Good quality roofing bars are essential for the integrity of your project. Keeping your home safe, secure and free of any leaks, they present an easy and cost effective solution to keep roofing panels in place. If you’re planning to extend your home and looking at roofing options, then good roofing bars will definitely be something you need.
What Roofing Bars Do I Need?
Roofing bars are used to join together panels, such as when you install polycarbonate roofing for a conservatory. Each roofing bar should be supplied with all the parts it needs to work effectively, including a base unit, often made of aluminium, rubber gaskets to seal, snap down caps or housing, and end pieces. This gives a clean, finished look and ensures that everything stays in place securely - vital with a roof where you need to prevent any possible water damage from leaks.
How Do I Install A Roofing Bar?
A good builder should easily be able to tackle the project, but if you are trying to construct a roof using roofing bars yourself, it’s a fairly easy job to tackle with a little advance planning.
Make sure there is enough of a framework in place to support your roofing bars. The minimum width of your rafter, joist or purling should be 50mm
Drill into the roofing bar in between it’s teeth, at no more than 400mm intervals, and at least 75mm in from each end of the roofing bar
Next, make sure that the rubber gaskets are fitted on either side, and push them into position
Once this is done, position your roofing panels, whether they are glazed or polycarbonate. Push the plates up against the teeth of the roofing bar, until they sit flush
Push down the housing of the roofing bar, which should snap onto the bar
Your roofing bar should be weatherproof, but for extra peace of mind you can add a layer of silicone waterproof sealant to give extra protection
Making Your Choice of Roofing Bar
Now that you have an idea of how to install your roofing bars, you will want to find the best price and quality. Roofing bars come in different colours to match in with the scheme that you have. They come in different length options, which can be anywhere from 2000mm to 6000mm so you can get the best fit for the job. You may need a few extra items, such as F-sections, sheet closures, fixing buttons or lead flashing.
Maintaining Your Roofing
It’s extremely important to keep your roofing well maintained. If it's not in good condition, water can seep into the building and cause serious damage. The roof of a building is it’s first defence against rain, snow, hail, strong winds and debris. When not looked after, you may experience issues with mould and mildew, or even larger problems. This can be especially the case with conservatories which are more open to the elements. Maintaining and replacing the roofing bars is a key way to keep this area watertight and looking great.
