What is the best type of corrugated roofing?

If you are planning on building a carport or looking to finally re-roof your shed you may well be considering using corrugated roofing sheets on your project.

Easy to install, easy to handle, readily available and coming in a wide array of options; Corrugated roof sheets may just be the answer to your next DIY venture!  However, with a variety of corrugated roofing types on the market it is not always easy to determine which type of corrugated roof sheets you require for your specific roof project.

These are the main points to consider when considering using corrugated sheets on your project which hopefully will help you make a more informed choice about the type of roofing sheet which suits your needs best.

Most popular corrugated sheet options:

• PVC
• Stormproof
• Polyester
• Bitumen
• Metal
• Corramet

What is a Corrugated PVC sheet?

PVC corrugated sheets are often seen as a cheaper alternative to Polycarbonate sheets as they often have a lower retail price, making them a good clear corrugated plastic roofing option for projects on a tight budget! 

Naturally the lower cost of corrugated PVC roofing sheet is due to the fact that they are not as robust as Stormproof clear corrugated sheets so aren't as durable. However, PVC corrugated sheets are still a great lightweight clear solution for many different applications at home where a more budget option works fine. For example, on a garden pergola or gazebo a corrugated PVC sheet can often be the best option.

In summary, Corrugated PVC sheets are an ideal solution for areas that do not require high impact resistance but still require great light transmission and a degree of visibility. This is what makes PVC such a popular option for many outdoor, garden and carport roofs.

Key Benefits of Corrugated PVC Sheets:

• Low Cost
• Great Light Transmission
• Lightweight
• Ideal for DIY

Common Uses of Corrugated PVC Sheets:

• Small to Medium DIY Projects
• Lean-tos

What is a Corrugated Stormproof sheet?

Corrugated Stormproof Sheets are the strongest and most durable clear plastic corrugated roofing sheet available on the market today.

Manufactured from a very robust plastic resin, stormproof sheets are 200 times stronger than glass, of the same thickness, and provide a high quality finish. Corrugated Stormproof clear sheets are extruded from a similar material to the ever-popular solidwall and multiwall flat roof sheeting, which means they are virtually unbreakable!

Unlike cheaper alternatives, polycarbonate corrugated sheets have a UV Protection layer, which ensures they don't go brittle and provide superior light transmission and unrivalled clarity for many years. this UV protection makes them the best option for outdoor areas. When installed with the correct flashings and fixings, these Corrapol stormproof corrugated sheets can often have expected lifespans exceeding 20 years or more!

In addition to all these excellent qualities, Polycarbonate corrugated sheets are relatively lightweight and easy to cut and install, so are a win-win solution for both DIY and Trade corrugated roof projects! 

Key Benefits of Corrugated Stormproof Sheets:

• UV Protected
• High Impact Strength
• Virtually unbreakable
• Best of class light transmission and clarity
• Don't discolour or go brittle like cheaper alternatives
• Available in wide range of lengths

Common Uses of Corrugated Stormproof Sheets:

• Medium to large garden projects and commercial projects
• Carports
• Canopies
• Pergolas
• Public Walkways
• Seating Area Covers
• Agricultural Buildings
• Car wash bay screens
• And many more!

What is a Corrugated Polyester sheet?

GRP or polyester corrugated sheets provide a somewhat unique mix of qualities! These sheets provide excellent strength and rigidity similar to that of clear polycarbonate sheets, however, they have a completely different visual style. It is worth noting that although they are as rigid as corrugated Stormproof sheets they aren't as unbreakable.

Due to the fibres contained in the GRP sheets, the level of light transmission is lower than that of other clear corrugated sheeting options creating a translucent finish. This is ideal for applications where a level of privacy is required or where you ae trying to create a more rugged style.

The fibrous design of corrugated GRP sheets makes them popular for more industrial-style applications. If you purchase corrugated polyester sheets manufactured in the same profile as your corrugated bitumen or corramet sheets they can be interweaved making it easy to create a rooflight in an otherwise solid corrugated roof.

Key Benefits of Corrugated GRP Sheets:

• Great Light Transmission
• Allows a degree of visibility while retaining privacy
• High Strength
• High Rigidity

Common Use of Corrugated GRP Sheets:

• Agricultural Buildings/Barns
• Garages
• Rooflights in corrugated bitumen roofs
• Sheds 
• Stable roof lights

What is a Corrugated Bitumen sheet?

Corrugated Bitumen roof sheets are without doubt the most competitively priced roofing solutions available to homeowners on the market today. Being one of the easiest roofing sheets to install, bitumen sheets are used in 1000s of applications every single month.

Bitumen roof tiles are very lightweight, straightforward to cut and speedy to install on a wide range of roof types! This makes it easy for even inexperienced DIYers to create their own outdoor space or spruce up the garden shed roof with confidence!

As bitumen sheeting has great waterproofing qualities,  when installed correctly with the right fixings and flashings your roof will be maintenance free for many years and have a great life span!

Corrugated bitumen roofing is available traditionally in a variety of colours which are predominately black, brown, green and red. This range of colours gives you a lot of options, whether you are looking to complement your roof colours or looking to create some eye-catching contrast!

If you are installing corrugated bitumen roofing sheets on a longer term project then it is recommended to use a more robust premium bitumen sheet for maximum longevity.

Key Benefits of Corrugated Bitumen Sheets:

• Low cost
• Lightweight
• Easy to Cut to size
• Quick and simple installation

Common Uses of Corrugated Bitumen Sheets:

• Sheds
• Log Stores
• Children’s Playhouses
• Lean tos
• Chicken Coops

What is a Corrugated Metal sheet?

Corrugated metal sheeting is one of the more robust coloured corrugated options available on the market. Common corrugated metal sheets include tin corrugated sheeting and corrugated steel sheeting. If you are looking for sheets for a project that is likely to be exposed to extreme weather conditions or requires high levels of impact resistance then metal roof sheets could be your best option, however they do have some downsides. 

Firstly, it is worth keeping in mind that metal sheets can be a lot more expensive than the other options on the market and manufacturing lead times can be a lot longer! You will also find that metal roofing sheets will often be more difficult to cut to size and install. Even a seasoned DIYer may require some extra help - which can of course add additional cost!

The noise factor is also something to consider when thinking about installing metal sheeting. Without an additional insulating layer, metal sheets can be one of the noisiest options, especially in heavy rain!

Key Benefits:

• High Impact Strength
• Good Rigidity

Common Uses:

• Agricultural Barns
• Industrial buildings

What is a Corrugated Corramet Sheet?

Corrugated Corramet roofing sheets are a unique type of corrugated sheet that have great rigidity. Manufactured for a specially formulated plastic compound resin, Corramet sheets are designed to provide a strong and durable roofing solution.

An advantage compared to other solid colour corrugated roofing options is that corramet sheets are available in longer lengths including up to 3 metres and 4 metres. This makes them ideal for a wide mix of residential and agricultural projects, such as stable roofs, shed roofs and log stores.

Another key advantage compared to corrugated metal sheets is that corramet corrugated sheets are available with a fast delivery lead time of only 1-3 days. This saves you from having to wait weeks to start your roofing project! What's more, corramet sheeting is made in a corrugated profile that is compatible with all Rock N Lock Flashings (Gable, wall and top wall flashings) making installation a straightforward process. In addition for Apex roofs, this type of corrugated sheet work with the Super Ridge system making it perfect for ridged applications, like sheds or  barns.

Key Benefits:

• Available in longer lengths
• Great Rigidity
• Supplied with colour-matched fixings
• Compatible with Rock n Lock flashings for easy install

Common Uses:

• Garage roof replacements
• Sheds
• Barns

In conclusion – What is the best corrugated roofing sheet?

Possibly frustratingly, it really does depend on your application! However, depending on whether you require clear or solid colour sheets there are two clear winners:

If you require clear corrugated sheets for your project, then a polycarbonate option such as Corrapol Stormproof is clearly the best option, as this will provide you with a much longer life expectancy than cheaper PVC options and the best lifetime cost.

If however, you require a solid coloured corrugated sheeting option then it is best to look at a premium Corramet corrugated sheet. Corramet sheets provide a great robust solid option without the difficulties of metal sheets!

For a more budget solid coloured corrugated sheeting it is worth considering a bitumen roof sheet, such as Awnapol Premium Bitumen sheets or Corrapol BT DIY Grade Bitumen Sheets. Bitumen sheets are one of the most popular options on the market due to their ease of installation and low cost.

Best Corrugated Roofing Sheets Based on Budget

Solid Colour Corrugated Roofing Type:

Small Budget - Bitumen Corrugated Sheet

Medium Budget - Corramet Corrugated Sheeting

Clear Corrugated Roofing Type:

Small Budget - PVC Corrugated Sheet

Medium Budget - Stormproof Corrugated Sheet

Installing Corrugated Roofing Sheets

Regardless of which sheets you decide to use on your roofing project, there are a lot of similarities in both the installation process and the options you have in terms of fixings and accessories.

Below we shall quickly run through some of the commonalities between these and how you can use similar practices when choosing your fixings/accessories, and in installation.

What corrugated fixings & flashings do I need?

When considering your corrugated roofing project there are some key accessories that you want to make sure you haven’t missed! These are similar across most corrugated roofing options, with the exception of metal sheets.

Most importantly you will want to ensure you have the correct number of corrugated eaves fillers and corrugated roof fixings for your project:

How many eaves fillers do I need?

As a general rule of thumb, you will want at least 2 eaves fillers per sheet, one for each of the lower and upper purlins. It is always an advantage, however to have these on each of your cross-purlins to ensure an even compression level across the sheets and to provide additional strength to the corrugations.

How many fixing do I need?

This is not as straightforward as it can depend on so many factors such as pitch, location, exposure to weather and the underlying structure. However, generally speaking, it is advisable to have a minimum of 20 fixings per sheet, with most installers having between 30-50 per sheet. Ensuring these fixings are fitted to the peaks of the corrugations!

Are Corrugated Sheets easy to install?

Yes, most corrugated roofing sheets, with the exception of metal sheets, are easy to install and have a similar installation process. These are often tackled by DIYers and with the correct step-by-step guide to hand are relatively straightforward to install.

Corrapol Clear Installation Guide
Corrapol Bitumen Installation Guide

How many roof sheets do I need?

This is a common question asked when thinking about your project, but with a simple calculation, you can determine how many sheets you will require for your Corrugated Roof.

For example, if you had a roof that was 9 metres wide by 1.5 metres deep/long you would simply divide the width of your roof by the coverage width of a sheet.

The coverage width of most corrugated Roof Sheets is 855mm when allowing for one corrugation overlap or 760mm if you are allowing for two corrugation overlaps.

Therefore: 9000mm ÷ 855mm = 9.35

Next, round up the number to ensure full coverage, meaning in this example you would require 10 roof sheets across the width of your roof.

Then you must ensure you have enough coverage down the length/slope of your roof. To do this, simply divide the total length by the length of the sheet then round up to ensure you have sufficient coverage.

 

Need further help to choose your corrugated sheets?

Our Teams are very happy to assist on our Live Chat or email shop@clearamber.com where our super friendly Teams will provide you with all the advice and support you require for your projects.

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