As the cooler weather descends on Australia and the southern states in particular, your Berwick pergola in Melbourne’s south east that was somewhat dim but cool in summer is now looking decidedly dark, grim, cold and uninviting. Thankfully, a solution is available and the answer is polycarbonate roofing.
The advantages of using polycarbonate roofing on your Berwick pergola are, dare we say it, clear. Using polycarbonate allows natural light in. This is great for your outdoor living area and also for the inside of your home, which will also enjoy more natural light.
While light is allowed in, harmful UV rays aren’t. In fact, some polycarbonate roofing blocks around 99.9% of UV rays, so you can stay outside all day in your pergola without fearing sunburn or skin damage.
But that’s not all. Polycarbonate roofing for your Berwick pergola will be relatively simple to install, as it’s light and easy to work with. Plus, it can help to keep the inside of your structure cooler, particularly if you choose polycarbonate sheets that incorporate insulation.
Polycarbonate roofing on your Berwick pergola can be sexy
If you’re picturing the standard corrugated roofing sheets when we mention polycarbonate roofing, think again. When it comes to deciding on a profile for the polycarbonate for your Berwick pergola, the choice is much wider than this.
While the corrugated roofing profile is common and popular, there are a range of different profiles you can choose. Plus, polycarbonate roofing comes in a range of colours, including clear, cream, bronze and grey. The addition of colours can impact light transmission, so always keep this in mind.
Plus, you don’t need to have a profile at all when choosing polycarbonate roofing, as flat sheets are available. It’s even possible to curve polycarbonate roofing.
Cleaning the polycarbonate roofing on your Berwick pergola
One of the negatives about polycarbonate roofing is that if it’s not well maintained, leaves, dust and other debris can eventually leave it looking dirty. The good news is, if you have polycarbonate roofing on your existing Berwick pergola or you’re considering installing it, it’s not difficult to keeping it looking like new:
- Before you start cleaning, remember to be careful when working at heights and take appropriate precautions. Also, polycarbonate roofing may be extremely strong, but you should never apply load directly (e.g. stand or kneel) on your roofing sheets.
- It’s best to use manufacturer-approved products when cleaning polycarbonate roofing, or simply use warm water and a mild detergent. Why? Well, Laserlite, for example, states that some products can damage its roofing material (e.g. mentholated spirits, petrol, abrasive cleaners) so these should never be used as a cleaning agent.
- Apply the warm water and detergent mix (or manufacturer-approved product) to your polycarbonate roofing with a soft sponge or soft brush and wipe up and down the sheets, not across. For many roofs, a long-handled brush or broom will be required to do the job; just make sure the bristles are soft.
- Rinse your roofing down with water using your garden hose.
- If your roofing is particularly dirty, you may need to repeat the process.
If you live in the Berwick area (e.g. Berwick, Pakenham, Officer and the Greater Dandenong area) and want to know more about polycarbonate roofing, or are interested in building a new pergola for your home, contact Outside Concepts’ Berwick Branch by going to our website and completing the contact form. Alternatively, give us a call on 1800 601 674.
Find out about Outside Concepts’ 10-year structural warranty. Call us on 1800 601 674.
