What to put on the roof - patio?

[SaudisLoveAudis]

Hi,
I hope you are well.
I am in the process of building my patio and I am going to have rafters 60cm apart, no purlins.
The last one will not be exactly 60cm apart but less I reckon 40cm apart.

I have to decide on the material to cover the roof.

I am looking for something that will block as little sunlight as possible so ideally clear.

I have looked into corrugated sheets like this:

Corolite Corrugated 0.8mm Clear Roof Sheet | Roofing Superstore®

Combining durability and strength, this Corolite corrugated roof sheet is made from an ultra-clear, light-transmitting polycarbonate. This versatile sheet i...

www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk

https://www.roofingmegastore.co.uk/corolite-iron-3-corrugated-polycarbonate-sheet.html

Clear Palruf™ PVC Corrugated Sheets [1.2mm]

Palruf™ Corrugated PVC Sheets provide an affordable, high-performance solution for covering new or existing structures like carports, canopies, and walkways. These 1.2mm thick durable sheets are designed for quick and straightforward installation, easily cut and drilled to fit your...

www.thepolycarbonatestore.co.uk

but I am impressed by EZ Glaze

Ez Glaze™

EZ GLAZE™ is a premium glass-look profiled polycarbonate panel, created for rafters with widths of 60mm or less. Built to combine sophistication and durability, it's over 200 times stronger than glass, making it a resilient and low maintenance choice. EZ GLAZE™ installs effortlessly over a...

www.thepolycarbonatestore.co.uk

but this stuff is a lot more expensive than corrugated but also thicker 3mm not 0.8-1mm thick.

If I go for EZ Glaze I won't cover the whole roof with it due to the dimensions. The narrow 40cm bit will have to be covered with something else.

Please if you could shed some light and opinion and or if you used EZ Glaze before and is it worth the money?
Or is there something similar but easier on the pocket.
Thank you

 

[noseall]

Hi,
I hope you are well.
I am in the process of building my patio and I am going to have rafters 60cm apart, no purlins.
The last one will not be exactly 60cm apart but less I reckon 40cm apart.

I have to decide on the material to cover the roof.

I am looking for something that will block as little sunlight as possible so ideally clear.

I have looked into corrugated sheets like this:

Corolite Corrugated 0.8mm Clear Roof Sheet | Roofing Superstore®

Combining durability and strength, this Corolite corrugated roof sheet is made from an ultra-clear, light-transmitting polycarbonate. This versatile sheet i...

www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk

https://www.roofingmegastore.co.uk/corolite-iron-3-corrugated-polycarbonate-sheet.html

Clear Palruf™ PVC Corrugated Sheets [1.2mm]

Palruf™ Corrugated PVC Sheets provide an affordable, high-performance solution for covering new or existing structures like carports, canopies, and walkways. These 1.2mm thick durable sheets are designed for quick and straightforward installation, easily cut and drilled to fit your...

www.thepolycarbonatestore.co.uk

but I am impressed by EZ Glaze

Ez Glaze™

EZ GLAZE™ is a premium glass-look profiled polycarbonate panel, created for rafters with widths of 60mm or less. Built to combine sophistication and durability, it's over 200 times stronger than glass, making it a resilient and low maintenance choice. EZ GLAZE™ installs effortlessly over a...

www.thepolycarbonatestore.co.uk

but this stuff is a lot more expensive than corrugated but also thicker 3mm not 0.8-1mm thick.

If I go for EZ Glaze I won't cover the whole roof with it due to the dimensions. The narrow 40cm bit will have to be covered with something else.

Please if you could shed some light and opinion and or if you used EZ Glaze before and is it worth the money?
Or is there something similar but easier on the pocket.
Thank you

The cheap corrugated stuff is low end tat and needs all manner of purlins, fixings and edge restraint work, to make them last past the first winds of the year.
Not sure about the EZ Glaze stuff but looks like a faff.

I would not fit any of it.

 

[robinbanks]

the EZ Glaze stuff but looks like a faff.

How so?

 

[Odds]

That EZ-glaze looks like a greenhouse roof. A cheap one. The kind that we had in our garden many moons ago. Strong winds would blow it around like a beachball.
What're the dimensions of the patio?
Perhaps a large sunshade would suit. Like this one.

 

[robinbanks]

Eh? A fabric sheet attached at 4 corners wouldn't blow round like a beach ball ?

 

[Odds]

Eh? A fabric sheet attached at 4 corners wouldn't blow round like a beach ball ?

I said it looked like the kind of stuff...

...cheap n' flimsy. Looks like sh!! after a year or two of weathering.

 

[noseall]

How so?

Just aligning the rafters (need to be straight and parallel), trying to keep everything dry and cutting that profile.

 

[SaudisLoveAudis]

That EZ-glaze looks like a greenhouse roof. A cheap one. The kind that we had in our garden many moons ago. Strong winds would blow it around like a beachball.
What're the dimensions of the patio?
Perhaps a large sunshade would suit. Like this one.

The dimensions ~4.2x3m

 

[SaudisLoveAudis]

Can you think of any alternatives or do I need PVC roof windows?

 

[Tigercubrider]

So do you need a waterproof roof or not?
I have a conservatory with a triple wall roof (lean too style), a gap, then a pergola style timber assembly with no roof.

There are vines growing over the pergola and it’s fairly rain proof in summer due to the foliage but not in winter.
I use it for shade not for weather protection. (It’s flat not pitched)

You could build your frame to suit the cut sizes of polycarbonate and use aluminium roofing bars on top of timber
You could use waterproof fabric as a sliding blind for occasional weather or sun.

 

[SaudisLoveAudis]

So do you need a waterproof roof or not?
I have a conservatory with a triple wall roof (lean too style), a gap, then a pergola style timber assembly with no roof.

There are vines growing over the pergola and it’s fairly rain proof in summer due to the foliage but not in winter.
I use it for shade not for weather protection. (It’s flat not pitched)

You could build your frame to suit the cut sizes of polycarbonate and use aluminium roofing bars on top of timber
You could use waterproof fabric as a sliding blind for occasional weather or sun.

Yes, I want a waterproof roof. Wines will go on a separate structure. I need a permanent roofing. The slope is going to be quite decent so I am not worried about the debris, it will most likely slide down.

 

[foxhole]

I used 10mm twin wall on mine (7mx3m) 3x 1.4m x 3m sheets would do yours.

 

[SaudisLoveAudis]

I used 10mm twin wall on mine (7mx3m) 3x 1.4m x 3m sheets would do yours.

This transparent stuff looks great but not sure how often will I have to clean the birds poo.
It's like buying a shiny car but then realising the parking spot is next to some big trees the birds love to congregate and dwell.

 

[Tigercubrider]

If the structure hasn’t been built, build it to accommodate existing sizes of roofing rather than a random size that then makes life awkward with cutting.
Personally, if the pitch is 10° or so then rain will do most f the cleaning for you although beware of having a perch for birds above.
I hardly ever clean my conservatory roof . I do have a small hatch that would allow me to stick my body out and help clean, it also releases hot air. You might not need to release excess heat but it wouldn’t hurt.
I’d use aluminium roofing bars that are designed for twin/triple wall (it’s strong) as it makes sealing easy.

 

[foxhole]

If the structure hasn’t been built, build it to accommodate existing sizes of roofing rather than a random size that then makes life awkward with cutting.
Personally, if the pitch is 10° or so then rain will do most f the cleaning for you although beware of having a perch for birds above.
I hardly ever clean my conservatory roof . I do have a small hatch that would allow me to stick my body out and help clean, it also releases hot air. You might not need to release excess heat but it wouldn’t hurt.
I’d use aluminium roofing bars that are designed for twin/triple wall (it’s strong) as it makes sealing easy.

His dimension suit currently available 1.4 x 3m sheets .