Polycarbonate verandas: when a polycarbonate roof is the right call

What changes when the roof is polycarbonate

Multiwall polycarbonate is a rigid plastic sheet with internal ribs, which makes it stiff and light for its thickness. On a veranda it sits in the same glazing bars that would hold glass. Because the ribs scatter light, the space underneath feels bright but you do not get a clear view of the sky, and the panels read as frosted from the garden. That can be a benefit on a sunny elevation, where softer light is welcome, and a drawback on a shaded wall where you want every bit of clear daylight.

Polycarbonate or glass, side by side

Both roofs keep you dry. The differences are mostly about the experience of sitting under them.

• View up: polycarbonate is diffused and milky, glass is clear
• Rain sound: polycarbonate is louder in a downpour, glass is duller and quieter
• Weight: polycarbonate is lighter to handle and fit
• Look from the house: glass looks sleeker, polycarbonate shows the panel ribs
• Budget: polycarbonate is the lower cost roof option

When a polycarbonate veranda is a good choice

It suits people who want a dry, covered patio for the barbecue, bins, a hot tub or garden furniture, and who care more about shelter than about looking up at clouds. It also works over spaces you pass through rather than sit in, such as a side return or a covered route to the garage. If the budget would otherwise mean no veranda at all, a polycarbonate roof on a well built aluminium frame is a sound way to get shelter now.

When we would suggest glass instead

If the veranda sits outside a kitchen or lounge window you look through every day, glass keeps the view and the light that polycarbonate softens. If rain noise bothers you, glass is noticeably calmer. And if you are likely to add glass sides or sliding walls later to make a glass room, a glass roof keeps the look consistent. Our guide to rain noise on polycarbonate roofs explains the sound difference in more detail.

Questions to ask any installer

A polycarbonate roof is only as good as the frame and the way the panels are sealed and fixed. These are fair questions whoever you ask to quote.

• Is the frame the same aluminium system used for glass roofs?
• How are the panel ends sealed against dust and insects?
• What pitch will the roof have, and where does the water go?
• Can the roof be changed to glass later without replacing the frame?
• What warranty applies to the structure and to the panels?

How we approach it

On the free survey we ask how you plan to use the space, which way it faces and which rooms look onto it. If polycarbonate fits the brief we quote it; if we think you would regret losing the view or the quiet, we say so and quote glass alongside, so you can compare. The structure is fitted by our own team and covered by a warranty of up to 10 years, with terms confirmed in writing.