If you are planning to manufacture any structures from a material such as polycarbonate, for example, awnings and canopies, then you should know that the protective film is attached to the polycarbonate sheet using a special glue. Prolonged exposure of the polycarbonate sheet, for example, under direct sunny sheets or in the open air, directly provokes a very strong adhesion of the surface of the material and the film, and this significantly complicates its further removal. It is best to remove the protective film immediately after installing the structure.
The use of various techniques for installing sheets of polycarbonate not provided for by the manufacturer of polycarbonate, for example, such as: welding, bending along stiffeners, bending with a notch, gluing - all these techniques relieve the polycarbonate manufacturer from all responsibility for the reliability and strength of the material used, even if you were able to buy high quality monolithic polycarbonate.
When storing polycarbonate sheets in the open air, there is a danger that the sheet will be turned to the sun exactly the side on which there is no ultraviolet protection at all. This, in the end, in addition to the strong adhesion of the protective film, as mentioned above, will also lead to yellowing of the sheet, a decrease in its performance characteristics, or even to its complete destruction. In addition, it is impossible to store polycarbonate sheets with unprotected ends - it is its open ends that significantly contribute to the ingress of moisture, dust and dirt into the honeycomb of the polycarbonate sheet. All these factors significantly contribute to a large decrease in the durability of the polycarbonate product and, naturally, put its strength at risk.
In addition, there are quite significant mistakes that are made when transporting polycarbonate sheets. The main and most common mistake in the transportation of polycarbonate products today is rolling them into rolls of a much smaller radius than is allowed for the thickness of a particular sheet. This, naturally, provokes the appearance of breaks and cracks on the surface of the sheet and significantly reduces the ability of the polycarbonate sheet to bear a certain load during the construction made from it.
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Polycarbonate is a hard, colorless polymer plastic that is used in the form of granules. Due to its insulating properties and impact resistance, this material has found wide application in construction. If you decide to use it, then you should first find out if you need to remove the protective film from the polycarbonate.
This material has already become quite widespread and popular not only in the construction market, but also in other areas of human activity. But, before proceeding with the description of the merits of the material, it is worth noting that, unfortunately, it is not without its drawbacks. And although the first is much more, the second is also worth considering when choosing a material.
Advantages
- Durability and high fire resistance. This material practically does not burn, and its resistance to mechanical stress is 20 times higher than that of glass;
- It is impossible not to note the thermal insulation properties of the material, which are provided due to its structure;
- Polycarbonate is produced in sheets that are available in a wide range of colors and protected with a film that must be removed before use. Buyers can purchase material from standard yellow to exclusive colors such as metallic and bronze. If you do not find a suitable one among the wide range of color shades, then in this case a colored film will come to the rescue, which can be glued to the glass. True, over time, it can come off or lose its color. It is better to dwell on polycarbonate, because during its production, special dyes are used that do not change their color over time;
- Polycarbonate can be compared to metal, since it is not much inferior to it in terms of strength. But, at the same time, in comparison with metal, this raw material is much lighter, does not corrode and easily takes the required shape.
disadvantages
Not without flaws. These include:
- The capriciousness of the material during processing and the fear of scratches. And although the damage received is most often not very noticeable and does not create much interference during work, this is not a very pleasant quality;
- The material is afraid of ultraviolet rays, which can lead to its destruction. To prevent this, during the production of raw materials, a special protective film is extruded, which adheres tightly to the sheet. Here it is important to know how to determine the sides of polycarbonate before applying it;
- Another property of the material is its ability to contract and expand. This should be taken into account when using polycarbonate and when installing structures to provide for a "thermal gap".
Life time
The service life depends on many factors. Most often, manufacturers give a ten-year guarantee, which applies to raw materials made from high quality raw materials. But with proper operation, this period can be significantly increased. Such material is not cheap, but you can also choose a cheaper option, when polycarbonate is obtained by mixing primary raw materials and secondary ones obtained as a result of recycling discarded sheets, as shown in the photo. Cheap varieties do not guarantee you a long service life, so when choosing, you need to decide what comes first for you - price or quality, especially if you are going to build a greenhouse.
Bending sheets
During installation, bending of sheets of any kind of polycarbonate should be avoided. The only thing that can be allowed in case of emergency is to bend strictly along the channel line, that is, along the long side of the sheet.
Removing the protective film
All sheets are protected by a special film that protects the material from scratches during loading and unloading, transportation and installation. It is recommended to remove it immediately after installation in order to prevent its tight adhesion to the material, which in the future will make the process of its removal rather problematic.
Parties
It is important to determine the front sides of the polycarbonate in advance. This is not difficult to do, since it is on them that the protective film is located, as can be seen in the photo. In this case, there are several options for fastening the material:
- transparent film applied on both sides - the material is completely protected from the effects of ultraviolet rays;
- the film is applied only on one side, and the marking is applied on the other. It is easy to determine which side to lay polycarbonate - such a sheet should be directed to the sun's rays with the marked side, as seen in the photo;
- the marking is applied on both sides - the material is perfectly protected from UV radiation on both sides.
Let's sum up
To appreciate all the advantages of polycarbonate, it must be purchased and used in construction work. By listening to our advice, you can be sure that the material will last a long time and justify every penny spent on it.
After buying polycarbonate, many people ask themselves the question - is it necessary to rip off the film from it after installation, because with it the design looks more colorful and attractive? You can see very colorful film coverings on some areas of private houses, which depict fruits, vegetables or other objects. When a person mounts a structure made of this material for the first time, he is cast into doubts about its beautiful appearance - remove the film or leave it for decoration? On the one hand, the film is pleasing to the eye, and on the other, will it harm you? So the correct answer to this question is, of course, it is necessary, otherwise some problems may arise with the material later. By the way, if you need polycarbonate, follow this link http://unistframe.ru/catalog/monolitnyy-polikarbonat/.
The film on the sheets is exclusively for transportation; it protects their surface during transportation and storage in a warehouse. Once the film has been purchased and installed in its place, it is no longer needed. Sometimes people who are not very knowledgeable in this matter take the transport protective layer for a film designed to protect the sheet from ultraviolet radiation. For reference, the UV-retaining layer is transparent, very difficult to see with the naked eye and very difficult to erase. Therefore, do not worry that you will remove the UV protection along with the protective film.
Cellular or monolithic polycarbonate from the inside and outside
Cellular or monolithic polycarbonate has an outer surface and an inner one. On the outside, as a rule, the name of the brand, manufacturer, product warranty and data on the available protection against UV rays are applied. This side is always colored, sometimes even decorated with drawings.
If you do not remove this colored film, the dark areas of the pattern applied to it will firmly adhere to the polycarbonate, dismantling the film, covered with rags, darkened and lost all its appearance, becomes quite problematic. In this situation, together with the protective film, the sun protection can also be dismantled, the film will firmly stick to it and damage it. In addition, in winter, it will slow down the snow, while on a clean surface it would easily come off.
Do I need to remove the film from the polycarbonate on the inside of the sheet? Here the coating is most often completely transparent, but you also need to remove it, since the film traps light. If you leave it, then in a couple of years it will disrupt the appearance of the product.
What is the difference between standard polycarbonate and lightweight polycarbonate. Want to install on a pitched roof?
The thickness of the ribs of the lightweight sheet is less and the bearing capacity is lower. On roof structures exposed to snow loads, it is necessary to reduce the pitch of the sheathing.
How can scratches be removed from polycarbonate?
Minor scratches can be removed or made less noticeable with polishing or a special polishing paste.
What is the best polycarbonate for a greenhouse? Do you need UV protection? What sheet thickness should you use?
Co-extrusion UV protection is necessary to keep the polycarbonate transparent and strong for a long time. Without such protection, the sheets are destroyed, as a rule, within 1-2 years. As for the thickness of the sheet, it all depends on the shape and size. Polycarbonate is usually used with a thickness of 4mm to 8mm.
How to properly store cellular polycarbonate
Preferably kept inside closed room... When storing outdoors, care should be taken to cover sun-proof (cardboard, wooden box, etc.). To prevent the top plates from being blown away by the wind, the load is stacked on topeg heavy boards. Do not cover the boards with PVC cover. The boards should be stored on a pallet (boards must not touch the ground).
Explain about the thermal expansion of polycarbonate.
The coefficient of linear thermal expansion for polycarbonate is 7.10-5 K-1 \u003d 0.00007 m / m. ° C \u003d 0.07 mm / m. ° C, that is, when the temperature changes by 1 ° C, each linear meter of the sheet decreases or increases in all directions by 0.07 mm.
Calculation example: when installing a sheet of cellular polycarbonate in a rigid structure 10 meters long and with a temperature difference during the year in central Russia of 70 ° C (from -30 ° C to + 40 ° C), the gap between the sheet and the structure is 49 mm (0, 07x10x70 \u003d 49 mm). The minimum tolerance recommended for cellular polycarbonate sheets is 3.5 mm for each meter of length or width - the calculation is based on a temperature difference of 50 ° C. The diameter of the holes for fastening bolts or screws must be 1.5 times larger than the diameter of the bolt.
I want to mount the sheets horizontally.
Mount slabs cellular polycarbonate follows in the direction of the longitudinal stiffeners, either vertically or along the slope of the covering, but not horizontal.
Do I need to peel off the top film from the polycarbonate sheets?
Slabs cellular polycarbonate covered with plastic wrap to protect against contamination and mechanical damage that may occur during shipment, transportation and assembly. The film should be left on the plate until the end of assembly and be sure to remove at the end of the work.
How and how to cut cellular polycarbonate?
Cutting is done with a circular saw or an electric jigsaw with teeth at an angle close to 30 °. The sawdust that forms during the sawing process should be thoroughly cleaned with a jet of air under pressure or in any other way available. During cutting, the cellular polycarbonate board should be firmly pressed against the table surface to prevent vibration or shearing. If it is necessary to cut slabs of small thickness (10 mm and below), you can use a construction knife.
Please advise which sealants to use?
100% silicone sealant. Important! sealant without acrylic, ammonia, antifungal or other additives that can damage the polycarbonate. DO NOT use polyurethane foam. It leads to deformation of the coating.
How do different thicknesses of cellular polycarbonate bend?
Minimum bending radii for slabs.
How to clean polycarbonate after winter?
- pour warm water over the plates;
- use a soft brush (rag) and warm soapy water when washing;
- do not use a knife or other sharp objects;
- rinse off the soap under running water and wipe off so that no stains remain.
Polycarbonate is a hard, colorless polymer plastic that is used in the form of granules. Due to its insulating properties and impact resistance, this material has found wide application in construction. If you decide to use it, then you should first find out if you need to remove the protective film from the polycarbonate.
This material has already become quite widespread and popular not only in the construction market, but also in other areas of human activity. But, before proceeding with the description of the merits of the material, it is worth noting that, unfortunately, it is not without its drawbacks. And although the first is much more, the second is also worth considering when choosing a material.
Advantages
- Durability and high fire resistance. This material practically does not burn, and its resistance to mechanical stress is 20 times higher than that of glass;
- It is impossible not to note the thermal insulation properties of the material, which are provided due to its structure;
- Polycarbonate is produced in sheets that are available in a wide range of colors and protected with a film that must be removed before use. Buyers can purchase material from standard yellow to exclusive colors such as metallic and bronze. If you do not find a suitable one among the wide range of color shades, then in this case a colored film will come to the rescue, which can be glued to the glass. True, over time, it can come off or lose its color. It is better to dwell on polycarbonate, because during its production, special dyes are used that do not change their color over time;
- Polycarbonate can be compared to metal, since it is not much inferior to it in terms of strength. But, at the same time, in comparison with metal, this raw material is much lighter, does not corrode and easily takes the required shape.
disadvantages
Not without flaws. These include:
- The capriciousness of the material during processing and the fear of scratches. And although the damage received is most often not very noticeable and does not create much interference during work, this is not a very pleasant quality;
- The material is afraid of ultraviolet rays, which can lead to its destruction. To prevent this, during the production of raw materials, a special protective film is extruded, which adheres tightly to the sheet. Here it is important to know how to determine the sides of polycarbonate before applying it;
- Another property of the material is its ability to contract and expand. This should be taken into account when using polycarbonate and when installing structures to provide for a "thermal gap".
Life time
The service life depends on many factors. Most often, manufacturers give a ten-year guarantee, which applies to raw materials made from high quality raw materials. But with proper operation, this period can be significantly increased. Such material is not cheap, but you can also choose a cheaper option, when polycarbonate is obtained by mixing primary raw materials and secondary ones obtained as a result of recycling discarded sheets, as shown in the photo. Cheap varieties do not guarantee you a long service life, so when choosing, you need to decide what comes first for you - price or quality, especially if you are going to build a greenhouse.
Bending sheets
Bending of any kind of polycarbonate sheet should be avoided during installation. The only thing that can be allowed in case of emergency is to bend strictly along the channel line, that is, along the long side of the sheet.
Removing the protective film
All sheets are protected by a special film that protects the material from scratches during loading and unloading, transportation and installation. It is recommended to remove it immediately after installation in order to prevent its tight adhesion to the material, which in the future will make the process of its removal rather problematic.
It is important to determine the front sides of the polycarbonate in advance. This is not difficult to do, since it is on them that the protective film is located, as can be seen in the photo. In this case, there are several options for fastening the material:
- transparent film applied on both sides - the material is completely protected from the effects of ultraviolet rays;
- the film is applied only on one side, and the marking is applied on the other. It is easy to determine which side to lay polycarbonate - such a sheet should be directed to the sun's rays with the marked side, as seen in the photo;
- the marking is applied on both sides - the material is perfectly protected from UV radiation on both sides.
Let's sum up
To appreciate all the advantages of polycarbonate, it must be purchased and used in construction work. By listening to our advice, you can be sure that the material will last a long time and justify every penny spent on it.
Do I need to remove the film from polycarbonate
When purchasing polycarbonate, the buyer often asks the question: is it necessary to remove the film from polycarbonate?
Sometimes we see in summer cottages or even at construction sites in the city, how such a colorful polycarbonate stands, covered with a film with drawings of such cute tomatoes. And a person who first encounters this plastic begins to doubt whether to get rid of the film or leave it all, so beautiful with inscriptions, because with it the design seems to be more pleasing to the eye?
The correct answer is to shoot the film, otherwise there will be problems.
It is just a transport film that protects the sheets during transport and storage, so it should be removed when the sheets are no longer planned to move. Some summer residents confuse the shipping film with a protective UV layer, which protects the sheet from ultraviolet radiation. The UV layer is invisible and will not peel off, you cannot accidentally remove it, so do not worry about it.
It is necessary to remove the film covering on both sides and do this immediately before installation. It is important for you to remember or even mark with a marker on which side of the sheet the UV protection is located (this information is on the transport film you remove) and lay this side out, towards the sun.
In fact, this is the most important thing - not to confuse the side with UV protection. In a hurry and in the hustle and bustle of the country, you just need to distract a little and confuse the sides, then you can forget about the long service life of polycarbonate and its guarantee.
And what will happen if you do not remove the film from the polycarbonate? There will be nothing good, we will tell about it below.
Outside polycarbonate film
On the outside of the sheet on the film coating, the brand, manufacturer, warranty, and information about UV protection are indicated. That is, it is colored, or even with drawings.
If you do not remove the film from the outside of the polycarbonate, then it will literally stick to the polycarbonate sheet with the dark areas of the pattern and it will be difficult to remove it later, which has already become ugly and in rags. And, moreover, by leaving the outer film on the sheet, you endanger the safety of the UV protection layer - it will stick to it and then come off only with it.
In winter, the film left behind will trap the snow, but without it it would be much easier to slide off the polycarbonate sheet.
Film on the inside of the sheet
On the inside of the sheet, the film is usually completely transparent. It should also be removed in order to increase the light transmission of the sheet. Well, if you don't take it off, then in two years it can ruin the appearance of your nurse or shed.
In general, do not make yourself unnecessary trouble, feel free to remove the shipping film from the polycarbonate.
Do I need to remove the film from polycarbonate
When purchasing polycarbonate, the buyer often asks the question: is it necessary to remove the film from polycarbonate?
Installation instructions
When installing polycarbonate, we usually deal with with three types of designs:
- arched (in this case, the sheet is bent by a certain radius);
- vertical;
- horizontal.
Arched structures require particularly careful and accurate installation. Each sheet thickness has its own minimum bending radius, which should never be exceeded, otherwise, if the linear dimensions change under the influence of temperature, the sheet may crack at the attachment points, or burst at the bend.
Horizontal and vertical (as well as inclined) installation is carried out taking into account:
- significant thermal expansion of the polycarbonate sheet;
- the need to install sealing elements;
- location and nature of protection against ultraviolet radiation (it can be film - one- and two-sided - and protection in the mass, created using special additives before extrusion).
Wherever it is necessary to drill a hole for a fastener, the area without protective film (if any) should be kept to a minimum. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that when the UV protection is placed on one side, the film is located on the outer surface of the sheet.
Polycarbonate sheets are attached to the frame using ordinary self-tapping screws, which are supplemented with an important element - a thermal washer, the inner diameter of which is larger than the outer diameter of a self-tapping screw or other fastening element. The washer allows you to compensate for the thermal expansion of the material: by contracting and expanding, it remains securely fixed.
Taking into account the gap between the edges of the sheet and the frame elements limiting it from the sides (if any) is also very important - the gap is left again so that the polycarbonate has room to expand when heated.
Can honeycomb polycarbonate sheets be bent?
Bending of cellular polycarbonate panels is allowed only along the line of channels, i.e. along the long side of the sheet. The bending radius should be 175 times the thickness of the sheet being bent.
Why cover the ends of the polycarbonate?
In order for your polycarbonate to remain clean and transparent, you need to close the ends of the sheets. The ends are closed as follows: the upper open ends - with a sealing tape and an end profile to prevent the ingress of water, dust and snow, the lower ends - with a special perforated tape that does not impede air circulation and an end profile.
Do I need to remove the protective film?
You remove the protective film from the surface of the sheet after the installation is completed.
It is necessary to protect sheets during loading and unloading, transportation and installation. If you leave it, then under the influence of the sun after a while it can stick to the sheet, and it will be problematic to tear it off in the future.
Which side to fix cellular polycarbonate to the sun?
The front side of the polycarbonate is identified by the factory protective film on the sheet.
Several options can be distinguished:
- the film is transparent on both sides - the sheet is evenly protected from ultraviolet radiation in the mass;
- the film is transparent on one side, marked on the other (sheets made in Russia) - to the sun with the marked side;
- the film is transparent on one side, marked on the other side (brand LEXAN, Austria) - the sheet is protected on both sides;
- the film is marked on both sides - the sheet is protected on both sides.
Do I need to remove the protective film from the cellular polycarbonate?
When a greenhouse is made from it.
Yes, you need to shoot. This protective film protects polycarbonate from mechanical damage during installation. But at the same time, one must not forget that one side of cellular polycarbonate has protection from ultraviolet radiation, and it is necessary to mount the sheets with this side outward, otherwise the polycarbonate will collapse over time from ultraviolet radiation. Usually, the UV protected side is covered with a blue film, and the unprotected side is covered with white.
The mounting protective film must be removed without fail, otherwise it will be very, very difficult to remove it later, but this must be done only after delivery and installation, it is not necessary to remove it earlier.
Initially, this protective film was applied only to protect it from scratches during loading and transportation.
The protective film on the cellular polycarbonate is designed to protect it during transportation. After installation, this film will need to be removed.
Otherwise, it can simply "solder" to the surface in the sun and then it becomes more difficult to remove it.
You shouldn't worry about the polycarbonate itself, of course, if you bought a good and high-quality one. Since good cellular polycarbonate has a protective layer from UV radiation (front side), which protects the polycarbonate itself from burning out, drying out, yellowing and cracking.
Do I need to remove the protective film from the cellular polycarbonate?
Yes, you need to shoot. This protective film protects polycarbonate from mechanical damage during installation. But at the same time, one must not forget that one side of cellular polycarbonate has protection