Deciding whether to use glass or polycarbonate PC sheet for a transparent roof. The following comparison shows that polycarbonate sheet is versatile enough to meet various design challenges. At the same time, it is also very strong, can effectively insulate and protect against UV radiation, and has the advantages of convenient installation and reduced costs, which are not available in glass. Let’s start the comparison.
When weighing polycarbonate sheet vs. glass, please refer to the following important characteristics:
1. Polycarbonate sheet is lighter
| Thickness
(mm) |
Glass Sheet Weight
(KG/㎡) |
Polycarbonate Sheet Weight
(KG/㎡) |
| 2 | 4.90 | 2.40 |
| 3 | 7.34 | 3.60 |
| 4 | 9.80 | 4.80 |
| 5 | 12.24 | 6.00 |
| 6 | 14.68 | 7.20 |
| 8 | 19.60 | 9.60 |
| 10 | 24.48 | 12.00 |
2. Polycarbonate sheet is more heat-insulating
| Thickness
(mm) |
Glass Sheet
(W/m2.°k) |
Polycarbonate Sheet
(W/m2.°k) |
| 3 | 5.87 | 5.49 |
| 5 | 5.80 | 5.21 |
| 6 | 5.77 | 5.09 |
| 10 | 5.68 | 4.69 |
3. Polycarbonate sheet has lower energy consumption
| Thickness
(mm) |
Glass U value
(W/m2.°k) |
Polycarbonate Sheet U value
(W/m2.°k) |
| 3 | 5.81 | 5.47 |
| 5 | 5.72 | 5.19 |
| 6 | 5.68 | 5.07 |
| 8 | 5.60 | 4.48 |
| 10 | 5.52 | 4.63 |
4. Polycarbonate sheet has UV protection
When designing a transparent roof, it is necessary to consider the damage of ultraviolet (UV) radiation to the skin, especially for applications such as swimming pool covers or pergolas. Glass can filter 50% of UV rays, while polycarbonate sheet can filter 99% of UV rays. Using polycarbonate sheet to make a transparent roof is like applying a layer of sunscreen to the skin.
5. Polycarbonate sheet is easier to install and construct
Because the size of polycarbonate sheet is flexible and can be customized, it can be freely bent and shaped, and can be cut and drilled on site.
Summary: Polycarbonate sheet has the potential to replace glass in transparent roof lighting because of its durability, heat insulation, light weight, and not easy to break. However, the easy scratching of the surface of polycarbonate PC sheet is its biggest weakness. SINHAI polycarbonate sheet factory has developed anti-scratch polycarbonate sheet to make the application of polycarbonate sheet more extensive.
Post time: Jun-27-2024