Polycarbonate Roofing Sheet

Roof lights, walkway covers and daylighting — where span, load and UV orientation decide the specification.

Roofing is the largest single use of polycarbonate, and the one where specification errors are most expensive — because a roof that leaks or yellows has to be taken off again.

Three decisions drive the whole job: the span between purlins, the local snow and wind load, and which face carries the UV protection. Get those right and polycarbonate roofing lasts decades.

Polycarbonate roofing sheet on a covered walkway

Choosing the construction

Requirement	Specify
Maximum light, short spans	Solid sheet, 3–6 mm
Insulation matters (heated space)	Triple-wall or X-structure, 10–16 mm
Long spans, light frame	Honeycomb, 10–20 mm
Budget covered walkway	Twin-wall, 6–8 mm
Hail or impact risk	Solid sheet, 4 mm and above

The three failures we see most

UV face fitted downwards. The protected side is marked on the film. Installed upside down, the sheet yellows within two or three years.

Ribs running across the slope. Multiwall channels must run down the fall so condensation drains. Across the slope, water sits in the flutes and algae grows.

No allowance for thermal movement. Polycarbonate expands roughly 3 mm per metre over a 50 °C swing. Fixing holes must be oversized and screws must not be tightened down hard, or the sheet buckles in summer and cracks at the fixings.

Typical applications

Industrial roof lights and daylighting strips
Covered walkways and link corridors
Patio, terrace and pergola roofs
Stadium and grandstand covers
Agricultural building roof panels

Minimum order and lead time

This grade ships from 100 m² or 1 tonne — a trial pallet, not a full container. Standard sizes and stock colours run in 7–10 days; non-standard thickness or width in 12–18 days; add 3–7 days for CNC cut-to-size work. Quoted in USD on FOB, CIF or DDP terms. Full detail on the MOQ, lead time & shipping page.

Questions buyers ask

What thickness of polycarbonate do I need for a roof?

It is set by purlin spacing and load, not preference. As a guide, 6 mm twin-wall suits purlins around 700 mm apart; 16 mm triple-wall reaches beyond 1500 mm. Send the frame drawing and your local snow load and we will specify it.

How long does polycarbonate roofing last?

UV co-extruded sheet retains ≥ 85% light transmission after ten years and typically serves 15–20 years. Sheet without UV protection, or fitted with the UV face down, can fail in three.

Can you supply sheet cut to my exact roof lengths?

Yes — cutting to length at the factory removes site waste and offcuts entirely. Send the cutting schedule with your enquiry.

Request a quote MOQ & shipping

From the factory