Semicircular canopies. Sheds attached to the house: photos, varieties, installation stages and design features. How to properly attach a canopy to a private house over the porch

A light structure on a personal plot will protect from bad weather at any time of the year. Before you start designing, you should carefully look at the photo of the polycarbonate canopy. This will allow you to choose the most suitable option.

It’s easy to make a canopy yourself; it will allow you to retain natural light. It’s easy to organize a comfortable resting place under it.

The transparent design has good mechanical strength, it has become an excellent alternative to glass elements in modern construction. A polycarbonate canopy will become ideal solution for car, gazebo, pool. This design fits organically into the surrounding landscape.

Advantages of polycarbonate

To build a structure over the entrance to a building or over a car, a composite sheet is used. It bends well and provides a dispersive effect. Modern canopy made of polycarbonate will prevent sounds from raining. It is easy to clean, but you should not use organic solvents for it.

Don't forget to visit this useful ideas about landscaping!

Polycarbonate has the following advantages:

• Attractive price.
• Strength and reliability of the resulting structure.
• Possibility to obtain a design of any shape.
• Transparency of the material.
• Not afraid of temperature changes.
• Easy installation.

The disadvantages of the material include the fact that over time, under the influence of ultraviolet rays, its transparency decreases. After 12 years it becomes brittle.

To obtain a visually monolithic structure, special welding methods are used compositional elements. You can also use gluing for this material.

Monolithic polycarbonate looks more presentable, but it is more difficult to process. It requires a solid foundation. It is often used by builders to imitate glass elements.

Calculation and preparatory work

To get a durable canopy and frame with minimal costs, you should make the calculations correctly. To do this you need to know the area of ​​the canopy. It is important to consider that the thickness of the sheet is selected so that it can withstand snow in winter. The reliability of the structure mainly depends on the foundation.

Then install vertical load. Many cottage owners and country houses are interested in how to make a polycarbonate canopy. You can cope with such a task yourself, without involving specialists in this task.

First of all, it is necessary to develop drawings on which all dimensions must be indicated. It is also necessary to decide on the location of the power elements and their quantity. It is necessary to take into account the strength of air currents characteristic of the area where the canopy is installed. If it is mounted for a car, then its dimensions must be larger than the vehicle.

The next step is to determine the thickness of the support elements. You should take care of the tools to perform the work. The amount of materials you need to purchase depends on the project created.

Before installation, care should be taken to arrange the area underneath. The most practical solution would be tiles. Before laying it, mark the places where the supports will be installed, which should be filled with concrete. Subsequent operations are performed after 3 days.

DIY polycarbonate canopy

In order to correctly install the structure, all dimensions of the polycarbonate canopy must be verified. Height vertical elements should be the same, a longitudinal beam is laid out on them. It is attached using electric welding. The second beam is mounted on vertical wall buildings. Metal elements are fixed between them.

A special coating is applied to polycarbonate, which is necessary to reduce the adverse effects sun rays on the structure of the material. The manufacturer provides a special protective film on top of the coating; it is removed after installation.

Before laying, the sheets are cut with an electric saw. To attach polycarbonate, special kits are purchased, which include pads, seals, and screws.

At the final stage, decorative strips are attached to the canopy to cover the seams. To close the internal cavity of the material from dust and prevent moisture from entering, the side ends are sealed with perforated tape.

Installation features

Doing the work yourself will save you money financial resources. If you are interested in how to make a polycarbonate canopy, then you need to take into account that all work is carried out in accordance with the developed scheme.

This will allow you to build a reliable and durable structure. It looks aesthetically attractive, you can choose suitable color sheets of material.

Proper installation requires the presence of special compensation gaps. Polycarbonate has a high coefficient of thermal expansion. If this condition is not met, the material quickly loses its performance characteristics. There is no need to overtighten the screws.

For a private household, a design can be chosen in which one of the supports is the wall of the house. The material allows you to make a separate structure, for the fastening of which metal elements are used. A practical canopy will decorate personal plot, fits perfectly into the surrounding environment.

Photo of a polycarbonate canopy

With the advent of materials such as polycarbonate, the process of manufacturing various canopies and canopies has become significantly simplified. The excellent strength and flexibility of this product makes it possible to create the most complex structures with unusual geometry. At the same time, ease of installation allows even novice craftsmen to create a polycarbonate canopy with their own hands.

What you need to know

Before starting work, it is necessary to carefully study the varieties of this material and their properties. It is also worth knowing all the advantages and disadvantages of such structures in order to understand all the consequences of using a material such as polycarbonate. Price, sizes and some other parameters certain models completely different, which is worth considering.

Sheet thickness and strength

It is very important to choose the right thickness of the material. This determines what loads the sheet can withstand and to what radius it can be bent. You should look for such information from the manufacturer or in specialized literature, which will help you create a polycarbonate canopy with your own hands, taking into account the specifics of the product.

It must be said right away that we are talking about honeycomb material, the insides of which consist of specific cells. The fact is that monolithic products similar type very heavy, although they have simply enormous strength. A single sheet 12 mm thick can stop a bullet fired from a pistol.

It is believed that 4 mm material is not suitable for creating canopies, but products 10 mm or more can already be used for full roofs. Therefore, you should pay attention to sheets with a thickness of 6 to 8 mm. They are ideal for such work, and their cost ranges from 250 to 350 rubles per square meter.

Color

Recently, the question of which polycarbonate is better to choose for a canopy also applies to the color of the material. This is due to various advances in the field of production, which allow these products to be produced in various color scheme. There are also models with printed protective coating, which prevents the penetration of infrared radiation.

The choice of color is a highly individual matter, but the ability to filter particles or waves of light must be considered very carefully. The fact is that infrared radiation helps to heat the protected surface, which is very important when arranging parking lots. However, if the polycarbonate canopy to the house blocks the plants, they will not be able to receive the necessary lighting, which will affect their development.

Preparatory work

Before starting production, it is very important to create a high-quality drawing of the future design and correctly purchase everything you need. Usually, when experts tell you how to make a polycarbonate canopy, they recommend using the services of a designer, who will also draw up an estimate. However, if you have minimal skills, you can do this work yourself.

Drawing

• First of all, you need to compare the area that needs to be covered with the dimensions of the sheet. At the same time, a calculation is made of how many pieces of material will be needed, taking into account its location, as well as the angle of inclination or radius.
• At the next stage, a drawing of the load-bearing truss or frame is created. At the same time, it must be designed in such a way that the jumpers are located at the junction of the sheets. It is also recommended to make unique stiffening ribs that would be placed in the middle of the covering area.
• Typically, drawings of polycarbonate canopies also contain installation diagrams on the building and floor. At the same time, sometimes it is necessary to create even small foundations and supports. It all depends on the type of building.

Purchase

This stage is very important and requires a separate approach. The fact is that polycarbonate is a very specific material for which it is necessary to purchase special fittings and fasteners. In this case, it is very important to take into account the model of the selected material.

If you make a polycarbonate canopy with your own hands, then the easiest way is to come to the market directly with a drawing that you can show to the seller. He will not only select the necessary adapters and special screws, but can give advice or suggest his own changes to the project. However, from the very beginning it is worth calculating the quantity yourself necessary elements and their type, which is easier to do using special software.

When purchasing metal for the manufacture of frames, it is recommended to immediately agree that long elements will be cut to size. This will help save on transport and save performers from additional work.

It is worth noting that the cost of profiles for polycarbonate varies greatly. Regular plugs can be purchased for 50-70 rubles, but connecting strips can cost up to 700 rubles.

Step-by-step installation

When you create a polycarbonate canopy with your own hands, you should adhere to a certain work plan. This will reduce time and avoid mistakes during assembly. At the same time, it is observed correct sequence, which makes it possible to do several stages at the same time.

Base and seats

When making canopies and canopies from polycarbonate, they use both supports and wall mounting systems. Therefore, it is worth considering the option of manufacturing using both methods.

• First of all, you need to install the supports. They are made from profile or ordinary pipe, which is installed in a hole with a depth of at least 80 cm. In this case, concrete is poured, and the quality is controlled using a plumb line.
• If you plan to install a canopy over the site, then the placement of supports should be thought out in advance. The easiest way is to lay them together with the reinforcement and concrete them with the base. You can also create special nickels in advance, to which metal can be welded if desired.
• The mounting points on the walls must first be cleaned and leveled. The joint density of the frame should be maximum. At the same time, it is also worth applying markings to the surface to prevent distortions during the installation process.

If you plan to pour concrete while working, then it is worth remembering that it must be left for at least a week to completely harden. This is when you need to do the truss or frame work. Especially considering that they still need to be primed and painted.

Frame

Trusses or a frame for a canopy are made from a profile pipe, since this material is best suited for polycarbonate. The price, dimensions and methods of fastening of all segments are selected individually. For example, cheaper rods can be used as jumpers, but the base must be very strong to not only withstand the weight, but also gusts of wind.

It is believed that it is best to use welding to connect all structural elements. However, some craftsmen prefer bolted fastenings. They are more practical and reliable, but take a lot of time and money to manufacture.

It makes no sense to describe the design itself, since it is made exclusively according to an individual drawing. However, immediately after creation, the product is treated with a primer and painted. Best to use immediately special composition dye that can be applied directly to the rust.

After the trusses have dried, they must be mounted on supports and fixed to the wall. If the paint was damaged, then after installation the affected area is additionally treated. The result should be strong and reliable design, capable of withstanding heavy loads.

Sheathing

Typically, making polycarbonate canopies does not have difficult stages, but this process should be treated very carefully. Even at the acquisition stage, you should pay attention to the principle of fixing a specific type of material, the type of adapters, connections and plugs used. It is then that the necessary tool and fitting are selected.

Most often, the connecting elements are first pre-fixed and the sheet itself is installed in them. It is secured using special self-tapping screws that do not violate the tightness of the structure. Then the ends are sealed using separate plugs.

Some experts first prefer to seal the ends of the sheet if, when fitting it, it was cut and the internal cavities were opened. This prevents the quality of the material from deteriorating and creates an obstacle to the ingress of dust and moisture.

If the sheet needs to be bent, then fix it first at one end and then along the radius. In this case, be sure to fasten the sheet in the middle so as not to create tension points. This type of work is best done by two people to save time.

• The protective film is removed from the sheets only after the material has been fixed. It will prevent accidental mechanical damage in the form of scratches. However, this does not mean that the product can be handled carelessly.
• If polycarbonate canopies are being made in the yard, then you should first pay attention to how the shadow behaves during the day, and only after that create a design project. This way, you can take into account all aspects of sunlight entering the finished system and take additional measures if necessary. For example, install additional side sun protection.
• The correct color of the material will create the appropriate atmosphere and level of comfort. Therefore, when choosing it, you need to take into account the wishes of all the people who will use the product.
• It is best to create semicircular structures with a small radius. This way, snow in winter will not be able to accumulate on the surface, creating additional loads. Also very practical single slope systems, allowing rainwater to be drained in one direction, which is very important when creating canopies over entrances or recreation areas.
• To properly drain rainwater, some sheds should be equipped with storm drains. However, it is much easier to immediately think through this point during design in order to reduce costs and installation time.
• If desired, the frame and supports can be made of wood, but the finished structure will have a rougher appearance and a shorter service life. However, when the right approach to design you can get a real work of art with original style and high-quality coating.

Conclusion

Considering the relative simplicity of this installation, we can safely say that even a novice master can handle this work. However, it must be taken into account that you will need specialized tool in the form welding machine and a hammer drill. It is also worth acquiring a ladder or other structures that allow you to work at height.

The fact that there are simply a huge number of different designs of such products, differing in shape, deserves special attention. However, you can always create your own own system trusses with an original slope or broken corners. Therefore, the final choice of project depends only on the imagination of the manufacturer and the limiting capabilities of polycarbonate.

Original canopies, spacious pavilions and translucent canopies today decorate the courtyards of many areas. Buildings decorated with modern building material - polycarbonate - look very attractive, fitting harmoniously into the architectural ensemble. Owners of private houses are increasingly installing polycarbonate canopies with their own hands, creating picturesque arched structures. Semi-matte and transparent colored canopies polymer base, in addition to their direct purpose, become spectacular decoration front area, playground or patio.

Polycarbonate is a universal roofing material. Acting as a worthy alternative to wood, glass or metal, it serves as the basis for the construction of canopies, which are quite widely used in suburban construction.

Option #1 – canopy over the balcony

By equipping your balcony with a plastic transparent canopy that freely allows the sun's rays to pass through, you can create a real greenhouse that will decorate your home throughout the year.

The construction of a polycarbonate canopy will protect the walls of the house and the area attached to it from the development of mold and fungi and will extend the service life wooden elements buildings

Option #2 – carport

Quite rigid structures can withstand strong gusts of wind; the translucent roof creates a slight shadow.

Rectangular and arc-shaped canopies can perfectly protect the car not only from snow and rain, but also from other external factors that have a negative impact

Option #3 – canopy for a gazebo or patio

Polycarbonate is ideal as roofing material for arranging a gazebo, covered recreation area, or barbecue.

A semi-matte or transparent roof will provide a diffused shadow, thanks to which a slightly subdued, interesting lighting will be created inside the gazebo.

Option #4 – canopy over the porch

Thanks to the wide variety color palette polycarbonate and the special structure of the material, which easily takes any shape, you can always create a structure that fits perfectly into the architectural composition of an existing building.

A beautifully designed canopy will protect the front part of the house and the adjacent veranda with a porch from scorching sun rays in the summer months and bad weather in the cold season

Selecting material for building a canopy

In suburban construction, cellular polycarbonate is most often used for arranging canopies. Durable panels, consisting of several layers of plastic, which are connected through vertical stiffeners, have excellent quality characteristics. In addition to the fact that they have an aesthetic appearance, polycarbonate panels are quite easy to install and bend, taking an arched shape. Thanks to the special structure of the material, polycarbonate is able to protect against negative impact UV radiation.

When choosing material for arranging a canopy, you should be guided primarily by the purpose and type of future construction.

When calculating a polycarbonate canopy, you need to take into account: wind and snow load, sheathing pitch and bending radius

Proper calculation will help prevent unnecessary costs: purchasing too thin sheets will require more frequent lathing steps, at the same time, installing the most durable panels will also entail additional costs.

When choosing polycarbonate panels, it is necessary to take into account the thickness of the material:

• Panels 4 mm thick are intended for the construction of greenhouses and greenhouses.
• Honeycomb panels 6-8 mm thick are intended for the construction of partitions, canopies, canopies and roofs.
• Noise barriers are erected from sheets 10 mm thick and are used for the construction of vertical surfaces.
• The thickest panels are 16 mm thick and are characterized by increased strength. They are used for roofing large areas.

Palette of shades cellular polycarbonate is wide enough, which allows you to choose the option that is optimal for arranging a particular building.

Green and blue translucent plastic panels will decorate the canopy over the pool. Brown and cherry shades of the canopy will complement the picturesque picture of buildings entwined with greenery

The main stages of arranging a canopy

Having decided on the location building structure, a project for the canopy should be developed. The design, which is carried out before using polycarbonate, allows not only to correctly calculate the required amount of materials during construction, but also to prevent the occurrence of possible deformations during operation.

When designing the base and above-ground part of the canopy structure, you must first measure the parameters of the site and, based on this, calculate the frame taking into account the longitudinal and transverse steps

When developing a project, you should also consider climatic features terrain and loads created by external factors.

To install polycarbonate sheets with a thickness of less than 8 mm, a step of 600-700 mm is sufficient. When arranging heavier panels, longitudinal steps are made with a size of 700 mm, and transverse steps - up to 1 meter

Stage #2 – construction of a platform for a canopy

The area for the construction of the canopy is marked out using pegs and leveled. Along the perimeter of the site, at a distance of 1-1.5 meters, using a drill, dig holes for the installation of support posts, which are most often used as wooden beams or metal poles.

The supports are buried directly into the ground by 50-150 cm, leveled using a building level and concreted, or secured to embedded parts specially dug in according to the same principle.

When using wooden beams as support posts, the lower part of the pillars is treated with bitumen or any protective composition, preventing wood from rotting.

After waiting a couple of days until the supports are stable and the concrete gains sufficient strength, a layer of soil 15-20 cm thick is removed from the entire territory of the marked area. The bottom of the resulting pit is covered with a sand or crushed stone “cushion” and compacted.

At this stage of construction, it is advisable to provide for the arrangement of grooves and placement drainage pipes for drainage of rainwater.

As a final coating you can use:

• concrete screed;
• paving slabs;
• lawn lattice.

To lay this covering, formwork is installed around the perimeter of the site. The bottom of the pit, covered with a gravel “cushion”, is poured concrete mortar 5 cm thick, on top of which a mesh of reinforcement is immediately laid and re-filled with the same layer of concrete. The formwork is removed after 2-3 days, when the concrete has hardened. The concrete-filled site itself must sit for at least 2-3 weeks: during this period, the concrete will gain the necessary strength and naturally get rid of excess moisture.

Concrete screed is well suited for flat areas where the soil is not subject to displacement

Paving slabs are more suitable for “floating” and heaving soils. Unlike a concrete screed, covered paving slabs does not form a monolithic layer, thereby allowing the earth to “breathe”

The tiles are laid directly on the sand “cushion”, compacting the elements using a rubber hammer, which does not damage the surface of the coating. As a frame that will prevent the coating from spreading beyond the site, it is better to use curb stone. Having laid out the tiles, the surface of the site is watered. Can also be used as a coating natural stone, clinker brick or paving stones.

Lovers natural materials can opt for lawn grate, through the cells of which grass grows

The polymer material, which acts as the basis for the grating, will provide water drainage and protect the lawn from trampling, maintaining its attractive appearance throughout the season.

Stage #3 – installation of the frame

Vertical support posts are attached to the embedded parts. When constructing a frame from metal poles, top harness along the perimeter and vertical posts of the structure are performed by electric welding. After this, using vertical struts, the transverse elements of the frame are fastened to the load-bearing beams.

Most often, transverse elements are given arched and dome-shaped, single- and gable-shaped shapes. In addition to being presentable appearance arched structures prevent the accumulation of snow, dirt and fallen leaves

All frame welds are cleaned, primed and painted.

Stage #4 – laying polycarbonate sheets

The reliability and durability of the building directly depends on the quality of installation of the polycarbonate canopy roof.

To lay polycarbonate panels you will need the following tools:

• construction knife;
• circular saw;
• drill;
• screwdriver

Sheets up to 8 mm thick can be cut using construction knife, and thicker panels - with a circular saw with discs having small, unset teeth. All work on cutting sheets should be carried out only on a hard and level surface.

Sheets must be cut taking into account the orientation of the air channels. Those must match the direction of the bend or slope

The outer side of the panel, which protects against UV radiation, is covered with a special transport film, on which the manufacturer applies images with installation instructions. All work on cutting and drilling holes can be carried out without removing the protective film, removing it from the surface of the panels only after installing the canopy.

Advice. To bend a plastic panel with an arc, you need to attach a profile to it along the channel line, make small cuts in it and bend it, giving the desired shape.

Polycarbonate sheets adjusted to size are laid on the frame and fixed with self-tapping screws and thermal washers with a diameter of 30 mm.

Such thermal washers, which have a silicone base, can provide excellent sealing of seams

The mounting holes, the diameter of which should be 2-3 mm larger than the size of the screws and thermal washers, must be placed between the stiffeners at a distance of 30 cm from each other. When fixing the sheets to the frame, the main thing is not to overtighten, so as not to break the edges of the holes in plastic panel. The sheets themselves are fastened together using H-shaped profiles, under which the edges of the panels are inserted 20 mm, leaving small gaps.

When connecting polycarbonate sheets to each other, you need to follow the rule for arranging compression seams: leave 3-5 mm gaps to allow the sheets to move due to temperature changes.

The edges and open ends of polycarbonate panels are covered with special overlays, aluminum or perforated tapes with microfilters, and then sealed with sealant

This treatment will prevent debris, dust and small insects from entering the empty cavities of the panels, and will also prevent condensation from accumulating.

The canopy is ready. Maintenance of the structure consists only of timely cleaning of the surface using ordinary water without the use of detergents that can damage protective layer polycarbonate panels.

Polycarbonate canopies can be used for a variety of needs. These are hanging canopies over the balcony and porch; covered parking for passenger cars and agricultural machinery; covered passages between the house and the bathhouse, summer kitchen, sheds, etc.

This article will discuss different types of polycarbonate house canopies, features of the choice of materials for the frame, and calculations of buildings. You will also find here step by step guide for the construction of a structure based on a metal profile.

Types, calculation and design of canopies, choice of frame material

The most popular options for canopies and canopies made of polycarbonate are arched, cascading, single- and double-sloped. They all have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Arched structures

Arched polycarbonate canopies in the yard are considered the most popular today, especially for organizing parking lots and galleries between the house and outbuildings.

• The semicircular shape of the arch prevents snow from accumulating on the roof.
• When it rains, water drains only on two sides.
• Due to the downward facing sides, the likelihood of the canopy being damaged by wind is quite low.
• The arched design is equally suitable for both a small canopy over the porch and a spacious parking lot for several cars.

The arched polycarbonate canopy has one drawback - if you make it yourself, you may face the problem of bending the profiles.

Arched polycarbonate canopy: the photo shows an indoor parking lot

Cascade system

Cascading canopies are, in fact, a system of several arched ones. This design is chosen for installation above flights of stairs, where the roof slope is very large. And there are two reasons for this:

• When it rains, water pours from the solid arched roof, located at a high angle, into the space in front of the first steps, hitting those entering. With a cascade arrangement of roofing elements, water flows to the sides.
• The aesthetic side of the issue. Several cascaded arched canopies made of polycarbonate look much more interesting than one solid one, pointing down.

The disadvantages of such a system are the complexity of the design, high time and material costs.

Arched polycarbonate canopy attached to the house: photo of a three-stage system

Shed roof

A lean-to polycarbonate canopy is the easiest option to build:

• No bending of profiles is required, as is the case with arched roofs.
• No bending of polycarbonate sheets is required. Accordingly, you are not limited in choosing the thickness of the roofing material.
• During construction, you can do without using roof trusses, only longitudinal and transverse beams will be sufficient.

Shed structures are often used when attaching a canopy to the wall of a house or garage. The disadvantage is that the roof has a slight slope; in winter, snow will accumulate on it.

Wooden canopy made of polycarbonate: photo of a lean-to structure

Gable canopy

In construction, it is a little more difficult than a single-slope one, since it requires two slopes to be brought together at a certain angle. However, this construction is also more convenient to use:

• Slopes lowered on both sides provide better protection from wind and precipitation compared to a single slope.
• The angle of the roof is greater here, which means less snow will accumulate on it in winter.
• The frame of a gable roof is rigid, so it can withstand wind loads well.

A gable canopy made of polycarbonate can be used for various purposes: for parking lots, barbecues, barbecue ovens, porches, pavilions between outbuildings.

Gable roof over barbecue oven

Calculation and design of polycarbonate canopies

Even at the stage of creating a project, before starting to calculate a polycarbonate canopy from a profile pipe, you need to find out the following for yourself:

• Size and location of the future building.
• Wind and snow loads - these parameters affect the shape of the roof structure.
• The design of a private house and outbuildings - the choice of frame design and the color of polycarbonate sheets depends on this.
• Specifications of available/desired building materials.

Armed with this information, we move on to calculating and drawing up a drawing of a polycarbonate canopy. Here we already indicate exactly: the dimensions of the building and the shape of the roof; technical specifications material of supports, frame and roof; quantity and nature of fastening elements.

How to make a polycarbonate canopy: the width of the purlins between the sheathing profiles depends on the parameters of the roofing material

And now about the height of polycarbonate canopies. In principle, it can be anything - it all depends on your needs and wishes. However, for comfortable use of the building, it will be better if the lowest point of its roof is at least 180 cm above the ground.

The parameters of support posts for the manufacture of canopies and canopies made of polycarbonate must be calculated based on the following figures:

• The minimum cross-section is 40x40 mm.
• Metal thickness – from 1 mm.
• The thickness of the foundation pillars must exceed the cross-section of the racks by at least 10 mm.
• The recommended depth of foundation pits is from 50 cm.
• For the sidewalls of rafter trusses, a profile with a cross-section of 20 mm is taken, for diagonal gratings - from 15 mm.

How to make a polycarbonate canopy with your own hands: the drawings must be very detailed

Choosing material for the frame

Typically, the following materials are used to make polycarbonate canopies:

• Metal profile. Durable, easy to install and unpretentious to use. Requires minimal maintenance - only timely treatment with anti-corrosion agents. Flaws - heavy weight designs and high price.
• Metal pipes. The advantages are the same as metal profiles. The only thing is that the rounded cross-sectional shape is not so convenient for welding and other types of fasteners.
• Wood – profiled or ordinary timber, rounded log. A beautiful, lively material, suitable if the canopy should be stylized as something. During construction wooden canopy Do-it-yourself polycarbonate will require certain carpentry skills.

Wooden frame

DIY polycarbonate canopy construction

The longest part of construction is creating the foundation. The frame itself and the mounting on it roofing sheets It will take at most one and a half working days.

Installation of support pillars and installation of bindings

We install support pillars in the following way:

• We dig foundation holes - 50 cm deep and 30 cm in diameter.
• We install a reinforcement cage inside.
• Fill the holes with a cement-sand (3/1) mixture, cover with cellophane and leave to harden for several days.
• We fasten the supports to the foundation with anchors.

Concreting supports

We tie the supports along the tops with a single beam; the front part of the canopy will then rest on it. This dressing is best done from a square or rectangular section. Usage round pipe This is undesirable, since the abutment area of ​​the elements during welding will be too small.

A polycarbonate canopy attached to the house: the photo shows the location of the front supports

We make a canopy for the house from polycarbonate: the photo shows the installation stage of the binding

Bend the profile for the roof frame

If the polycarbonate garden canopy has an arched roof, then we will have to think about how to bend the profiled pipe. This can be done in several ways:

• Using a pipe bending machine. Such a device is expensive, and it makes no sense to buy it just for the construction of a canopy.
• By cutting (6-8 mm) the pipe and bending it into the opposite side. The cuts are then covered with metal “patches”.
• Manual bending of a preheated profile. To prevent flattening of the pipe, sand is compacted inside before work.

Manual pipe bending machine

Welding the canopy frame

We begin welding the frame by assembling the trusses. This is done on the ground, with the obligatory use of a building level. We start welding the diagonal slats onto parallel profiles from the edges, gradually moving towards the center. Magnets for welding will greatly facilitate the work - they are good for setting angles between parts.

In the following video you can see how welding magnets are used.

We place the finished polycarbonate trusses for the canopy on the binding and on the support of the front part. We bait it pointwise and then weld it. All elements must stand strictly vertically, so after installation we check the correct installation with a building level. If necessary, we slightly adjust the position using a sledgehammer.

A canopy attached to the house, made of polycarbonate: photo of the installation of roof trusses

Across the trusses we make purlins from a thin profile of rectangular cross-section. The distance between the parts is from 50 to 60 cm.

Installation of purlins

Next, we proceed to the installation of the sidewalls. We weld sections of the profile to the bases of the outer trusses and screw them along the entire length to the walls. From the lower edges of the sections to the ends of the trusses we stretch and weld profiles of the same thickness. we make a couple of transverse jumpers. You can see what it looks like at next photo. The frame is ready, you can begin installing the polycarbonate.

Sidewall work

Fastening cellular polycarbonate to the frame

And now about how to attach polycarbonate to the metal frame of the canopy. Installation is carried out using special fastenings– thermal washers. They consist of sealing and plastic washers, as well as a plug for them. All this is tightened with ordinary self-tapping screws. Special attention Three points should be taken into account:

• Strict vertical screwing of self-tapping screws.
• Moderate tightening of fasteners. Insufficient application will not ensure the proper quality of installation, and excessive application can lead to damage to the surface of the material.
• There should be at least 4 cm from the sheet cuts to the boundaries of the hole for the self-tapping screw.
• The hole for the self-tapping screw should be 2-3 mm larger than the diameter of the latter.

How to properly attach polycarbonate to a canopy: you need to use special thermal washers

In addition to thermal washers, the following fittings are used during the installation of polycarbonate:

• Detachable profile. Used to join two sheets of material together. It consists of a base and a cover - the base is attached to the frame with self-tapping screws, and the cover is fastened to it using a special lock.
• End profile and punched tape. They are used for finishing cuts on polycarbonate sheets. First, punched paper tape is glued along their entire length, and then the end profile is fixed to it.

Additional accessories

Polycarbonate canopies are becoming increasingly popular in private housing construction. This is well deserved - the material is available for both self-installation, and in terms of cost. The shapes of canopies and canopies, with a sensible approach, will make the facade and local area individual - bends, concavities, arches.

In combination with metal frame, it looks stylish and expensive. However, to achieve professional result only possible with experience. And as a training, below is described how to make a lean-to canopy with your own hands. This is the most simple form, however, has not lost its beauty.

Types of polycarbonate and the right choice of raw materials

The industry offers the consumer several types of building materials, which have some differences from each other and, accordingly, advantages and disadvantages. All products are united by common qualities:

Any type of polycarbonate is subject to independent processing, and light weight design will allow installation almost alone. So, the types:

Based on what has been written, it is better to choose cellular polycarbonate for building a canopy.

Design selection

The type of polycarbonate, its color and the shape of the canopy can all influence the purpose of the structure. For example, a lean-to carport would not be the best option. It’s also easy to do it yourself, but at the same time it will collect all the heat from the sun’s rays, which will negatively affect the car.

For an iron horse, it is better to use an arch - it will scatter the ultraviolet beam, and a optimal temperature without loss of light. Straight designs are very popular for open terraces, verandas

Domes and concavities are good for indoor pools, barbecues, gazebos. Below are the steps to construct a simple lean-to canopy– as the least complex design for beginners.

Preparation

Any structure must be carefully designed, otherwise it will pose a danger to others. It’s a good idea to ask your local architectural department whether a permit is required to build a shed, since it can also be presented as an extension to the house. To avoid misunderstandings and the need to disassemble the canopy and dismantle the base, you need to acquire the necessary package of documents.

Drawing

A simple lean-to canopy is a rectangular or square design according to the purpose. You should set the required height and width dimensions in advance, taking into account that part of the frame will go under the concrete. Also, the diagram must take into account the thickness of all components - pipes, polycarbonate.

This is important, since snow and wind loads should not affect the strength of the structure. It is better to use special tables to determine the section and data on climatic zone. Having entered all the required values ​​on the drawing, you can begin to work.

Selection of materials and tools

If the type of polycarbonate has already been decided, then all that remains is to choose the raw materials for the frame. Profile pipes have become the favorites in this regard - they are lightweight, inexpensive, can withstand maximum loads and are easy to install. Can be assembled using bolts or welding. For the latter you need to have a certain skill.

Profile pipes for a house shed are selected according to the load - wall thickness varies from 2 to 16 mm. The racks for the frame should not be less than 80 mm in width of the walls; for the remaining components - the rafter system, trusses and sheathing - the values ​​​​are less. In addition, you will need:

• Roulette and level.
• Bulgarian.
• Drill.
• Hammer.
• Fasteners
• Thermal washers and rubber.
• Welding machine.
• Protective suriks.
• Overalls.

The work is not for one day, so after purchasing materials they need to be stored in a dry place without danger mechanical impact If handled carelessly, scratches may remain on the polycarbonate sheets.

Installation of a lean-to canopy - instructions

The work must be divided into stages for a quality process. Strict adherence to each is the key to quality work.

Base

It is best to make a polycarbonate canopy with posts recessed into concrete. This will increase its strength. For the foundation, a pit 30 cm deep is sufficient, which is arranged according to the rules of an ordinary foundation - crushed stone-sand cushion, reinforcement, pouring.

The site should be carefully leveled and holes should be dug in the corners for the glasses in which the “legs” of the frame will be installed. They can be poured separately or as a whole structure. Time for hardening and shrinkage is 2-3 weeks.

Frame welding

A frame with racks, a couple of which are higher than the others, can be made into one whole, or a form of corners can be laid on profile support pipes - whichever is more convenient for you. Then the frame is assembled to the side rafter system, representing several trusses - with large spans they are necessary for greater reinforcement. Trusses are rectangular blocks with pipes or corners welded in a zigzag pattern.

The upper belt can be made in the form of an arc and then the structure will look like an arch. Since it was decided to make a lean-to canopy from polycarbonate with your own hands, the task is simplified by the fact that both belts of the trusses are straight - the upper one is prepared in advance for plastic fasteners, drilling holes in it for self-tapping screws. The finished structures are welded into place.

Lathing

The purpose of the sheathing is clear - to support the weight of the roof with subsequent loads. For a lean-to canopy, sheathing is installed more often than for an arch, because the area is larger. The approximate value is 0.8 m.

You should weld fittings, angles or profile pipes with tacks - it won’t work that way large quantity messy blots of molten metal and slag. By the way, you need to beat off the excess immediately after welding is completed, until the waste is firmly stuck to the frame.

Installation of plastic sheets

The sheets are not cut immediately. This must be done directly on the frame - this way the true dimensions will be clear. If you make the cut in advance, then perhaps there will not be enough material or there will be a lot more of it - both of which lead to cost overruns.

The sheets are spread directly over the surface of the sheathing and appropriate marks are made on them for cutting and holes. Below, the polycarbonate is brought into the appropriate form - cut and drilled. Before laying on the frame begins, the holes in the sheathing and trusses are sealed with rubber O-rings - they will not allow moisture to seep into the metal and will be completely pressed with polycarbonate.

Laying occurs as follows:

• The sheet is fixed with self-tapping screws along one edge.
• Then the connecting profile is put on, the edge of the second sheet is inserted and the middle is fixed.
• The following elements are attached in the same way.

Decorative profiles placed on the ends of the polycarbonate will complete the work - they will protect the plastic from water accumulation. In addition, we must not forget about the cavities of the pipes - they also should not be exposed to moisture - the ends should be welded.

Frame painting and care

Nothing special canopy design made of profile pipes and polycarbonate - does not require. It is only important to coat the metal with a special paint that prevents corrosion. This must be done before the frame is covered with sheets of plastic, so as not to miss a single section and not to stain the polycarbonate.

For greater beauty, the frame is varnished on top. The roof requires the simplest cleaning - water and mild, non-abrasive detergents. Timely prevention consists of identifying pockets of corrosion, cleaning them from damage and covering them with a new layer of red lead. Then the canopy can serve the owners much longer than the stated period.

If you want beauty and sophistication, then before purchasing polycarbonate, you should pay attention to decorative models - they may look like stained glass, have intricate patterns, colors. Some examples are made using silk-screen printing - such models are expensive. But the view is beautiful. Owners whose budget is limited can easily get by with film of different colors and fix it from the inside of the canopy, thereby giving the structure the desired color.