Polycarbonate and acrylic roofing sheets are both viable options for various garden roofs, extensions and greenhouses. In this short and helpful guide, we’ll look at the differences between the two and which is the best option for you.
Acrylic Roofing Sheets
Acrylic roofing sheets are a valid option for roofs but have their limitations compared to polycarbonate sheets. For example, acrylic sheets are typically 10 times stronger than glass sheets; however, polycarbonate is 250 times stronger than glass. Price-wise you may be able to save a few pennies buying acrylic, but if you’re looking for overall built quality, then polycarbonate will be your winner.
Polycarbonate Roofing Sheets
Choosing polycarbonate sheets over acrylic is an obvious option. Firstly, as mentioned above, they are much more substantial in strength. Moreover, they weigh light and are flexible, making them suitable for greenhouses, cold frames, porches, bicycle shelters, carports, and many more garden and work-related projects.
UV resistance & Lightness
Both sheets have UV protection. Acrylic is UV resistant, while Polycarbonate is UV stabilised and protected, keeping you clear of any harmful UV — taking away one more worry.
Luckily for newbie installers, acrylic and polycarbonate are lightweight, making them easy to carry and pretty straightforward to install. Though if you’ve never done this type of DIY work, we’d recommend hiring a professional to do the job as you’ll need a helping hand and also understand how to properly fix them into place with the additional components that go with them.
Pricing
In terms of cost, both sheets are around the same price point, with polycarbonate typically being just a tad more due to its quality. A 4mm sheet, 1250mm by 1240mm sheet in solid clear comes to around £92, while a 1200mm by 1200mm sheet typically comes around the £75 mark (prices depending on the seller, brand and other components).
