Polycarbonate awnings have always been a popular choice for their durability and modern look. If you’re looking for something that looks like glass but is tougher, this is it.
Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic, which means, being not glass, it’s less fragile and more hardy. Polycarbonate is much better able to withstand impact, which means during the occasional hailstorm, it’s a lot less likely to crack or break. It’s also better at resisting chipping and discoloration.
In Singapore’s weather, insulation is an important element, and polycarbonate is a better insulator of heat than glass, even if we’re comparing transparent polycarbonate sheets to glass ones.
In other words, on hot sunny days, which is most days in Singapore, your home and outdoor area will be cooler, as the polycarbonate awning will allow less heat to pass through. Polycarbonate awnings can also be made to be translucent rather than transparent
In terms of aesthetics, polycarbonate doesn’t lose out to glass by much. Glass definitely has its own natural properties that are hard to replicate fully with polycarbonate. Nevertheless, polycarbonate does a good enough job, and unless you look closely, to the untrained eye, it’s usually quite hard to distinguish between the two.
Having said that, glass has its own benefits too. For one, as you would have learned in science class, glass is relatively hard. Fragile, yes, but hard. This means that there aren’t many natural elements that can scratch glass, something that can’t be said about polycarbonate.
With polycarbonate, though it may overall be tougher, it can be scratched more easily. This won’t affect the material integrity, but it can certainly affect the aesthetic if there are many scratches.
Additionally, while treated high-quality polycarbonate does a good job of resisting discoloration and yellowing, it still can’t match the resistance of glass. And without this UV coating treatment, regular polycarbonate will discolor and yellow when exposed to UV rays pretty quickly.
It’s not uncommon for less reputable contractors to use lower-grade polycarbonate that isn’t treated, so that can be an issue if you’re engaging a less well-known company.
Finally, glass is just more sleek. There’s a reason why glass is used for premium items like chandeliers, display cabinets, and even staircases for certain luxury homes. Glass is a timeless material that will always convey elegance and luxury.
Polycarbonate can mimic glass quite closely, but still loses out just ever so slightly in terms of aesthetics.
All in all, the choice between polycarbonate and glass comes down to aesthetics versus insulation and impact resistance.
Polycarbonate certainly looks a little less posh and grand, but the chances of it breaking are much lower, and you’ll have a cooler home.
For those worried about discoloration with your polycarbonate, rest assured that you won’t have to worry about that when you choose us. Discoloration is an issue only with lower-quality untreated polycarbonate.
At
Uni Shades, we use only high-quality materials, and our polycarbonate is UV-treated, so they’re highly resistant to discoloring and yellowing.
We’ve been in business since 2013, and our highly-trained team has installed hundreds of awnings.
When you choose us, you’re choosing high-quality materials, expert installation, and a proven track record of excellence.
So if you’re looking for top-notch polycarbonate awning installation, give us a call today at 6635 3550
or 9091 0110.
