Polycarbonate Panel Types and Applications

Polycarbonate is a transparent thermoplastic that’s ideal for many construction applications because of its unique properties. It’s an exceptional alternative to glass because it’s lightweight, strong, and durable, overcoming many of glass’s disadvantages. While you may already be using polycarbonate in your building projects, there may be additional uses to consider.

Polycarbonate Panel Features

Versatility: Polycarbonate panels can be used for a wide range of uses construction, often providing many of the advantages of glass, while eliminating its disadvantages, such as its brittleness and heavier weight.

Transparency: Polycarbonate can be as clear as glass, providing superb light transmission while providing strength.

Impact Resistance: Polycarbonate is as much as 200 times stronger than glass, making it ideal for high-impact or high-security applications.

Durability: Polycarbonate is resistant to extreme temperatures and weather conditions. While it is resistant to many chemicals, it is susceptible to others.

Lightweight: Polycarbonate is much lighter than glass, making it easier to transport and install.

Resistance to Extreme Temperatures: Clear polycarbonate withstands temperatures from approximately -40°F to 248°F. Within these temperature ranges, it doesn’t become brittle in the cold and doesn’t warp, buckle, deform, or become softened by heat.

Insulation: Multiwall polycarbonate panels feature air spaces, which provides excellent insulation and energy efficiency.

UV Protection: Depending on its intended application, such as covering a greenhouse, some polycarbonate has an extra layer of UV protection, which filters out harmful rays from the sun and protects the polycarbonate from breaking down.

Polycarbonate Panel Applications

Solid Panels

Solid panels are a single thickness. like a single pane of glass but are stronger and lighter. They have high impact resistance and are often used where transparency and strength are most important.

***Corrugated panels .***
Photo courtesy of Amerilux International.

Applications

Skylights and Glazing: Solid panels are Ideal for transparent or translucent roofing, allowing natural light while providing impact resistance.

Canopies and Awnings: Solid polycarbonate provides protection from the elements while featuring natural light.

Interior Partitions: Solid panels can be used for office partitions where light transmission is important.

Safety and Security Windows: They are also used in areas requiring extra strength, such as banks, schools, and prisons.

Multiwall Panels

Multiwall panels have multiple layers with air spaces between them that create thermal insulation. They provide good strength yet are lightweight.

Applications

Greenhouses: Multiwall UV-protected panels are often used for greenhouse roofs and walls because they allow light transmission, provide thermal insulation that helps maintain ideal temperatures with less energy, and filter out UV rays that could harm both plants and people.

Skylights: These panels are used in skylights, such as in public areas like sports arenas and commercial structures, where both natural light and thermal insulation are desirable.

Soundproofing: Because multiwall panels have air spaces, they can help deaden sound, in areas where quiet spaces are needed.

Cladding and Facades: Multiwall panel are used for exterior facades where both light and insulation are needed.

Corrugated Panels

Corrugated panels are ridged or wavy and are flexible yet strong. They are commonly used for roofing and siding because they drain rain and water well. They also have a high resistance to impact, which is important for these areas, which are so vulnerable to storms and high winds.

Applications

Roofing for Sheds and Warehouses: Corrugated panels are a durable and weather-resistant roofing option for industrial and agricultural buildings, as they are designed primarily for their functional benefit than for aesthetics.

Carports and Pergolas: They are also used in some smaller, special-use residential structures.

Textured Panels

Textured panels have a rough, patterned surface that diffuses light and reduces glare. They’re translucent, rather than transparent, to allow both natural light and privacy.

Applications

Privacy Panels: Textured panels are ideal for windows or partitions in which light is needed but visibility needs to be reduced, such as in bathrooms or offices.

Patios and Balcony Roofing: These panels provide diffused light while maintaining privacy.

UV-Protected Panels

UV-protected panels have a coating that protects them yellowing, brittleness, and degradation because of UV-light.

Applications

Greenhouses: UV-protected panels extend the life of greenhouse roofing by reducing the brittleness that leads to cracking and resisting discoloration. They also reduce UV light, which helps protect plants and screen people from skin and eye damage.

Outdoor Glazing and Roofing: UV-protected panels are also good for other outdoor structures exposed to sunlight, such as stadiums, conservatories, and pergolas.

Facades and Windows: These panels can be used in building facades and windows that need extra protection from the damaging rays of sunlight.

Flame-Retardant Panels

Flame-retardant panels are either manufactured with or are treated with flame-retardant substances to prevent them from burning or help slow the spread of fire. Some flame-retardant panels, but not all, also reduce the release of toxic gases during a fire.

Applications

Fire-Resistant Partitions: Flame-retardant panels can be used in areas that require fire-rated materials.

Machinery Covers: These panels are used in industries with fire hazards. The polycarbonate covers provide both visibility and fire protection.

Colored Panels

These panels are available in a wide variety of colors, providing an attractive look as well as functionality. They are available in both opaque and translucent options, based on the amount of light needed.

Applications

Architectural Design Features: Colored panels are used in partitions, facades, and other elements where vibrant color and durability is desired.

Roofing: These panels add color to exterior roofing and decorative structures while offering weather resistance and shade.

Flexible Panels

Thinner polycarbonate panels can be bent without breaking, which makes them useful for curved or irregularly shaped structures.

Applications

Curved Roofs and Skylights: Flexible panels are used in curved roofing structures and domes.

Architectural Features: They are ideal for custom designs with non-standard shapes.

Polycarbonate panels have a wide range of interior and exterior applications in construction, and are growing in popularity, making it a favorite construction material due to its advantages and lower long-term cost. RB