For guard plastic panels There is special coverage against damage during loading and unloading, transportation and assembly. At the end installation work it is recommended to remove it. Otherwise, under the influence of solar heat, the film heats up to the point of melting and “sticks” to the surface of the sheet. After this it is quite difficult to remove it.
This often happens after installation in the summer. If the protective layer is not removed in time, it can cause a lot of trouble. For example, in winter snow will accumulate on this one - it slides off well only from clean polycarbonate sheets.
What to do if the coating is “stuck”
The film can bond very firmly to polycarbonate. In this case, it is better not to do anything. Some try to heat the film (for example, using a regular hair dryer). But this leads to the fact that it only sticks more strongly to the polycarbonate.
All you can do is wait. One season after installation, the film will come off on its own. outside. But it will take time to make it easy to remove from the inside. It is not recommended to scrape or scratch the surface of the polycarbonate - otherwise it will easily damage the material.
Caution: UV protection
There may be another layer on the panels. It protects against ultraviolet rays and is also easy to damage. Then the surface of the sheets will become cloudy and cracks will appear on it.
How to understand where the UV protective layer is located? You need to inspect the packaging with cellular polycarbonate. Where the plates are equipped with UV protection, there are always inscriptions and service pictograms. It is with this marked side that the polycarbonate faces the sun during installation. By the way, the UV layer is invisible, and it is impossible to accidentally remove it along with the shipping film (only if it “sticks”).
We shoot on time and carefully
WITH inside sheets also have a coating. It is usually completely transparent. It also needs to be removed - then the polycarbonate will transmit light better. If left, this inner protective layer will deteriorate over time, affecting the appearance of the structure.
What can I do to carefully remove the film? Wet the sheets with regular warm water to which household detergent, such as dishwashing detergent, has been added. This will allow you to carefully and without any problems separate the protective film from the polycarbonate.
What is polycarbonate? This is a colorless solid polymer plastic that is used in production in the form of granules. It is strong, lightweight, optically transparent, plastic, frost-resistant, a good dielectric, durable and environmentally friendly. Cellular (otherwise known as cellular) polycarbonate is produced by extrusion; it consists of hollow panels with different structures and thicknesses. These panels are connected to each other by special jumpers, also called stiffeners. Polycarbonate belongs to the class of synthetic polymers; it is a complex linear polyester of phenols and carbonic acid.
To work with polycarbonate, you will need ordinary cutting tools.
Despite all its strength, cellular polycarbonate is destroyed under the influence ultraviolet radiation. Most manufacturers place UV protection in the “mass”. But there is also a protective UV layer, which is applied by coextrusion. This layer ensures the integrity of the sheet under the influence of sunlight. The layer is applied either on both sides or only on one. Without this protective measure The actual service life of cellular polycarbonate will not exceed a couple of years.
How to prepare cellular polycarbonate for work
Before using polycarbonate, you need to unpack it, remove the film and all paper wrappers, and treat the edges of the tiles with end tape intended for this purpose. Using perforated tape, protect the end facing down. And the end facing upward is treated with an end profile and sealing tape. You can also use wide adhesive tape instead of expensive tape, if in the future the upper end of the polycarbonate plate is not expected to come into contact with environment. If the upper end is covered with a monolith, then you can completely abandon the use of tape. If it has already been applied, you can safely remove the film. It is not recommended to cover the lower end with anything. Since it must be installed openly so that condensation can drain freely. They provide additional protection to the perforated tape using a U- or L-shaped profile. It must be mounted in such a way that the condensate can escape freely. In this case, it is recommended to use a U-shaped profile with holes with a diameter of 1.5 - 3 mm, which are located 40-60 cm from each other.
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How to remove film from the surface of a cellular polycarbonate sheet
It is recommended to remove the protective film coating from the polycarbonate sheet after all work on its installation, since the purpose of such a film is to protect the surface of the polycarbonate sheet during loading and unloading, during transportation and installation. If you do not remove the film and leave it, then over time, under the influence of solar heat, it will melt and “stick” to the polycarbonate surface of the sheet, removing it will be quite problematic. This situation is especially common when it is done in summer time and the protective film layer was not removed immediately.
What can you do if the film coating is welded to the polycarbonate? Options in solution this issue there are several. Which one to use, choose yourself, based on the current situation:
On outside the sheet has a special marking
- If polycarbonate sheets have been stored in the sun for a long time and the film has become baked to the surface, then it would be better to leave everything as is. Don't shoot anything. After one season, the film on the outside should come off on its own. And on the inside, it will take longer for it to self-destruct. Under no circumstances should you scrape or scratch the polycarbonate surface - you will only make the situation worse by damaging the material. And if you scrape from the UV-protective side, you will also damage the ultraviolet protection.
Violation of the integrity of the UV protective layer can negatively affect the light transmission of the sheet. And subsequently this will lead to the surface becoming cloudy and beginning to crack;
By the way, it is quite simple to determine which side the UV protective layer is located on: packaging with cellular polycarbonate on the UV protection side always contains inscriptions or service pictograms. There is no need to heat the film coating with anything (for example, some try to heat the film with a hairdryer), it will stick even stronger;
- if the presence of film is confirmed by visual inspection, then you can use in the following way: wet the surface with ordinary warm water with the addition of homemade detergent for dishes. And slowly start removing the film layer.
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What else you need to know when working with polycarbonate
- In hot sunny weather, cellular polycarbonate is capable of thermal expansion. For colored polycarbonate, the expansion rate will be 4-5 mm, for transparent - 2-3 mm. The temperature at which carbonate can be used without reducing its original qualities and properties is from -40 to +120°C. When installing the material, it is important to take these features into account. If installation is carried out in cool weather, then the slab must be installed further from the lock of the joining profile; if installed in hot weather, it must be installed very close.
- A one-piece profile of 4-10 mm cannot fully ensure reliability. Such profiles cannot be attached to the sheathing. Their purpose is to join the edges of vertical structures with a minimum of loads.
Reliable tightness of joints is created by profiles over 10 mm. This will avoid the need to use other fasteners.
The connecting profiles are mounted with support on the arcs and secured with self-tapping screws.
Polycarbonate is a hard, colorless polymer plastic that is used in the form of granules. Due to its heat-insulating properties and impact resistance, this material is widely used in construction. If you decide to use it, you should first find out whether it is necessary to remove the protective film from the polycarbonate.
This material has already become quite widespread and popular not only in the construction market, but also in other areas of human activity. But, before we begin to describe the advantages of the material, it is worth noting that, unfortunately, it is not without its disadvantages. And although there are many more of the former, the latter are also worth considering when choosing a material.
Advantages
- Durability and high fire resistance. This material practically does not burn, and its resistance to mechanical stress is 20 times higher than that of glass;
- It should also be noted thermal insulation properties material, which are provided due to its structure;
- Polycarbonate is manufactured in sheets, which are available in a wide range color scheme and are protected with a film that must be removed before use. Buyers can purchase material from standard yellow color, to exclusive colors such as metallic and bronze. If you do not find among the wide assortment color shades suitable, then in this case a colored film will come to the rescue, which can be glued to the glass. True, over time it may peel off or lose its color. It’s better to stick with polycarbonate, because its production uses special dyes that do not change their color over time;
- Polycarbonate can be compared with metal, since in terms of strength it is not much inferior to it. But, at the same time, compared to metal, this raw material is much lighter, does not corrode and easily takes the required shape.
Flaws
Not without its shortcomings. These include:
- Capriciousness of the material during processing and fear of scratches. And although the resulting damage is most often not very noticeable and does not create any particular interference during work, this is not a very pleasant quality;
- The material is afraid of ultraviolet rays, which can lead to its destruction. To prevent this, during the production of raw materials, a special protective film is extruded, which fits tightly to the sheet. The important thing here is to know how to identify the sides of polycarbonate before using it;
- Another property of the material is its ability to shrink and expand. This should be taken into account when using polycarbonate and when installing structures, provide for a “thermal gap”.
Life time
Service life depends on many factors. Most often, manufacturers provide a ten-year guarantee, which applies to primary material made from high-quality raw materials. But when correct operation this period can be significantly increased. Such material is not cheap, but you can choose a cheaper option when polycarbonate is obtained by mixing primary raw materials and secondary ones obtained by processing deteriorated sheets, as shown in the photo. Cheap varieties do not guarantee you long term services, so when choosing, you need to decide what comes first for you - price or quality, especially if you are going to build a greenhouse.
Sheet bending
During installation, bending of sheets of any type of polycarbonate should be avoided. The only thing that can be allowed in case of emergency is to bend strictly along the line of channels, that is, along the long side of the sheet.
Removing the protective film
All sheets are protected with a special film that protects the material from scratches during loading and unloading, transportation and installation. It is recommended to remove it immediately after installation to prevent it from sticking tightly to the material, which in the future will make the process of removing it quite problematic.
Parties
It is important to determine the faces of the polycarbonate in advance. This is not difficult to do, since it is on them that the protective film is located, as can be seen in the photo. There are several options for fastening the material:
- a transparent film is applied on both sides - the material is completely protected from exposure to ultraviolet rays;
- The film is applied only on one side, and markings are applied on the other. It’s easy to determine which side to lay polycarbonate - to sun rays such a sheet should be directed with the marked side, as can be seen in the photo;
- The markings are applied on both sides - the material is perfectly protected from ultraviolet radiation on both sides.
Let's sum it up
To appreciate all the advantages of polycarbonate, it must be purchased and used for construction work. By listening to our advice, you can be sure that the material will last a long time and will be worth every penny spent on it.
Sheet polymer plastic, known as polycarbonate, is lightweight, very durable and transmits light well. Cellular polycarbonate is most widely used in home construction. It is widely used in the manufacture of canopies and greenhouses. Knowing some basic installation rules, including which side to lay polycarbonate on, will help avoid unforeseen complications and make the structure reliable and durable.
Features of the material
Product chemical production received its name from its external resemblance, in cross section, to the cellular structure of a honeycomb. Cellular polycarbonate slabs consist of several polymer sheets; they are connected to each other by longitudinal bridges, which give strength to the slab, acting as stiffening ribs. The number of layers can be from two to four. This structure gives polycarbonate good thermal insulation properties.
Transmitting more than 90% of the light flux, polycarbonate is a hundred times stronger than glass, and at the same time has good flexibility. This quality makes it convenient to use in the manufacture of arched canopies. An important thing for canopies is the good resistance of polycarbonate to mechanical damage. After impacts, no cracks appear on it, so polycarbonate will withstand hail of any size.
Polycarbonate coating
All types of polycarbonate are covered with a film that prevents the destructive effects of ultraviolet radiation. In addition, the front side of the sheet has a special coating (selective), capable of transmitting a certain part of the light flux spectrum.
In order not to make a mistake during installation, which side to lay the polycarbonate on, the sheets are produced with a protective film various colors. The underside of the sheet is always covered with film white or transparent. There is a film on the top side of blue color, may have a drawing or marking. In any case, the top side is significantly different from the bottom. It is advisable to remove the protective film immediately before installing the panels or upon completion of installation.
There is polycarbonate that has the same protective film on both sides. These sheets have a protective layer on both sides. During installation, it does not matter which side up it will be laid.
At correct installation and compliance with installation techniques, the erected structure (shed or greenhouse) with a roof made of cellular polycarbonate will stand for many years.
What are the consequences of untimely removal? protective film from the surface of polycarbonate sheets? The strength of the structure, which is made of polycarbonate sheets, largely depends on the specific conditions in which the material was stored. Lowering it performance characteristics will further jeopardize the durability of the structure and its reliability. The company is an official dealer of many manufacturers of this building material guarantees that by purchasing ready-made structures or polycarbonate sheets from us, you will receive a high-quality product that has been 100% properly stored and transported from its manufacturer.Do you like juicy peppers? Then find out how without special effort build for growing peppers, recommendations experienced summer residents will help you.
If you want to glue polycarbonate sheets together, then read this article - , we will help you choose the right and high-quality glue.
If you are planning to manufacture any structures from a material such as polycarbonate, for example, awnings and canopies, you should know that the protective film is attached to the polycarbonate sheet using a special glue. Prolonged exposure of the polycarbonate sheet, for example, under direct sunlight or under open air directly provokes very strong gluing of the surface of the material and the film, and this significantly complicates its further removal. It is best to remove the protective film immediately after installing the structure.
The use of various methods for installing sheets of polycarbonate not provided by the manufacturer of polycarbonate, for example, such as: welding, bending along stiffeners, bending with a notch, gluing - all these techniques relieve the polycarbonate manufacturer of all responsibility for the reliability and strength of the material used, even if you were able to buy high quality monolithic polycarbonate.
When storing polycarbonate sheets in the open air, there is a danger that the sheet will be turned towards the sun on the very side on which there is no ultraviolet protection at all. This, ultimately, in addition to the strong adhesion of the protective film, as mentioned above, will also lead to yellowing of the sheet, a decrease in its performance characteristics, or even its complete destruction. In addition, it is impossible to store polycarbonate sheets with unprotected ends - it is its open ends that significantly contribute to the penetration of moisture, dust and dirt into the honeycombs of the polycarbonate sheet. All these factors significantly contribute to a large reduction in the durability of a polycarbonate product and, naturally, put its strength at risk.
In addition, there are quite significant mistakes that are made when transporting polycarbonate sheets. The main and most common mistake today in the process of transporting polycarbonate products is rolling them into rolls of a much smaller radius than allowed for the thickness of a particular sheet. This, naturally, provokes the appearance of breaks and cracks on the surface of the sheet and significantly reduces the ability of the polycarbonate sheet to bear a certain load during the construction process made from it.
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