E-crofting Stop End Adhesive Guide
As you have read in & there are multiple methods of installing hardwood flooring, both engineered and solid. In Part 3 we will examine the pros and cons of choosing the glue down method of installation.Before you beginBefore the installation begins, it is important to perform a thorough job-site inspection.
Ensure that the HVAC is operational and the hardwood product is completely acclimated to the temperature and humidity at which the room will be maintained when occupied. The floor will be glued directly to the sub-flooring using a hardwood flooring adhesive. With that said, one of the most important factors while dealing with glue down installation is going to be your subfloor. SubfloorSubfloor preparation is critical on all job-sites, but especially for glue down. Subfloor preparation can range from sanding, scraping, leveling, filling low spots or installing a whole new subfloor.
A general guideline while leveling your subfloor would be not to allow more than 3/16” difference in height within a 10 feet diameter. When gluing over a concrete slab, it is important to take proper moisture readings. The concrete slab needs the proper moisture vapor protection underneath and proper drainage away from the building. Once your subfloor preparation is complete and your floor is level it is time to choose an adhesive. AdhesivesAll adhesives are not made the same. When choosing which adhesive is right for your project, consider how hardwood flooring glue is specifically made for hardwood.
Hardwood is a natural product and will expand or contract with the change in humidity as it takes on moisture or loses moisture. The difference between hardwood flooring adhesives is that they are made to embrace natural characteristics of wood, which is why it is specially formulated to be more elastic than other adhesives. The elasticity in hardwood flooring glue ensures that the hardwood will have an ample amount of space to expand and contract without causing the glue to crack or separate. Improper floor preparation, using the wrong adhesive, or applying incorrect amounts are all common pitfalls of a failed flooring installation. Certain hardwood adhesives also contain elements which act as a moisture barrier and/or a sound reduction. Be sure to consider all of these traits when choosing which adhesive to use. Next, let’s move on to installation.
InstallationOnce you have decided to use the glue down floor method, make sure that you leave a large enough expansion gap, depending on the hardwood product you chose, from the wall to allow the wood to contract and expand. The adhesive is spread on an area of the subfloor where the boards are going to be adhered to using a specialized trowel. While installing, be sure to do small areas at a time.
Do not pre-spread the adhesive over the entire sub-floor as it will dry before you get to that area. Furthermore, periodically during the installation, lift a board after you have placed it to make certain you have full coverage of the adhesive to the back of the flooring product. This will help ensure your floor will remain bonded to the subfloor for years to come. Once your flooring is installed it is best to let it dry for 24 hours, during this time you should not walk on it. The amount of adhesive used is adjusted by the teeth size of your trowel and may be dependant on if you need vapor barrier properties.Pro:.
Professionally viewed as a permanent method of installation. Least likely to have deflection between flooring and subfloor, therefore less chance of squeaking. Will give solid feel & sound. Able to use flush mountCon:.
Adhesive can add as much as $1.00 per sqft. Not as DIY friendly as a floating installation. Rigorous subfloor prep may be necessary. May have increased labor costsTo learn more about and see our previous post Part 1 & Part 2.
Suntuf Installation Guide and TipsInstallation of Suntuf is easy when you plan the job right!Just keep our top installation tips in mind before you start to install your new Suntuf product. Fall, pitch or slope?Firstly, fall. A five degree fall is recommended as minimum for ensuring that it does not leak, remains clean and maintains structural integrity.A good slope helps to move water off the roof.
Flat roofs are more prone to water pooling (in sever cases) and leaking when the water cannot be dispersed quick enough. Designing in a good fall is always important at the start of a project.All polycarbonate sheets are transparent (you can see through them) or translucent (light comes through them but you can’t see through them clearly).
This means that you will be able to see, to some degree, what is on top of them. Leaves, dirt, dust, bird droppings, etc. The better the fall on your roof the easier it will be for these things to fall off or wash off.Most manufactures recommend a minimum of 5 degrees (or 8.8%) fall. This means for every metre the sheet runs horizontally it should drop about 88 mm.Spans – Where you will need your purlinsAll profiled polycarbonate sheets require purlins or battens for fixing. These structural lengths of timber or metal run perpendicular to the fall of the sheet – see the below image for a visual explanation. Different profiles have different spanning capabilities.
The below spans are given for a standard N3 wind rating, if you are in a high wind area you may require additional fixings and structure – call us to discuss.Corrugated 800 mm End Spans and 1000 mm Mid SpansGreca 900 mm End Spans and 1200 mm Mid SpansTrimdek 900 mm End Spans and 1200 mm Mid Spans CurvingSuntuf polycarbonate sheets can be cold curved. The shape of the sheet (the profile) will determine how tightly it can curve. If you want to determine if a sheet can cold curve to to suit your structure you will need to know the following information:The chord: the horizontal distance from one side of the roof to the other.The height: the vertical distance from the imaginary horizontal chord line to the top of the apex.See the below diagram.CuttingWe can cut sheets to length for you free of charge.
Otherwise, sheets can be cut using a fine tooth circular saw, a jigsaw, or even with a good pair of scissors. When using power tools you will need to clamp the sheet as close to the end as possible to stop vibration. Remember to allow for some overhang to ensure that water from the sheet will fall into the gutter and not onto your structure. MovementAll materials expand and contract when they heat up and cool down, and polycarbonates move more than most roofing materials. This means that it is important to allow the sheet room to move a little after it has been installed. This is easily done by following a few rules.Firstly, drill an over-sized hole in the sheet for the screw fixing.
Both Clearfix and OneShot branded screws have cutters embedded on the screw to save you time in completing this step – they cut the hole when you put the screw in.Secondly, by allowing a small gap between the ends of sheets and where they might come up against another object – like a wall fascia. This isn’t as important on the barge sides as the majority of the expansion will occur along the length of the sheet. SiliconsAs a rule – they are not recommended. Silicons can act as an adhesive which can stop the sheet from moving (see above).
Some silicons can also affect the chemicals in the sheet which protect it from UV radiation. If you can’t avoid it use a neutral cure or non-acidic silicon sparingly. Be sure not to put it along the length of the sheet where you will see the most expansions and contraction. AccessoriesPurlin tape can be used to stop creaking of the sheet with expansion and contraction. As the name suggests it is applied to the purlin prior to installing the sheet, and acts as buffer. It is particularly useful with painted purlins, where in hot weather the paint can become tacky and cause the sheet to stick and make more noise as it expands and contracts.Flashings are used to seal the edges of the sheet.
There are a few different types that are common. Ridge capping is used to flash a gable at the peak of the roof.
Barge Flashing is used on the sides of the structure to cover the edges of the sheet and sometimes protect the timber structure underneath. And Apron Flashing is used to seal between a vertical wall or fascia and the roof itself. You can get a number of these flashings in polycarbonate or have them manufactured in metal.Suntuf Flat Barge FlashingSuntuf Flat Ridge CappingSuntuf Profiled Ridge CappingSuntuf Profiled Apron FlashingInfills can be used between the sheet and any flashings or structure for weatherproofing. Infills are available in the standard roofing profiles: Corrugated, Greca or Trimdek (5-rib). An infill may be used between the the sheet and the Apron flashing on the top edge of the roof, or between the purlin and the sheet at the gutter end of the sheet to weather seal.Back channels are normally used when the top end of the sheet is being installed directly underneath a gutter. A metal channel C- section is combined with foam to seal the end of the sheet in these circumstances.
ScrewsWe supply 2 brands of screws; Clearfix or Oneshot.One Shot screws are available in either a timber T17 or a metal Tek. When screwing into hardwood or larger gauge metals they are the screw of choice. They come with a cutter to pre-cut a 10 mm expansion hole into the polycarbonate sheet, and a soft rubber washer to seal the large hole.The Clearfix screw is a dual purpose head – suitable for both timber and metal installations.
E-crofting Stop End Adhesive Guide Kit
They also come with a cutter and washer to suit polycarbonate. StorageStore Suntuf on a flat surface away from direct light and moisture. CleaningWarm soapy water, with a soft sponge. Be careful not to scratch the sheet.
Don’t use other chemicals. Installing the PolycarbonateThe standard installation guide covers the actual fixing of the sheets well. Make sure you read it. Find it here.Allow for the sheet to overhang the lower purlin by 50 mm.Sheets will arrive with labels showing ‘This side up’ and it is very important to install the sheets in the correct orientation. A UV layer on the polycarbonate, protect the sheet from premature breakdown. Put it up the wrong way and you will experience decreased life for your polycarbonate.When screwing the sheets keep the screw straight to ensure weather seal of washer.
Don’t over-tighten the screws. If you’re not using the branded screw mentioned above, be sure to pre-drill a 10 mm holes in sheet.Install the first sheet screwing along the ‘lower (gutter) purlin’ from the outside (Barge side) towards the middle of the structure.
Screw every other corrugation along the bottom purlin. Install the sheets without stress – that is; don’t pull, tension or twist the sheets.Next move up to the next purlin screwing across the sheet in the same direction. Place screws as per the below diagram and continue this for all the ‘internal purlins’ or ‘mid purlins’.Finally, Screw along the top ‘upper purlin’ placing a screw every second corrugation.Move along to the next sheet. Use one corrugation side lap, ensuring the lap is against the primary direction of wind/rain. Finish the job by installing any required flashings. Don’t forget to remove any stickers or tapes from the sheet.Thanks for looking at our Suntuf Installation Guide and happy installing! Hi RoyThanks for the question.I assume that you will be running the ribs on the sheet vertically, for the gable end.
If not, you may find that dust/dirt will build up in the ribs of the sheet as water will not easily wash them off. But for installing, you can fix the sheet via various methods:1. Crest fixing – you can use the normal polycarbonate compatible screw (e.g. Clearfix or OneShot) for steel.
These include a cutter which cuts a 10 mm hole in the sheet as you insert the screw. This allows for expansion and contraction in the sheet.2.
Valley Fixing – you can also screw through the valleys of the sheet. Generally speaking this is a less watertight method, but for a vertical wall this is less of a problem. A few things to note if you choose to do this.
The standard polycarbonate screws that have cutters are no good. The cutters will get in the way. You MUST pre-drill a 10 mm expansion hole. You also need to take care not to pin the sheet to the frame by over tightening.I hope that this provides some assistance to you.CheersRichard. Hi KevThanks for the question.We can cut sheets to length for you free of charge.
Simple advise us of your requirements when you order.Otherwise, sheets can be cut using a fine tooth circular saw, a jigsaw, or even with a good pair of scissors (if you are only cutting small sections or the odd sheet). When using power tools you will need to clamp the sheet as close to the end as possible to stop vibration, and it can often be easier to cut a few sheets at a time. Remember to allow for some overhang to ensure that water from the sheet will fall into the gutter and not onto your structure.Thanks.
Hi MikeThanks for the question. There is no direct answer to this question other than to point out a few considerations:1. The more polycarbonate the more light it will depend on the balance that you are looking for.2. When considering light diffusion colour plays a large part – colours like opal will scatter the light coming through the sheets and give a more even spread of light. Clear may let more light through, but you will see clear shadow lines on the ground below outlining the joining of metal to polycarbonate3. Many people use polycarbonate over windows or doors to allow light to flow into other areas as needed and find this practical – it may not give an ‘even’ light to the whole area however.I trust this helps somewhat.CheersPolycarbonate Roofing. Hi MichaelThanks for the question.
I would assume that the gradient (fall) on the roof is a bit low. You have a few options1. Increase the fall on the roof. This would require quite some effort, but it does have the added benefit of improving the ‘self cleaning’ of the sheets. This means that when it rains, or the wind blows, dirt/leaves etc are more likely to wash off the sheeting making it look more appealing.
If that sounds a bit too hard2. Depending on the distance from the end of your sheeting to the end purlin, you could use infills under the sheeting to stop the water creep. Obviously it will keep creeping until it hits the infill – this may or may not help. You could add a small amount of silicon to the valley section of the roofing at the very end of the sheet in the gutter. This will effectively create a ‘drip edge’ which will help to stop the water creep. If you do decide to use this option – remember the following: use a neutral cure (Polycarbonate friendly) silicon, only apply the silicon to the sheet, i.e. Don’t use it as an adhesive to stick the sheet down to the purlin.
It is important that you allow the sheet to expand and contract.I trust that this helps.RegardsPolycarbonate Roofing. Hi RichardI assume that you are talking about a ‘chimney’ flue coming through the roof.
It is not clear if the flue is leaving the roof from within the wall of the house or outside, from a patio roof. If internally this is not usually done as there is always a ceiling under the roofing, which of course would stop any light getting into the rooms of the house effectively just lighting up the ceiling cavity. This would normally be achieved with a skylight which effectively creates a tunnel from the roof through the ceiling cavity to the ceiling. This ‘tunnel’ keep outs heat/vermin/bugs etc from the ceiling cavity getting into the house. In some cases the cavity may be built in.
This may be a consideration?Otherwise, as for waterproofing the best solution where possible is always to replace a whole sheet so that the polycarbonate would run from the flashing on the top edge of the roof to the gutter in a continuous length. In this case you can lap the polycarbonate OVER on BOTH sides of the metal. As per usual you would need to pre-drill the polycarbonate, use a polycarbonate compatible washer and screw normally through the metal sheet on the lap.I trust that this helps, don’t hesitate to give us a call if you have further questions.RegardsPolycarbonate Roofing. Hi BruceThanks for the question.It could be done either way, if you screw the sheets first the screw head may make the flashing sit a little proud, a foal infill usually overcomes this.
If you screw them both at once you need to ensure that the polycarbonate is still pre-drilled with an oversize hole for the screw to allow for expansion and contraction.If you use a polycarbonate flashing you can use the standard screw with the cutter. The cutter will cut bother the flashing and the polycarbonate.If you us a metal flashing, you may find that you need to remove the cutter from the screw (oneshot) or find a screw without a cutter. In this case you would need to take the extra step of pre-drilling the polycarbonate sheet.I hope this helps.CheersPolycarbonate Roofing. Kia Ora QuentinThanks for your question. Side laps are standard, that is one and a half ribs for corrugated, one rib for Greca profile and one rib for Trimdek.If you are referring to end laps (as i suspect you are), you are normally recommended to lap some where between 200-300 mm.
This means 100-150 each side of the row of lap screws (you always need to make sure that the lap is over a support. We have covered this (with a helpful picture) in another post see the link below:I trust this helps!Polycarbonate Roofing. I would like to install panels onto an existing aluminum pergola which is attached to my house. The structure has 5 rafter beams which are 2 inch by 6.5 inch set 22 inches apart supporting 48 purlins which are 1.5 inches square set 1.5 inches apart. This is attached to the house on two sides with pillars at the outside corners. The structure has no pitch to allow for water runoff.
Do you think that I would be able to use your product to cover the existing structure? Keeping in mind the beams and purlins are hollow, how would you advise attaching panels to the aluminum?. Hi JulieThank you for your question.There are a few considerations here! The short answer is yes, it could be used – but there would be a few compromises:1. Polycarbonate sheets are either transparent or translucent – this means that you can see through them to varying degrees. This also means that you will see any leaves, bird droppings, dirt etc on the top of the sheet. One of the reasons that a 5 degree fall is recommended is for self-cleaning of the sheets.2.
Water run off – a flat roof is much more likely to leak, hard to flash and hard to control where the water may run off – i.e. Against the walls of the house!3. Water pooling – if the water is not running off it can pool on top of the sheet. While polycarbonate is very strong it may sag under the weight of the water. This probably won’t be too much of a consideration for you as you have lots of purlins close together – which would most likely stop possible sagging effect.4. You may void parts of your manufacturers warranty.If you did decide to go ahead you would screw in the usual way through the crest using a TEK head polycarbonate screw (such as Clearfix or Oneshot).I hope this helpsPolycarbonate Roofing.
Hi DenizThanks for the question. There are a few possibilities here1. As suggested your end spans are to large. For standard profile you will find a list of the maximum end spans listed in the second table on the linked page2. As also suggested it may also be a screw problem – there are two possible causes here:a. Screw over tightening.
The washer should contact the sheet without causing the sheet profile to deform, in other words it should sit pretty naturally. It seems that you have check this!b. Not predrilling an expansion hole (or not using screws that have cutter to do this automatically) – this can also cause the sheet to buckle (normally during the hottest part of the day).My guess without know your profile or end spans it that its most likely to be end spans feel free to come back with this info.Hope that this helps.Team polycarbonate. Hi BevMy first thought is they have screwed down too tight which is distorting the ridge cap. So might pay to check and maybe ease off a little?Failing that the non-profiled ridge cap does only come in one size which is 130mm each side.If you are worried about the cover then you could get a colourbond ridge capping pressed up to your requirements (supplied by others) and use the foam infills to seal the profile (as you could use also with the ‘flat’ polycarbonate ridge capping. Colourbond will probably work out cheaper than the polycarbonate flashings.I cant attach anything through this system so I will email you some drawing separately.Regards JudyPolycarbonate Roofing.
Hi MichelleThanks for your question.The answer will depend on what product you are using. I will assume that because you have comments on this particular post that you are referring to a profiled sheet i.e. Corrugated, greca or trimdek profile.If I understand you correctly, you will have rafters 5.5 m long (this is the direction of the fall on the roof) and your purlins will need to be 6.2 m long (these run perpendicular to the length of the sheeting) see below for clarification. So you need to know what spans the purlins are placed apartThis information can be found. Look at the second blue table – you need to look at the “Maximum Mid Spans” and “Maximum End Spans” – these will change pending the profile.Hope this helpsTeam PC. Hi RoseThanks for the message. It is hard to suggest things without seeing the sheeting.
The main areas of concern would normally be over tightening the screws (this can still be done with screws with cutters). Basically you should be looking got good contact with the washer without deforming the profile of the sheet. Are both sheets clear of the cutter on the screw – maybe they have been caught? The other area may be making sure the sheets have been laid square – this may be why it is out on the one end more?Hopefully this may help. Good luck!Team Polycarbonate. Hello,I’m building a flat roof verandah attached to the back of my house.Fall is 5 degrees and I’m using corrugated clear poly.The end wall of the house is flat continuing up as an end gable.The gable is fibre cement sheet, the lower part of the wall is colourbond corrugated steel sheet which will be under the verandah.
There is a 600mm eaves at this end of the house.The main support beam attached to the house id 140mm x 35 mm Treated Pine.What do your recommend for sealing the poly sheets at the house end,Metal Back Channel 40mmx 20mm with foam infill.orApron Flashing ( Corrugated ) with foam infill.Verandah length is 6000mm ( 6 Metres )Obviously Metal Back Channel will be the most cost effective.The verandah is on the opposite side of the house to the normal prevailing weather side.Thanks,. Hi, we built a timber-framed, polycarbonate sheeted roof over our deck about 8 years ago. In heavy rain water drips from the two hips. The drips appear to be coming from screw locations.
The screws are those with the cutter and rubber washer. On inspection the rubber washers at most screws are severely cracked, and sometimes missing. How long are these washers expected to last?
Kavya singh hot photo. I have tried to remove a screw to replace, but with the cutter in place it is difficult to remove the screw. Hi, I am in the process of designing an outdoor area in Melbourne, size being approx 8m x 8m using PC sheet (corrugated or greca) for roofing.
Given the temperature range where we can have +/- 20 degrees during a 24hr period, is it ok to use OneShot screws on a sheet of 8mtrs in length or do you advise larger fixing holes. Also can I assume that if a PC sheet at 8m in length can expand by approx. 20mm @ 0-40 degrees, it will then expand by half that for +/- 20, as we would never experience a temperature variance of 0-40 in Melbourne, the norm being +/-10-15 degrees. Hi BruceThanks for the question. There is no pre-treatment that I am aware of that will help to prevent the growth of mould.Generally, the simplest cleaning method for polycarbonates is a mild detergent with a cotton cloth or soft bristled broom (rising thoroughly afterwards).
I have also attached the chemical resistance document which may guide you if your require something to kill mould. See.I suspect that you are past the design stage, but a steeper fall is also useful here.
Trimming any trees etc if they are shading the roof area, allowing more sunlight onto the sheets can also assist. Regular cleaning may also prevent buildup.We hope this helpsTeam PC. Hi SteveThanks for the question. Silicone or Sika is NOT a good idea. Polycarbonate will expand and contract and these can damage the sheets.
We recommend the use of a sealing tape (which we can supply) either side of the screw line.In regard to the sheet lengths, we would normally recommend trimming the excess from the sheets, this will always give the cleanest look. We can always trim these to length for you if this makes life easier.I have added a link to the full installation guide for your reference.Let us know if we can help with anything else.ThanksTeam Polycarb. Hi SueThere are 3 potential causes/solutions that we may suggest.1. Noise tape – used on purlins to reduce noise as the sheets expand and contract – this is usually more important on painted timber.2. Screws over tight3. No expansion hole around the screw. (not using self cutting screws or failure to pre-drill holes for screw)Polycarbonate will expand and contract which can lead to noise.
If you think it is excessive you may want to check the above.Trust this assists in helping to resolve the problem.Team PC. Hi, I am having a new pergola roof area 8.12Mx 3.6M to attach my South side backyard brick wall in Sunnybank Qld and bought 11 sheets SUNTUF STD GRECA CLEAR 3.6M. Is 11 sheets is right enough for 8.12M?
E-crofting Stop End Adhesive Guide Kit
I have prepared 6 Dulux Weathershield painted purlins for 5 spans intervals, is it wasteful and too many holes on carb. Roof to have 4 spans enough?I read your installation guides and conclude that; I have to bend my upper body forwards about 760mm the farthest to drill the screws in mid spans??, it looks a bit difficult to keep the drill machine perpendicular to purlins although I am 175 tall.My friend told me to coil the sheet from side I am afraid it can’t be that.Why don’t you have a detail illustrated pictures for this?Thanks.