Polycarbonate or glass veranda roof: which suits an Irish garden?

The two roofs in plain terms

Polycarbonate is a rigid plastic sheet with air channels running through it. Ours is 16mm multiwall polycarbonate with a UV-protected surface, so it does not go yellow. It is light, so the frame does not need to be reinforced. It comes in four finishes:

• Clear: the most light of the four, with a slightly ribbed look from below.
• Opal: a milky finish that spreads the light, cuts glare and hides leaves and dirt on top. Our most popular choice on south and west-facing patios.
• Ultra clear: closer to the look of glass.
• Solar control: tinted to reflect some of the sun’s heat.

Glass on our verandas is laminated safety glass: two sheets bonded with a clear interlayer, so if it is ever broken it holds together rather than falling. Glass is much heavier than polycarbonate, so the glass roof models have a reinforced gutter and a stronger frame.

How they compare in Irish weather

Rain. In Ireland the roof will spend more time under rain than under sun, so noise matters more than people expect. On polycarbonate a heavy shower is a steady drum; some people like it, some don’t. On glass it is a softer patter. If the veranda is going against a living room or a kitchen you sit in every evening, it is worth standing under both roofs in a showroom before you choose.

Light. Most Irish houses already have a darker back room than their owners would like, and any roof over a window takes some light from it. Glass takes the least. If your veranda faces north or east, or sits outside a kitchen that already needs the lights on in the afternoon, glass is usually the better choice. A south or west-facing patio gets more light than it needs on a good day, which is where an opal polycarbonate roof earns its keep.

Heat. A glass roof over a south-facing patio can get warm on a bright summer afternoon, especially once glass sliding doors close it in. That is easy to manage: the doors slide open. With polycarbonate, opal or solar control finishes take the edge off the sun. Neither roof is insulated, so in winter think of an enclosed veranda as a sheltered room rather than a heated one.

Wind and trees. Both roofs drain to a built-in gutter and are fixed to a made-to-measure aluminium frame, so either suits an exposed garden. Under trees, opal polycarbonate is forgiving because leaves and bird droppings don’t show from below. A glass roof under trees will need washing more often if you want the clear view.

Which should you choose?

Choose polycarbonate if:

• the patio faces south or west and gets strong sun;
• there are trees nearby;
• you want the lowest cost for the size you need;
• the veranda is mainly for keeping the rain off the patio, the washing or the bins.

Choose glass if:

• the room behind the veranda is already dark, or faces north or east;
• you plan to close it in with glass sliding doors and use it as a glass room;
• rain noise would bother you;
• you want to see the sky.

Many customers who start out thinking about a simple open veranda end up adding glass sliding doors later. If that is likely, a glass roof is worth weighing up now, because the roof cannot usually be changed afterwards.

Can I change the roof later?

Usually not on the same frame. A glass roof needs the reinforced gutter and stronger frame of the glass models, so a polycarbonate veranda cannot simply be re-roofed in glass. Glass sliding doors, on the other hand, can be added to most of our verandas later. That is why we ask about the roof first.

What it costs

Polycarbonate costs less than glass for the same size. The difference depends on the model, the width and depth, and whether you add sliding doors. Our veranda cost guide for Ireland shows typical prices, and every quote is fixed and in writing after we measure up.

See both roofs before you decide

The quickest way to choose is to stand under both, ideally on a wet day. Each of our showrooms in the Republic has verandas on display:

• Dublin showroom, Park West
• Cork showroom, Charleville
• Galway showroom, Tuam Road
• Carlow showroom, The Carlow Yard

Ring ahead if you want to see a particular model, as the team may be out on site visits. Lead time from order to fitting is usually six to eight weeks. An open veranda is usually fitted in a day; glass rooms and larger jobs take two to four days. Our own fitting teams do the work.

If you would rather not travel, send us a photo of your house and patio through the contact page and we will tell you which roof we would suggest and why.

Common questions

Does polycarbonate go yellow in the sun?
Not the 16mm sheet we use. It has a UV-protected surface, so it keeps its colour. Cheaper thin sheets without that protection are the ones that discolour.

Is a glass veranda roof safe?
Yes. It is laminated safety glass: two sheets bonded with a clear interlayer. If it is broken, the pieces stay stuck to the interlayer instead of falling. The glass models also have a stronger frame and gutter to carry the weight.

Which roof is quieter in the rain?
Glass. Rain on polycarbonate makes a louder drumming sound in a heavy shower. If the veranda sits against a room you use every evening, it is worth hearing both in a showroom.

Do I need planning permission for a glass roof veranda?
It depends on the size of the veranda, where it sits and the property, not on the roof material. Check with your local council before you order. Our planning guide explains what to ask.

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