Laying Patio Roof Sheets

What are Roof Sheets

• Roof sheets are designed to simplify the roofing process as large areas may be covered with one sheet. Manufactured out of durable materials, roofing sheets can withstand the elements while still allowing muted sunlight to pass through. If you wish to be protected from the elements while still allowing sunlight to brighten your porch, then roof sheets may be ideal.

Roof Sheet Materials

• Traditionally, roof sheets are manufactured out of galvanized iron; however, this material is heavy and expensive. Thus, modern metal roof sheets are made out of a material known as Zincalume. The makeup of this material is 55 percent zinc, 43 percent aluminum and 1.6 percent silicon, which rests onto a solid steel base. Polycarbonate is emerging as the next generation in roofing sheets as it offers numerous benefits that metal, glass and acrylic roofing sheets are unable to provide. Polycarbonate roofing sheets are up to 16 times lighter than their counterparts, and are up to 8 times stronger than acrylic sheets. This type of roofing sheet also allows more sunlight to penetrate while extracting harmful UV lights, thus allowing your patio to maintain its brightness without the damaging effects of UV light.

Installation

• Installing roofing sheets may be done without the assistance of professionals; however, if you have never performed such a task you may find it to be difficult. Before installation, the roofing grade must be discovered to determine if any additional flashings and weatherproofing will be needed. The tools needed to install roofing sheets include a drill with various screw sizes, metal saw for metal sheets or sheers for polycarbonate sheets and a ladder. The exact materials needed vary according to materials used as the roofing sheets as well as the size and style of your patio.

Cost

• While the exact cost of laying roofing materials will vary according to the size of your porch roof, materials needed and the type of roofing sheet used, the price is typically cheaper than a traditional roof. On average, metal roofing sheets cost anywhere from $3.50 to $11.00 per square foot, at the time of publication. The exact cost for polycarbonate roofing sheets depends on its thickness, coloring and other features. Expect to spend anywhere from $1.10 to over $3.00 per square foot; however, these prices can fluctuate depending on the manufacturer.