Polycarbonates are widely used as a building material in various fields. In the household, it is used to make cladding, roofs and walls of greenhouses. In this case, we will consider the technology for installing an automobile canopy made of polycarbonate, which can be implemented independently, without the help of specialists.
Canopy Design
Before you begin preparation for installation operations, you must outline at least a rough plan of action with tactics of work and the parameters of the object. Initially, it is determined for which car and in what quantity the structure will be used. A width of 2.5-3 m with a length of 5-6 m can be expected per car. With the same length, a polycarbonate car canopy for 2 cars will have to have a width of at least 5 m, and preferably 6 m. Guest canopies are made with a small margin in size - up to 10 m. In general, it is desirable to design massive structures as an extension to the house. This construction will be more reliable and more practical in operation.
Also, at the stage of creating the plan, the optimal place for the construction of the canopy is selected . In his choice, the principle of maximum proximity to the house or garage from the entrance should be adhered to. The traffic area should be removed from the garden or plot with green spaces and the rear entrance for reasons of comfort and environmental background. Of course, if this does not contradict the security conditions.
Design Options
Within the framework of the allocated site, it will be possible to build canopies of different structural design. They differ in shape, geometric configuration of lines, aesthetic qualities, etc. Traditionally, an arched canopy of an arcuate shape is popular. It has a completely organic design, an optimized base structure and a reliable roof, but there are other options for awnings, which also have some advantages:
- Slippery. A simple solution that is the easiest to build and does not require complex installation operations during decoration. One slope is guided on a flat plane without joints at a slope of 10-15 degrees. The optimal design in terms of pairing with the wall of the house.
- Multi-slope. This option is suitable if you plan to service 2 cars and there is no possibility of extension to the house. Two slopes will form a reliable hinged base with a width of more than 5 m.
- Complicated. This is a broad concept of constructions of various forms, in which the presence of non-standard joint nodes and transition levels is assumed. The need for complex car canopies made of polycarbonate can be due to various reasons - from the peculiarities of the installation conditions of the structure on the chosen site to the desire to improve the aesthetic properties of the structure. As practice shows, awnings with intricate shapes and custom layouts provide much more opportunities for further stylistic design. But these nuances should be thought out in advance.
How to choose polycarbonate for a canopy?
There will be several selection criteria. First you need to decide on the structure of the material. Polycarbonate is cellular (with empty cells inside) and monolithic. The first panels will benefit from a modest weight, which will make the supporting structure more reliable, reducing the load on the supporting elements. But the monolithic sheet of polycarbonate itself is stronger and can withstand strong mechanical stresses. In both cases, the sheet thickness parameter will be important. For a relatively small arched canopy, you can choose an 8 mm panel, which will provide a significant radius of curvature. Pitched structures can be made with sheets of thickness 8-12 mm. But unlike rounded roofs, for such structures there are no restrictions on the use of monolithic polycarbonate. A dense panel can withstand rainfall and snow loads even with a thickness of 4-6 mm.
Preparation for work activities
Before starting work, prepare the necessary material and working tool. It is advisable to immediately divide polycarbonate into segments for laying on a canopy at designated points. Cutting the material into pieces will facilitate physical handling. Cutting is carried out with a jigsaw, a grinder with a corresponding circle or a hacksaw for metal. Do-it-yourself installation of a polycarbonate carport will also require a measuring tool, a screwdriver, a hammer with a mallet, hardware of the appropriate size and accessories depending on the conditions of the work.
Next, the territory is cleared. Installation of the canopy can only be done on the territory without debris, stumps, vegetation and other objects that impede construction work.
Foundation device
The foundation foundation can form a common bearing base with a canopy frame or be laid separately. But in any case, the skeleton of the canopy will need a platform on which all the structural loads will be transferred. As such, a columnar power belt system can be used. Piles with a pitch of 70-100 cm are installed along the perimeter of the site. Screw metal rods with a diameter of 5 cm can be used. For a car canopy made of polycarbonate, a depth of columns at a level of 100 cm is sufficient. In this case, the installation well must be cement-sand mortar strengthened. The binding is done with wooden or metal beams. That is, the connection of the installed pillars is made with each other in order to strengthen the base.
Mounting mounting structure
The frame system can be mounted from metal or wooden elements. More reliable, of course, is the first option in the form of a pipe, corner or channel. The main thing is that the supporting posts for the canopy meet the requirements for the design of rigidity and stability. If metal is used, it is necessary to pre-treat it with an anti-corrosion compound.
Direct installation is carried out in the following sequence:
- Carrying poles for a canopy are prepared.
- Each post is welded to the strapping system using metal safety plates. The installation step of the column should be 1.5-2 m.
- The frame is horizontally strapped at the top. And here it is important to answer the question of how to build a polycarbonate carport to minimize the load on the top of the structure. Even without taking into account the mass of plastic panels, the load will be created by a metal rafter system. In order to minimize pressure from it, a reliable base of ceilings should be built, directly resting on poles. Further, this will allow the installation of more complex rafter systems for fixing panels using small-sized profile elements.
- The reliability of the butt joints is checked, after which the structure is painted.
Fastening Polycarbonate Sheets
Pre-cut parts of the panels are laid on the profiles of the supporting structure. Mechanical fixation is carried out with self-tapping screws with temperature compensating washers, which level the linear expansion of the plastic under the influence of sunlight. Fixation points should be placed in increments of 40 cm so that there is still room at the edges of 4-5 cm.
If a car-type polycarbonate canopy is covered, mounting holes should be made only inside empty cells. In the case of a monolith, it is desirable to drill the material even before being laid with an electric drill.
Roof profile mount
Optimum reliability of fastening to the coating can be given only if profile fixation is performed. This part of the work is performed according to the following instructions:
- Using self-tapping screws, the profile base is attached to the frame elements. On the surface, the profiles are also distributed in increments of the order of 30-40 cm.
- The panels are entered into the database of profiles at the ends by 2-3 cm. At this stage, too, do not forget about the expansion of the material. In particular, the polycarbonate for the canopy should be laid so that between it and the clamping elements of the profiles there are several free millimeters.
- A metal cover is laid over the mounted structure and closed.
Canopy finish
At this stage, the final completion of the structure from debris, dust and moisture is performed. To protect the honeycomb sheet at the edges, special tapes with microfilters are used, providing not dense, but ventilated insulation. Seams, joints and joints are covered with an aluminum sealing tape with a self-adhesive base.
In general, in order to minimize various kinds of docking assemblies in the manufacture of polycarbonate car canopies, special additional elements are widely used. It can be arched, angular, connecting and wall fittings, which increase the integrity of the surface and make the roof physically more resistant.
Pros and Cons of Canopies with Polycarbonate Roof
Hinged structures for car parks are made not only with the use of polycarbonate. A metal profile is also widely used, which demonstrates the attractive qualities of strength and durability. Due to what, against this background, car canopies made of polycarbonate win? This variety of plastic panels has a unique combination of flexibility, rigidity and lightness. This combination of properties makes the material practical, versatile and easy to install. However, there are serious disadvantages of polycarbonate. They consist in the aforementioned tendency to thermal expansion, sensitivity to abrasives, due to which visible scratches form, and that the material cannot be classified as environmentally friendly.
Conclusion
A polycarbonate roof is a solution that pays off in many ways. In the design of the canopy, this is especially evident, since the material allows you to build a lightweight frame with minimal financial and labor resources. But how do polycarbonate carports manifest themselves during operation? Much will depend on the technical and physical properties of a particular panel, but many manufacturers recommend protecting the material from direct sunlight and severe frost. This is done using special overlays and film coatings. It is also recommended to periodically perform fine-grained grinding of the roof surface, which will allow it to maintain its decent appearance without visible damage, chips and scratches.