Polycarbonate sheets for Pergola

26,234 Views | 35 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by Comeby!
BroInChrist94
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AG
I have a pergola (40'x15') in our backyard, but my family and I can hardly enjoy it with our South Texas heat. Need some shade!

In looking at other threads, saw a few folks talking about tinted polycarnonate sheets.

Researched it, which means googled, and found a few sites; many of them overseas.
But I didn't find what i would deem a reputable site where i could buy and have them shipped to me for a DIY project.

Your help finding the product and/or experience with install, thickness, color, r-value would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks & God Bless Ags!
Bregxit
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AG
Saw this on DIY and HGTV a few weeks ago. Looked pretty nice. They were doing the copper sheets.

I have no idea on cost and it doesn't look like you can just order from the site.
Aggietaco
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AG
Try one of the building supply houses like McCoys. I may have seen them in stock at Lowe's/HD as well. the only downside to the tinted sheets is that you have to keep the tops of them clean from leaves and debris or it looks like crap.
Aggietaco
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Actually, they do cary the corrugated poly roofing at Lowe's, just checked the website. $29 for a 144" panel.
BroInChrist94
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Appreciate the responses so far.

Searched lowes and HD but didn't find what i was looking for.

Didn't want corrugated; was looking for flat.

The ones I've seen are described as:
tinted twinwall polycarbonate sheet
clear, white, or bronze
8mm, 16mm, or 25mm

Was looking for help with install and experience with shading and cooling...
Absolute
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Might also think about solar screen type material. I had access to a big roll left over from a project my Dad did and used it for free. But I had researched sites that would cut it to size/shape for you. Or you can by it by the roll and do it like I did.

Works great.
Dr. Doctor
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If you want sheets of plexiglass or lexan (which is polycarbonate, but the "name brand"), you will have to go to a glass house. We would order it (when working in a shop at A&M) from Acme Glass. Would get essentially plywood sized pieces.

Polycarbonate, under UV light, will start to "crack" or craze (IIRC)(gets all the little lines in it; see old headlights). It will also yellow over time.

I don't know about tinting and what that does, but that might help with the UV fading.

Plexi might not do that (not sure, would have to spend some time looking it up), but is not as durable as polycarbonate.

Both are "fun" to cut. You can use a jig saw or circular saw, but you will get plastic chips EVERYWHERE.


And if I remember, sheet of poly aren't cheap. I would go with a solar mesh. Blocks the sun, but allows the air to rise, making it cooler.

~egon
Tabasco
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AG
Would water drip through solar mesh during rains. Not sure how tight the weave is
agracer
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Don't put poly on your pergola. It will look terrible in a year or so.

My neighbor put corrigated tin on his and it looked really good, even after a few years.

Be sure it's attached well and your pergola can handle the uplift when the next hurricane comes thru.

The solar screen sounds like a good solution (unless you want to be in the rain). That and a fan.

Finally, is your pergola sloped in one direction or another? You need to think about where all the rain water is going to go. If it's completely flat it might end up back inside the house.
Tabasco
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Correct on having some sort of slight slope. For the record, my polycarb is two years old (slight tint), and looks the same as when they first put it in. Not sure what will happen in another 2, 5, or 10 years, just reporting my individual observation.

BroInChrist94
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Tabasco, I saw your pics on another thread and thats what I'm talkning about for my pergola.

I've seen a few outdoor specialist companies from houston offer it, but can't find them in the Valley.

How were they attached to the pergola?

Also, looked at the sun shades. Was looking at the commercial type. Rain is not an issue since it hardly rains down here and when it does, we send the kids out for their bath...

Thanks again for the help.
Tabasco
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AG
screwed into the wood of the pergola, with some sort of sealant so it wont leak where the screws are. However, after almost two years, with the heat and cold, I've noticed that the screws have "unscrewed themselves" some, resulting in some leaking. I have been meaning to get up there and screw them in myself, but am a little intimidated.... its pretty high up and I don't want to bust my ass.

Tabasco
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Not sure how thick mine are... maybe 3/4 inch? Also, I think my pergola is 15'x34', and I have five panels.

They sealed the seams too... forgot to mention that earlier.

musicforall
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So, have you had any hail since those sheets went up? I imagine the noise must be great! But more importantly, how did they hold up?
Tabasco
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In Houston (Sugar Land), so it has been many years since it has hailed here.




quick search suggests it is pretty strong.

example:
Polycarbonate twin wall sheets, on the other hand, is virtually unbreakable against hail, baseballs, and rocks. Polycarbonate sheets are lightweight and ribbed to provide a diffused, UV protecting light which enhances plant growth and helps aid in temperature control. Sheets of polycarbonate as supplied with Rion’s Greenhouses, are constructed with top and bottom layers connected by ribbed channels, which is why twin-wall polycarbonate has a lot of advantages for garden green house compared to glass.

Because of their construction, the polycarbonate sheets have the insulating effect of thermo windows, and therefore the temperature in the home greenhouse will be more even, and the plants have better growing conditions.

Polycarbonate sheets are strong. It will not shutter, It can resist, for instance, the weight of branches falling down and balls being thrown at it by playing children.

Tabasco
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Oh, and the noise from rain is pretty loud... and awesome.

agnerd
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bump because search doesn't work for me.
Sensei John Kreese
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Pictures would be appreciated, Tabasco!
Tabasco
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Comeby!
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Really nice setup.

To keep in step with our new jumbotron, you need to get a bigger TV.
Aggietaco
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Tobasco - do you know the brand of panel they used?

And is yours tied into your existing roof, or does it sit just above so that water is captured by your existing gutters?
Tabasco
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quote:
Really nice setup.

To keep in step with our new jumbotron, you need to get a bigger TV.


I think that is a 26 inch and I replaced it with a 29, but I think I want to put another to the right of the window so I can watch 2 games. Problem with a bigger display is it would block the window.
Tabasco
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quote:
Tobasco - do you know the brand of panel they used?

And is yours tied into your existing roof, or does it sit just above so that water is captured by your existing gutters?


No, I do not.

From memory, it is attached to the roof rafters somehow, but it sits just above so the water (they tilt back a couple of degrees towards the house) goes to the gutters.
Dandy 76
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Really nice Tabasco - I'm envious!

Absolute - how well has the solar screen fabric held up? Been thinking about putting that on my pergola, but wasn't sure what the life of it would be. Live in a windy part of the country, plus we have lots of bright sunny days, so didn't want it to become brittle and have to be replaced in a couple of years.
Dr. Doctor
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I bought this for my dog run. I have had it up for 2 years (since June 2012); never taken it down. Still plyable and still fine. I melted the end that I cut with a lighter (similar to cutting poly rope) and then used grommets (plastic) to hold it up.

Even left it out during Houston's freezes. Gets sun for most of the day (after the sun breaks the roof line). Mostly afternoon sun.

I know a camp I worked at had similar material and they were on season #5 or 6 and the material was still holding up. That was used for 4 months out of the year, but summer months.

Plus side is that it is mostly cheap enough to replace, even if it is every 5 years.

~egon
1YearAg
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Tabasco, this is great! Could I email you and get some measurements and info from you?
Greeze06
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AG
Tabasco,

How did you connect into the side of your house? I'm debating that or having pillars close to the house. Seems like tying in would be best but looks much more difficult.
Dandy 76
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AG
Good to know Dr. I found the color of fabric I needed at HD the other day in a 6x20' size, which when cut into two 10' lengths will just about fit my pergola perfectly. Also like your idea about searing the cut edges to prevent fraying, and using the grommets. In addition I found a roll down shade made of the same material at Sam's - nice for blocking that hot afternoon sun.
statz
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Looks great!

I've been looking to have poly installed on my pergola as well. Does anyone know of a company that installs it in the Austin area?
jaggiemaggie
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Tabasco: just sent you a PM but figured others would also be curious. Not sure if you still live in the same house but can you give an update how the poly panels are holding up ?
62strat
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Aggietaco said:

Actually, they do cary the corrugated poly roofing at Lowe's, just checked the website. $29 for a 144" panel.
I had these, tinted, over our pergola in Houston.

Worked great for a few years, then slowly got a few leaks, but if you tackle them as they appear, I'm sure a dab of epoxy would fix it. I let it go w/o fixing, so eventually it was leaking quite a bit, then we moved.

I used the self tapping screws with the little gasket on it.
Aggietaco
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62strat said:

Aggietaco said:

Actually, they do cary the corrugated poly roofing at Lowe's, just checked the website. $29 for a 144" panel.
I had these, tinted, over our pergola in Houston.

Worked great for a few years, then slowly got a few leaks, but if you tackle them as they appear, I'm sure a dab of epoxy would fix it. I let it go w/o fixing, so eventually it was leaking quite a bit, then we moved.

I used the self tapping screws with the little gasket on it.
If you ran the screw straight through the poly and into the support, that was your problem. Need to pre-drill a larger hole to allow for expansion and contraction, then a dab of flexible sealant followed by the gasketed fastener and another dab of UV safe sealant to keep the gasket from deteriorating.
Tabasco
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Nice blast from the past.

I had this built in 2010 when we moved into the house. Still live hear. After may be five years, they started leaking from a spot or two. When I put a ladder and looked up above, the screws had worked themselves out some, plus there was some cracking around a few of the screws.

I called the company that put them it... this was probably a couple of years ago. They said the polycarb company had them use the wrong screws or something. I had all new panels put in (damn, can't remember the cost, I think $1500 total installed. My pergola is pretty big... 15x30 feet. All good now. The ones I got had a slight tint, so they are not clear. There has been no yellowing. The only cracking is maybe a couple or few points where the screw went in for some reason.

Overall, I would totally recommend doing it. I grill 3-4x times a week out there. Adds to living space. The only thing I would ask installer would be about screws loosening with heat/cold, and any issues with leak issues. When my company came back, they did not think there would be anymore problems with changing whatever the screw issue was, but I would think over time they might need tightening up. I have zero reservations about doing the panels, and everyone we have over want to do the same thing.

The posts above about the screws/epoxy are likely spot on. Still love it and use it all the time.


Had that bar, drop in grill, and drop in teppanyaki built as well. Hard to see, but on that teppanyaki I can bust out some crazy good fried rice.
Aggie1205
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AG
Academy.com sells rolls of shade cloth as well if you are looking for something less expensive.

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/shelterlogic-shadelogic-6-x-25-shade-cloth#repChildCatid=1219921
JMC04
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Tabasco, I'm in Houston and looking to do the same project. Which contractor did you use? I'm looking to get some quotes this Fall. Ballpark price?

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