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Corrugated polycarbonate panels

judepal's picture

Corrugated polycarbonate panels (post #202521)

judepal on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 06:01
in

What are the pros and cons of using corrugated polycarbonate panels for the ceiling (not roof) of a fresh-water boat lift?  Is there large expansion and contraction in weather extremes?  What tools are best to cut the panels to fit irregular shapes?

Are there better maintenance free materials for this application, e.g. vinyl panels?

-A +A

for the ceiling (not roof) of (post #202521, reply #1 of 3)

by junkhound in reply to judepal [original] on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 08:04

for the ceiling (not roof) of a fresh-water boat lift?

do not  understand the use as described ... anyway, polycarb panels have been good to me, no complaints, but then have only used them for garage roofs.  No cons except high price.

I need to put a ceiling in (post #202521, reply #2 of 3)

by judepal in reply to junkhound [original] on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 08:30

I need to put a ceiling in the boat lift to keep birds, etc out of the rafters.  Want the most practical maintenance free material I can find, but it will be exposed to high humidity, UV rays off the water, and large temperature swimgs. 

 

What tools do ou use to cut the polycarbonate to fit irregular shapes (e.g. pulleys and the motor drive of the lift)?

Polycarbonate cust with normal tools (post #202521, reply #3 of 3)

by Jigs-n-fixtures in reply to judepal [original] on Mon, 06/06/2011 - 11:16

General wood working tools work fine, carbide is best.  The only exception is be sure things are sharp, dull means heat, which can melt things and leave a gooey mess. 

If you were doing a lot of work with it you might want to change the sharpening angle on drill bits, and possibly buy some of the dedicated blades made for plastics to use in your saws. 

The thermal expansion coefficient is about 70X10-6, in/in/degree kelvin.  So for a 150-degree centigrade change in temp, the change in length is about 1%.