Polycarbonate Roof Installation : Everything You Need to Know

VULCAN Polycarbonate Corrugated profiles are suitable for single or multi-panel skylights or side lights in roofs and walls of metal-clad structures.
They can also be used independently as a roofing or cladding material on Shed, Gable, Hip or Dome type arrangements.

Corrugated sheets are usually installed in either single panel or multi-panel runs, independent frames, or as side-laps where the VULCAN polycarbonate sheet edge corrugation has to be installed over the corrugation of the adjoining metal panel.

Once you have just finalized the number of purlins and rafters required for the whole polycarbonate roofing, we have devised a simple, easy to use Roof Sheeting Calculator that will give you a clear idea of the number of sheets and fasteners to prepare.

Instructions for Corrugated Polycarbonate Roof Installation

1. Shed, Gable or Hip type Roofing Installation
   • VULCAN sheets should be installed at pitch rates of 10 percent (1″:10″ slope or 5.7°) or more.
   • If installed at a lower pitch, additional sealing should be applied to insure weather resistance.
   • A minimum slope of more than 5% is recommended when installing.
2. Panel Orientation –
   • For multi-panel runs, begin installation of VULCAN on the side away from wind and rain direction.
   • VULCAN polycarbonate sheet surface is UV resistant, indicated by printing on the protected side. The protected side is up when panel edges are both pointing down.
3. Fastening – Please contact your local dealer for a detailed fastening schedule of each corrugated profile.
   • Use only VULCAN Polycarbonate Crest Fixing Fasteners when VULCAN Polycarbonate sheets are installed as roof panels.
   • It is imperative that fasteners should only be fixed on crest corrugations on rooftops.
   • For multi-paneled runs, apply sealing tape over side-lap corrugation crests, where covered by the next panel.
   • Start fastening the screws from the first side-lap, starting from the lower edge purlin (end-lap).
4. Sealing VULCAN polycarbonate roofing sheets –
   Top & Bottom Contoured End Closures – Top or bottom matching closure strips close the clearance above or below the panel and its corrugations.
   
   Install as follows
   Place the closure strip at the top or bottom edge fasteners’ center-line, and insert the fasteners through the said strip so it will be held firmly in place. A few dabs of silicone could hold the strip temporarily in place until the top panel is laid and screws are inserted.
   
   
   • Location A
   Where VULCAN panel runs reach the top or bottom of roof or wall edges, or at the roof ridge, the space left between the panel’s profile and the purlin, or girt, should be closed and sealed with a contoured foam, polyethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) or expanded-polyethylene (EPE) closure strip matching the panel profile.
   
   • Location B
   Where VULCAN panels runs reach a top trim, or at a ridge-cap, a top closure strip should be used at the top edge above the panel.