clear roof over patio

9 years ago

I would like some advice/help with the clear roof over our screened patio. We live in Calif. and have no issues with snow. About 10 years ago, We had our general contractor install flat clear panels from Tap plastics. The didn't hold up very well. A few years later, we switched to the corrugated panels that they sell in home improvement stores like Home Depot. I thought they were getting dirty, but after checking more closely, I realized that they are discoloring where the cross beams are underneath them. The plastic seems to be warping some too. It looks like I will need to replace them again but want to have something that is going to be more durable. I really want clear because this is off my kitchen and if we go with a solid roof, it will block a lot of the light. I love the airy feeling of the space, just can't seem to find anything that will withstand the intense afternoon sun. Please help with recommendations and advice as to what products will be more durable. Hopefully, the 3rd time's the charm and we won't be looking at this again in another 5 years!

Featured Answer

steiconi

9 years ago

It's been about a year . The panels have stayed clear and survived a hurricane and another major wind event. (We overbuilt the frame and used hurricane clips, knowing this is a windy area.)

We don't have big OR deciduous trees around here, so don't get a lot of debris on the roof. And it rains a lot to sluice off any dust.

Overall, the panels look much like they did a year ago. And we don't like them! The sun is too bright, and I'd rather have an opaque--or at least translucent--roof to give us shade there. We hardly use the deck for the sun, and need to figure out some kind of shade system.

Incidentally, the clear panels were a compromise; I wanted a solid roof, my husband wanted it open to the sky. Now even he wants solid roofing!

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Comments (9)

steiconi
9 years ago
Home Depot has two options for clear roofing; you may have chosen the cheaper one. The pricier one is supposed to last a lot longer and stay clearer. We just installed it in December, won't know for a while!
emma
9 years ago
If it stays clear won't it be covered with debris the wind blows in and have to be cleaned? I would love a sun room but cleaning all of those windows keeps me from having one put in.

This post was edited by EmmaR on Wed, Jul 16, 14 at 11:25
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Katy
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks Steiconi, I will have to check out which we got. Emma, our panels are sloped. They do have some debris, but I can easily hose the panels off from my second story. When we had the patio built, I had the contractor run a water line on the roof. We have a flat roof and the second story part of the house doesn't cover the whole first story.
Katy
Original Author
9 years ago
Steiconi, how is your clear roof holding up? I need to contact my general contractor and see which material he got. Checking out (online) what they sell at Lowe's and Home Depot, it's not looking great for long term durability. I got one estimate for glass but it was $15,000 to cover a 11' x 20' area. That was just for the materials. I'm bummed because I can't seem to find a good solution for this ongoing problem. The sun is very intense on part of the roof. The part shaded by our lemon tree hasn't discolored at all. Anyone else have any suggestions?
CEFreeman_GW DC/MD Burbs 7b/8a
9 years ago
Just curious, myself. A benefit of older threads coming back up. :)

I was looking all over and couldn't find the darned corrugated panels here in the DC area.

I want to top a pergola and am considering flat panels of plastic available at Big Box stores, but haven't gotten that far.

Anything to report?
CEFreeman_GW DC/MD Burbs 7b/8a
9 years ago
I have to say I was wondering if it would have been like a bug under a magnifying glass. Opaque sounds the way to go. Perhaps you could use something to etch them? Like ammonia (Windex) on a convertible car's window? It clouds them.
Katy
Original Author
9 years ago
I like the clear because if we had a solid roof on our screened in patio, it would make our kitchen which is right next to it, very dark. At times the patio is too bright. I thought about using a "sun proof" fabric to make long panels, sew rings on the long sides about every 12", run a guide wire through them then use hooks on one end of the patio (just inside the panels) and turn buckles on the other to suspend the fabric. They could be pulled to one end to let in sunshine or extended out to block the sun. It would kind of look like a Roman shade when folded up.
Katy
Original Author
9 years ago
If you google "roman shade roof" using the images option you will see exactly what I am talking about.