The installation scheme of polycarbonate on the metal frame of the greenhouse is of interest to many summer residents today. In general, the use of this material in the arrangement of greenhouses is gaining more and more popularity. The reasons for this are its characteristic properties and duration of operation. But not all consumers who decide to purchase polycarbonate to equip a greenhouse or greenhouse, know how to properly mount it on a metal frame.
Thermowasher Application
Installation of polycarbonate on a metal frame, the instructions for which will be described in the article, can be carried out by you yourself according to one of the existing methods. For example, you can use thermowells that can play the role of primary or secondary fasteners. It is very important to purchase high-quality consumables, as well as to ensure the correct thermal gap, so that during operation the greenhouse is not covered by dirty stains and does not collapse in one season.
If polycarbonate is mounted on a metal frame with your own hands using thermal washers, then you should know that they have the shape of a fungus with a leg. The fasteners include a washer, a silicone gasket, as well as a cap, the last of which is used to decorate a self-tapping screw. It is necessary to choose a thermal washer according to the length, which should correspond to the thickness of the covering sheet, the thickness of the gasket made of special rubber should be added to this value. It is located between the fastener head and the polycarbonate sheet.
Features of fastening with thermowells
A self-tapping screw should be installed in the holes of the thermal washer, attracting the thermal washer to the frame system. The fastener foot should abut against the frame, not allowing the self-tapping screw to damage the sheet of covering material. When the temperature changes, polycarbonate will move freely in the equipped gap. After the installation is completed, the thermowells must be closed with caps, and before installation, drill holes four centimeters distant from the sheet edge.
For reference
If you decide to install polycarbonate on a metal frame, the instructions must be followed by you. But it is also important to choose thermowells; products of different colors are on sale. They can be made of different materials: polycarbonate, plastic, plastic with UV stabilization with a silicone or plastic gasket.
Specialist tips for attaching polycarbonate with thermal washers
Before purchasing plastic thermowells that are protected from the effects of the sun, you should consider that their service life can be up to 8 years. For fixing to a metal supporting frame, it is recommended to use 5 mm self-tapping screws with a cap and a drill for a hexagonal bit.
If you use a screwdriver when installing the covering material, this will facilitate the screwing of the fasteners into the metal. When installing stainless screws in the metal frame of the greenhouse, you must ensure that the washers do not cause damage to the polycarbonate. By the same principle, you can install the end walls and doors to the metal profile, while the roof should be made in the form of an arch. Polycarbonate can be mounted on a metal frame using polycarbonate thermowells. Their service life is much longer than the above and is fifteen years.
Install polycarbonate on the connection profile
In order to join the sheets together, you should use a connecting profile. Before purchasing it, it is important to consider what will be the thickness of the sheet. The length of these elements is standard and is six meters. The consumables described are made integral or detachable. The first variety is made of the same polycarbonate, which has the corresponding colors. Among the advantages, it is necessary to highlight a fairly strong and dense connection of sheets at low cost. However, the profile also has its drawbacks, which are expressed in the fact that it will be difficult to connect the sheets, which is especially true for the case when the slope of the structure is more than 3 m.
Instructions for attaching sheets using a connecting profile
The installation of cellular polycarbonate on a metal frame using a connecting profile is carried out according to a certain technology. It provides for the fastening of panels by installing them in a groove of an integral profile. The latter should be equal in thickness to the corresponding value inherent in the covering material. Then the profile is attached to the frame using self-tapping screws with thermal washers.
Features of the split profile
The split profile is made of polycarbonate and has 2 parts, one of them is represented by a cover, the other by a base. The last element is fixed to the frame in those places where the sheets are joined together. The peculiarity of the process is that the system of the entire structure should be wider in comparison with the base of the connecting profile. This is necessary so that the sheets do not jump out of the joint if the roof is covered with snow.
Fastening polycarbonate with a split profile
If you decide to install polycarbonate on the metal frame of the old greenhouse using a split profile, you should familiarize yourself with the design features of this element in more detail. It includes a snap-on lid and a lower element. In the latter, using a drill or screwdriver, drill holes with a larger diameter compared to the diameter of the fasteners. The last will be a self-tapping screw. Then the element is fixed to the longitudinal support of the frame system, then sealant should be applied to it on both sides, which will allow installing a sheet with a mandatory gap in these places, the width of which should be five millimeters. A profile cover should be laid on top, the lock of which can be actuated using a conventional rubber mallet. At the final stage, it is necessary to close the end parts with special plugs.
For reference
If you decided to install polycarbonate on the metal frame of the greenhouse using a connecting detachable profile, then the sheets should be selected so that their thickness varies from 4 to 20 millimeters. Their cost is slightly higher, but due to the corresponding number of ribs, they are stronger and more reliable. This is especially true of the stage when the greenhouse roof is installed.
Using aluminum profile
Installation of polycarbonate on a metal frame from a corner can be carried out using an aluminum profile, this method is the most expensive and complicated. In terms of waterproofing, it is ideal and can act as a bearing base for walls or roofs. This is true if it has a special shape for such loads.
During installation, the lower profile should be mounted first, sheets of polycarbonate, which were previously cut to size, are installed on it. Only then can we proceed to the installation of the top cover fixed by self-tapping screws. The aluminum profile has grooves where the rubber seal is installed, it is designed to protect against leaks and condensation, which is why it lasts a long time.
If you want to mount polycarbonate on a metal frame, the instructions presented in the article will help you with this. Using an aluminum frame, it will be possible to create a more attractive design that eliminates the presence of cold bridges. This system belongs to the warm group and has excellent sealing qualities at the joints of the sheets.
Recommendations for installing polycarbonate on an aluminum profile
Those craftsmen who decided to use the above methodology when carrying out work should take into account that the profile should not squeeze the sheets too much, otherwise the thermal expansion of the paintings will be impaired, over time, the entire structure will begin to collapse.
If you decide to install polycarbonate on a metal frame, the instructions for you should be studied. This will create a greenhouse ready to last a long time. Using an aluminum profile, the sheets are mounted at right angles. To do this, use the corner elements that perfectly hold the panels. To connect the sheets in one plane, a wall profile should be used, which is widely used in the construction of the roof ridge. At the same time, the ridge capture should not be more than four centimeters.