Polycarbonate is one of the most controversial materials in the modern construction market. On the one hand, its merits are lightness, flexibility, low price and simplicity of construction, and on the other - fragility and short life. Polycarbonate fits well into modern architecture and lets in the sunlight, which determines the area of its application as a material for various canopies - for the car, over the porch, over the rest zone.
Tool and preparatory work for
The following materials and tools are required for the construction of the polycarbonate canopy:
- frame material - metal profile of square and round sections or timber bars and rails,
- self-tapping zinc-plated, press washers, anchor bolts and other fastenersdepending on the frame material,
- polycarbonate 8-10 mm thick and docking and end profile for it,
- exterior paint for frame( wood or metal),
- rubble, sandand cement for the installation of racks, if the canopy will be installed on the ground,
- hacksaw or circular saw,
- drill and screwdriver,
- tape measure and level,
- welding machine for assembling the metal frame.
Before work, you need to accurately determine the size of the future design and prepare a canopy design, determine how it will be fastened, on the ground or on the wall of the house. It is worth remembering that the size of the shelter for effective protection from the sun and rain should be slightly larger than the protected surface. So, when planning a carport, you should leave at least 50-70 cm from all sides.
If the canopy will be located on the ground, then you first need to prepare the site - clean it, and compact the soil, concrete or fill it with small gravel. In the established places before concreting it is necessary to excavate holes 50-60 cm deep for the supports of the future canopy. The number of supports and their location depend on the load on the structure and the type of soil - with heavy snowfalls, they should be put every 1-1.5 meters. Installation of metal fittings will greatly simplify the further construction of the canopy, since the supports will be attached to them, rather than to concrete.
Frame
The polycarbonate canopy frame can be made of wood or metal profile, depending on the requirements for its strength. So, a canopy for a recreation area and picnics may well be made of a bar, and for a car - preferably made of metal. The metal frame is more reliable, however, for its assembly, a welding machine and welding skills will be required, so, often, the construction of such a frame is trusted by specialists.
If the frame is made of metal, a square section with sizes from 60 * 60 to 100 * 100 mm is selected for supports depending on the expected loads. For the runs suitable profile pipe 60 * 60 or 40 * 40 mm, for the crate 40 * 20 or 20 * 20 mm.
First, sand pads are poured into prepared pits, vertical supports are installed vertically and filled with concrete, they can also be filled with small gravel or gravel and poured with cement-sand mortar. To completely dry the solution it will take 3-5 days, during which it must be watered from time to time to prevent cracking.
After final hardening, it is possible to start tying up the supports at the top. For greater rigidity of the structure, with its long length or the height of the supports, you can make the strapping from below and in the middle.
If a canopy is planned to be located above a porch or veranda, some of the racks are mounted on the wall of the house using anchor bolts or on the porch fence by welding.
At the end, an arched construction is made for the upper part of the shed and its crate. The arch is the most common form for a polycarbonate canopy, but the roof can be made flat, most importantly, in both cases, so that the angle of inclination is not less than 10 degrees, so that water does not accumulate on it. The bent elements are carried out with the help of a pipe bender in-house or are ordered by companies specializing in metal rolling. The tubes are laid in 70 cm steps.
Installation of polycarbonate
Polycarbonate sheets are attached to the finished frame. For arch structures, choose a material 8 mm thick, the more curvature - the thinner the sheets should be. For a straight roof, you can use a thicker polycarbonate of 10 mm. The direction of bending of the sheets is indicated on the protective film; when cutting, it is necessary to guide them, since the sheets are bent only across the air channels.
Polycarbonate for blanks is cut with a circular saw or a hacksaw so that the length of the pieces is 10-15 cm more than the roof. When cutting, you need to fix the polycarbonate so as not to allow vibration, which leads to the appearance of cracks. It is desirable to cut the material directly into the protective film, this reduces the risk of damaging it, and in the future it will be easier to lay polycarbonate, since the film covers the side resistant to ultraviolet, which should be on the outside.
The docking profile is fastened to the crate at the joints of polycarbonate sheets, the material itself is attached to it by self-tapping screws. It is better to pre-drill holes in the blanks a few millimeters more than the press washers, insert them, and already through the washers, tighten the screws. After fixing the sheets, the docking profile is closed with a lid. Blanks should be located with a gap of 2-3 mm, so that when heated polycarbonate could expand.
The end edges of the polycarbonate must be covered with a protective tape or an end profile that will prevent dirt from getting inside. A tool used to fit polycarbonate and fixing profiles, it is better to use wood, such as kiyanki.
Polycarbonate is a fairly capricious material in the installation and operation, so only adherence to the installation rules and the acquisition of quality material can ensure a long service of the canopy and its good condition.
