Not all materials are suitable for this type of balcony awning. We will consider their most common and successful variants.
The polycarbonate roof
This material is perfect for creating a transparent balcony roof. It has sufficient stiffness and strength that exceeds the strength of glass by 200 times. Polycarbonate also has a special coating that protects it from UV radiation and temperature fluctuations. This material retains its properties in the temperature range from -40 to +60 degrees.
It is very important that polycarbonate can be easily washed. For this purpose it is not necessary to buy separate means, a soft fabric and a soapy solution will suffice.
With all these qualities, polycarbonate is flexible, which allows you to make it the roof of any configuration. But it should be remembered that the polycarbonate roof frame should be made of the highest quality so that the surface does not collapse under the weight of snow. The best option for a balcony roof is to cast polycarbonate or its thick analogue.
Important! Polycarbonate construction snows off by itself, even with minimal slope.
Plexiglass roof
Acrylic glass, as it is also called, refers to environmentally friendly materials, easy to process, which can be used to cover the balcony roof. Such glass is much stronger than its classical analogue and can withstand heavy loads, while being light enough to simplify installation.
Acrylic glass is more transparent than polycarbonate, but it also prevents ultraviolet rays and cannot fade into the sun.
Transparent slate roofing
Polyvinylchloride slate belongs to those materials which have transparency, but are strong and resistant to aggressive environment. Such variant of a roof will be easy on weight that will help simply to mount it above a balcony in conditions of the last floor. Besides the transparent variant of PVC slate is rather inexpensive, therefore such roof will leave.
Important! Service life of such slate is 50 years, and it can be used in any temperature conditions.
All-glass roof
Such a glass roof on the balcony will be a reliable protection against all kinds of rainfall, and if tinted material is used, it will give shade on a sunny day. This balcony glass construction will not cover the view or spoil the appearance of the building, on the contrary, will give it elegance.
The lightness and airiness of this design will give a highlight to the facade, decorating it. But installing an all-glass roof is a professional job, as it is done on hangers and brackets. Such variants usually use quality fittings, which are durable and reliable protection from external influences.
Choosing the frame for the transparent roof
In order for the roof above the balcony to last long and get the best quality, it is not enough to choose the material for it, you need a suitable framework. At the moment, there are two options for a transparent balcony roof:
- Frame. It is made of metal pipes or a corner. The amount of material and the variant of the frame is calculated depending on what configuration should result and on what load the canopy will bear. To protect it from adverse effects, the frame should be coated with paint.
- Frameless. The basis of this roof variant is an aluminium profile. This material is not characterized by high strength, so it can only be covered with light polycarbonate.
Selection and installation of the frame is done only after a complete assessment of many cumulative factors. It can be attached to the wall of the house, the base of the loggia or the parapet. Only the correct calculation and qualitative performance will help to create a roof, which will be the main decoration of the facade and reliable protection of the balcony.