Choosing the correct Roof Sheet material and Colour

Quality polycarbonate/GRP rooflighting material must allow light through, satisfy all durability, thermal, safety and fire requirements; and work well with the roof material and/or the glazing system being used. Choosing the right colour/tint of rooflighting material can help minimise  solar gain and so prevent overheating.

GRP vs Polycarbonate

GRP offers excellent performance properties and provides high levels of diffused light. In most industrial, sporting and commercial  situations, diffused light, which minimises glare and distracting shadows, is preferable.

GRP is produced to match almost all roofing profiles and is ideal for barrel vault design. Modern high-quality GRP sheets incorporate  UV-absorbing surface protection that can virtually eliminate long-term discolouration. In a budget-conscious world, GRP is a very cost-effective rooflighting material.

Polycarbonate is a clear thermoplastic formed under heat and fixed in shape by cooling. It can be recycled by reheating it to a liquid state. When correctly processed and handled, it can provide excellent impact resistance and good resistance to UV and weathering.

Choosing the right colour

The colour/tint chosen for rooflighting can be used to minimise solar heating. More than 70% of the heating effect of the sun is carried by light that falls between 350 and 800 nanometres -– generally, the visible light spectrum. By changing the wavelengths of light that are transmitted through a material -– in other words, by changing the colour of the material -– one can effectively alter the levels of solar gain to avoid overheating.

More information about choosing the right color can be viewed in our comprehensive catalogue.