Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: al78 on March 04, 2017, 23:56

Title: Better way of securing polycarbonate panels?
Post by: al78 on March 04, 2017, 23:56

I recently replaced the twin wall polycarbonate panels which had blown out of a friends greenhouse during the recent strong winds. I added plastic strips onto the end of the sheets to reduce flexing. I secured them in with at least four W clips either side (1200 mm x 600 mm panels). Unfortunately last weekend a couple had blown off, and again today one had taken flight. The novelty of the challenge of trying to retrieve them from the swathe of brambles on the site boundary without drawing blood is now wearing off. Does anyone have any suggestions as to something more permanent to secure the panels into the frame? One problem seems to be the frame is not perfectly level, so there is a very slight skew in the sections of frame where the panels go. The panels will go in but if the bottom of the panel is resting on the frame, the sides of the panel are not parallel with the frame at each side, there is about a couple of mm difference in gap between the panel and the frame from top to bottom. This means that where this gap is largest, it takes little effort to put a W clip in, which suggests the W clip is not holding the panel in tightly enough (if at all), meaning the panel can pop out at that location, then the wind gets around both sides of it, rips it out and off into the brambles it flies. I can try and post a photograph if it would help visualize the non-parallel issue.

Title: Re: Better way of securing polycarbonate panels?
Post by: finleyfreyaseth on March 05, 2017, 07:07

silicone them in or no nails em in or screw them in

Title: Re: Better way of securing polycarbonate panels?
Post by: LandShark on March 06, 2017, 16:52

Yes, use silicon. My polycarb kept blowing out and I used silicon sealer two years ago and it's still in place. It also seals up all the gaps meaning no draughts too!

Title: Re: Better way of securing polycarbonate panels?
Post by: al78 on March 12, 2017, 17:50

Thanks, I got some NO More Nails double sided tape which is supposed to work outdoors and used that to reinforce the panels. It doesn't seem to have worked in one place, it lost its stickiness overnight and one small panel was in danger of falling out. The flaky UK strikes again!  ::) I'll have another go with some of that sealant in a tube which can be squeezed into position.

Title: Re: Better way of securing polycarbonate panels?
Post by: grinling on March 17, 2017, 13:29

would a windbreak help?