wooden frame, is a great solution for those who want to make a design on their own without hiring professionals.
Today polycarbonate is very popular, which is easily explained by its characteristic qualities. The material is lightweight and flexible, transparent like glass, and strong like metal. In addition, polycarbonate is able to withstand temperatures from -45 to +120 0 C.
In this regard, the use of polycarbonate has a fairly wide range. It is great for making arched and domed canopies, various canopies and stair railings, advertising structures, greenhouses and fences.
The stiffeners of the polycarbonate sheets are distributed along the length. To achieve maximum structural strength, the hollow channels must be correctly positioned:
In the manufacture of external structures, polycarbonate should be used, which on the outside has protection from ultraviolet rays in the form of a film of special substances. The manufacturer indicates all the necessary information on it. For correct location polycarbonate sheets, the film is not removed during installation.
Polycarbonate flat roofs must have a certain angle of inclination. If the length of the structure does not exceed 6 meters, then the slope can be 5 degrees. Otherwise, the tilt angle must be increased.
On the theoretical side, the bending radius of the arched structure can be no more than a value that is 150 thicknesses of the material used.
For each type of polycarbonate on a protective film, the manufacturer indicates the corresponding parameters. Therefore, it is best to focus on this data.
It is best to cut polycarbonate with special tools:
Before cutting, the polycarbonate sheet should be firmly fixed to avoid vibration. The chips that have formed during the cutting process must be removed immediately.
In the case when increased transparency of the fastening is required, you can use a glue based on polyurethane. However, before using it, the surfaces to be glued are degreased with isopropyl alcohol.
Point fastening for polycarbonate to the metal frame is performed using thermal washers. The distance between the fasteners should not exceed 30-40 cm.
This method has one drawback, indoors. appearance may not be very attractive. This is due to a mismatch between the connecting profiles and the frame.
Profile fastening implies fixing aluminum or polycarbonate connecting profiles to a metal frame, into which the panels are subsequently inserted. In this case, you need to know how polycarbonate is attached to metal.
The disadvantage of this method can be called the exit of the panel from the grooves with an increased load on the polycarbonate surface.
Mixed polycarbonate mounting involves the use of both options in order to compensate for their shortcomings.
To solve the problem of how to attach polycarbonate to metal, you need to use the following:
Fastening polycarbonate to metal is carried out with different types of thermal washers. These fasteners can differ in the following ways:
To make the structure attractive, and to protect the ends of the profiles from the ingress of water, dust and insects, it is necessary to use plugs.
Under influence high temperature there may be some change in polycarbonate, therefore, certain installation rules must be observed:
To execute quality installation panels, you need to take care of the correct storage of the purchased material:
In addition, it should be remembered that the protective coating is removed from the panel only at the end of the installation work.
The quality of work largely depends on the compatibility of the materials used. Therefore, it is not allowed to use polyurethane, PVC, amine and acrylic based sealant with polycarbonate.
When composing a frame project, one should take into account various types of load, temperature effect, dimensions of the material used, permissible bending radius, direction Wastewater... It is very important to know through what distance the polycarbonate should be fixed.
The optimum temperature for working with polycarbonate is in the range from +10 to +20 0 С.
If it is necessary to move on the surface of the material, support should be used, the length of which is about 3 meters, and the width is 0.4 meters. It is best to cover them with a soft cloth.
If you want to remove glue residues after removing the protective film, you can use a neutral detergent... After cleaning, you can wipe the surface with a soft cloth.
Today, polycarbonate is widely used in the construction of advertising structures, greenhouses, fences, roofs, awnings and so on. This material is in demand due to its high strength, transparency, lightness, flexibility, resistance to temperature extremes, durability and environmental safety. In this article, we will consider how to attach polycarbonate to metal in order to get the maximum reliability of the building.
Fastening of the material can be point, profile or mixed. With point fasteners, thermal washers are used to fix the sheet to the frame, in the manufacture of which wind and snow loads... Fasteners should have a distance of 30-40 cm. The disadvantages of this type of fastening include a violation of attractiveness from the inside, due to the fact that the profiles used to connect the profile do not always coincide with the frame.
For profile fastening, connecting profiles made of aluminum or polycarbonate are used. They are fixed on the frame, and then used to insert blanks. The disadvantage of such an attachment is that if the calculated load is exceeded, the panel, which was fixed only along the perimeter, is capable of falling out of the grooves.
In a mixed form, the fasteners combine the above two types in order to avoid the disadvantages.
Let's take a closer look:
The end profile allows you to protect the edges of the plate, while placing the short stick on the outside.
The connecting profile connects the edges of the sheets. It should be understood that only split profiles can be attached to the frame.
The corner profile is designed to connect the corners.
With the help of a wall profile, the sheet is pressed tightly against the wall. It can also be used as an end profile.
With the help of a ridge profile, you can connect the sheets on the ridge of the roof, but only if they are connected at an angle greater than 90 degrees.
Thermal washers are:
Plugs are used to make the design more attractive, to protect the ends from moisture, insects and dust.
This profile is used to attach polycarbonate sheets to each other, as well as to the frame. They are produced with a thickness equal to the thickness of the sheets.
When the profile is inserted into the gap, 3 mm must be left between them. This gap resists the deformation of the structure when the sheet expands in the sun.
There are split and one-piece profiles. The sheet is inserted into the groove and fixed. You can use profiles of different sections made of polycarbonate, aluminum or plastic.
Polycarbonate has stiffening ribs that are located along the length of the panel. The construction of it will turn out to be very strong if the hollow channels are correctly positioned.
Let's consider the basic rules:
Polycarbonate is available with a UV protective film. It contains information on the recommended location. of this material... When installing, do not remove the film, which will greatly simplify the work.
When using polycarbonate for flat roof the angle of inclination is required. With a structure length of more than 6 meters, an inclination of 5 degrees is made. If the length is exceeded 6 meters, the angle of inclination is increased.
The bending radius of the arch should not be higher than 20 mm of the material used.
Each type of material in question has its own characteristics on a protective film. You should be guided by these data.
Consider the ratio of the minimum allowable radius and sheet thickness:
During the cutting of the material in question, there should be no vibration, and the chips after cutting must be removed.
You can use the following tools for cutting:
Basic drilling rules:
The ends of the polycarbonate panels are covered with temporary tape, which must be removed before proceeding with the sealing.
The top edge is sealed with a continuous adhesive aluminum tape. And to seal the bottom edge, use a perforated tape.
If the end does not fall into the groove or other profile, the end profile is attached directly to the tape.
For the bottom profile, the holes must be 300 millimeters apart so that condensation can drain off.
All edges of the arched type of structures are sealed in the same way as the lower ones.
The transportation of polycarbonate honeycomb plates, that is, those in which there are numerous grooves, must be very careful.
Such material should not be located in a room with high humidity. Before using this material, you need to check well if there is moisture in the combs. Even if there is a small amount of condensate, it must be removed by blowing with compressed air. For this purpose, you can use turbo gas blowers or fans with cold air flows.
It's important to know: To attach the honeycomb carbonate to the metal frame, you need to use elements with a galvanized tip or stainless steel drill. It is very important to use sealing rubber washers or thermo washers.
Fasteners should be spaced 40 to 60 centimeters apart. The screw is screwed in at a right angle, without strong pressure at the final stage of screwing, so as not to deform the surface.
The use of monolithic plastic is most suitable in order to obtain durable transparent partitions, ceilings, windows and other elements.
Cast polycarbonate is attached to the metal frame by inserting it into special frames, followed by their fastening.
Large canvases can be placed on a frame, and then joined together with profiles and adhesive. You can also attach them to the frame using self-tapping bolts and other elements.
The fixation can be wet or dry. The first method is polymer grease, which is laid along the edge of the material. After that, the slab is fixed in the frame and the resulting seams are treated with a silicone-based sealant. Sometimes rubber or silicone gaskets may also be required.
With the dry method, fastening occurs in much the same way as in the case of honeycomb sheets. Self-tapping screws with gaskets, profiles and linings are used.
The metal frame, which will then be sheathed with polycarbonate, must have a foundation. It is better if it is monolithic, but point is also suitable.
It is equally important to properly prepare the metal. In the presence of carious lesions of a different nature, they are cleaned and the metal is polished. It is also necessary to clean all joints and seams obtained during welding.
It is important to understand that the contact of polycarbonate with bare metal is detrimental to the material. For this reason, a large number of silicone and rubber gaskets must be prepared.
Handle the sheets of material with care, without removing the protective film. The work surface must be clean and right size so that the edges of the sheets do not hang from it, dust and moisture do not get into the ends of the platinum.
Cutting and drilling should be started only after the fastening points have been calculated and the marking has been completed.
For comparison, consider the scheme for attaching the material in question to a tree:
Usually, polycarbonate honeycomb plates are used for fastening to wood. Before this, the tree must be processed. special means against decay and bugs.
This method of fastening is better suited if monolithic polycarbonate is selected.
The plates are cut so that there is a gap of 2 mm between them and the wooden frame on each side. The material must be well pressed against the surface so that there is no vibration.
A sealant is applied to the wooden frame (in its grooves).
Then the plate is placed in the frame and pressed. For additional fixing of the sheets, wood and plastic strips are used.
