Hi Folks,
Emmm, the (too) long Subject covers it all: does anyone know or
have experience of buying corrugated plastic sheeting for a
new car-port roof?

Some web sites state "thick" or "thin", but these relative terms
ain't of much use to an ignoramus like me!

And what about fixing centres?
My new car port will be three metres wide by six metres long.

Since the car port is close to a house window, I fancy using
some sort of translucent/transparent sheet material to keep the
light level up.

Advice requested please; thanks in advance

Mungo Henning

In message , Mungo
Henning writes
Hi Folks,
Emmm, the (too) long Subject covers it all: does anyone know or
have experience of buying corrugated plastic sheeting for a
new car-port roof?

Some web sites state "thick" or "thin", but these relative terms
ain't of much use to an ignoramus like me!

And what about fixing centres?
My new car port will be three metres wide by six metres long.

Since the car port is close to a house window, I fancy using
some sort of translucent/transparent sheet material to keep the
light level up.

Advice requested please; thanks in advance

If I were you, I'd go for twinwall or something like that. Corrugated
sheets have a life of about 5 years and start to go brown and brittle.
--
geoff

Hi Geoff,
Ta for the reply.

geoff wrote in message
If I were you, I'd go for twinwall or something like that. Corrugated
sheets have a life of about 5 years and start to go brown and brittle.

What's the life of twinwall in comparison then?

How easy is it to lap-joint these panels (the corrugated panels will
nicely self-register due to the wave profile)?

Ta again

Mungo

In message , Mungo
Henning writes
Hi Geoff,
Ta for the reply.

geoff wrote in message
If I were you, I'd go for twinwall or something like that. Corrugated
sheets have a life of about 5 years and start to go brown and brittle.

What's the life of twinwall in comparison then?

Well I've just replaced my old corrugated roof on the extension which
lasted about 5 years. The twinwall I bought is guaranteed for 10 years


How easy is it to lap-joint these panels (the corrugated panels will
nicely self-register due to the wave profile)?

Slightly different principle here. You have an inverted "T" from
aluminium which butts up to the two pieces you are joining. There is
then a mushroom shaped top which slots into the "T" with barbs. You can
buy the stuff in 6 metre lengths, so there is no need to overlap down
the length. I bought mine from PolyPlastics in Enfield (which is where
Screwfix buy it from (I think)), but there must be other distributors
oop norf. I'll take some photos over the weekend for you.


Ta again

Mungo

--
geoff

(Simon Avery) wrote in message ...

Also, if you do go for full plastic, how
are you going to maintain the side of the house? Even with crawling
boards it's very dodgy.

Make sure the first four or five feet out have plenty of support then.
Your crawl boards will need securing on any slope too. I think the box
section acetate stuff is the same as the material used in crash
helmets and is bullet proof to some extent.

A problem with poor fitting practice is creepy crawlies. So always get
the end barriers and use them.

Ta again Geoff,

geoff wrote in message ...
Slightly different principle here. You have an inverted "T" from
aluminium which butts up to the two pieces you are joining. There is
then a mushroom shaped top which slots into the "T" with barbs. You can
buy the stuff in 6 metre lengths, so there is no need to overlap down
the length.

Since I want to drain the rainwater down to the end of the carport, I'd
guess that a 6 metre length would be the way to go (presuming I can get
the twinwall in 6 metre length)?

I bought mine from PolyPlastics in Enfield (which is where
Screwfix buy it from (I think)), but there must be other distributors
oop norf.

Any non-obvious web-site you know of that Google doesn't (I will look,
I haven't yet :-) ?

I'll take some photos over the weekend for you.

Appreciated; thanks.

Mungo

Hi Simon,
Ta for the reply.

(Simon Avery) wrote in message ...
MH| Since the car port is close to a house window, I fancy using
MH| some sort of translucent/transparent sheet material to keep
MH| the light level up.

Every third or fourth sheet or so. It's hard to make these things look
nice however you work it, but light level isn't going to be a major
issue if the sides are open. Also, if you do go for full plastic, how
are you going to maintain the side of the house? Even with crawling
boards it's very dodgy.

Emmm... it won't be *that* close. The house has a leylandii hedge (clipped
to about 3 metres high) which is about 5 metres from the house window.
The carport will be about 2 metres away from the house, but I don't want
an ugly covered structure so I thought a transparent roof would be the
best.


Oh, and *do* stick to the "standard" sizes and waves, whatever you go
for. Beware end of line and non-standard stuff since when you do need
a replacement you won't be able to get one.


Good point. With Geoff's reply I'm considering twinwall instead.

Mungo

In article ,
Michael McNeil wrote:
I think the box section acetate stuff is the same as the
material used in crash helmets and is bullet proof to some
extent.

Polycarbonate not acetate. Hopefully the bullet resistance is
not of importance to the OP g

A problem with poor fitting practice is creepy crawlies. So
always get the end barriers and use them.

You need to seal them with silicon: the problem my mum found
(too late) is that if the cavities are not airtight you get
condensation which then leads to unsightly mould growth

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser
http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm

Hi Michael,
Ta for the reply.

(Michael McNeil) wrote in message . com...

A problem with poor fitting practice is creepy crawlies. So always get
the end barriers and use them.

Not required here. The carport is free standing. My current plan is
to use six posts to support the carport (the carport footprint is
three metres wide by six metres long).
Span from post to post is therefore three metres (hence the question about
how often do I need to support the roof sheets).

To hide the (presumed) ugly corrugated roof I plan to use wood as a sort
of "barge board" or "pelmet" all around the top of the carport.

Since I don't want to make the carport stick out like an ugly structure,
anyone got advice on what colour to paint the wood?
I was thinking about green, but sky blue might be better?

Thanks in advance

Mungo

In message , Mungo
Henning writes
Ta again Geoff,

geoff wrote in message
...
Slightly different principle here. You have an inverted "T" from
aluminium which butts up to the two pieces you are joining. There is
then a mushroom shaped top which slots into the "T" with barbs. You can
buy the stuff in 6 metre lengths, so there is no need to overlap down
the length.

Since I want to drain the rainwater down to the end of the carport, I'd
guess that a 6 metre length would be the way to go (presuming I can get
the twinwall in 6 metre length)?

Yes, I bought two 6 metre lengths butted together


I bought mine from PolyPlastics in Enfield (which is where
Screwfix buy it from (I think)), but there must be other distributors
oop norf.

Any non-obvious web-site you know of that Google doesn't (I will look,
I haven't yet :-) ?

I'll take some photos over the weekend for you.

Appreciated; thanks.

Mungo

--
geoff

(Mungo Henning) wrote:

Hello Mungo

Every third or fourth sheet or so. It's hard to make these
things look nice however you work it, but light level
isn't going to be a major issue if the sides are open.
Also, if you do go for full plastic, how are you going to
maintain the side of the house? Even with crawling boards
it's very dodgy.

MH| Emmm... it won't be *that* close. The house has a leylandii

Ah, gotya. Sorry, didn't read properly.

Oh, and *do* stick to the "standard" sizes and waves,
whatever you go for. Beware end of line and non-standard
stuff since when you do need a replacement you won't be
able to get one.

MH| Good point. With Geoff's reply I'm considering twinwall
MH| instead.

Better, definately. If those hedges are above the level, I suspect you
may have an algae problem on whatever transparent stuff you use - but
easily sorted once a year with a long brush and a hose.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK
uk.d-i-y FAQ: http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/