Retractable covers are an intelligent and very versatile resource for composing outdoor spaces. It is a system that provides modernity and sophistication to environments thanks to its bold collection system. Custom-made and made of different materials, they are perfect for creating multifunctional spaces, providing privacy, and protecting areas from the weather. Guardian home services summarize some options of retractable covers and comment on their qualities and possibilities that they offer.
Versatility And Comfort For Your Space
Unlike a conventional roof, a veneer roof, polycarbonate, or fixed tarpaulins, retractable roofs offer convenience and comfort for the places where they are applied. A movable roof offers greater flexibility allowing to control, according to the climate and the time of day, the opening of the panels, thus allowing for refreshing the environment and promoting more significant contact with the outside.
Structure And Frames
There is a wide range of materials in https://www.guardianhome.com/tacoma-roofing/ that can be used in the manufacture of retractable covers, and they are usually composed of a combination of them:
- Main structure: They are generally made with paintable steel that provides stability since their connections are welded.
- Frames: The sliding part is supported on the main structure and will house the roof. They are mostly made of aluminum because it is lighter and weather resistant.
Roofing Materials
The roofing material is one of the components that deserve special attention for the system to be efficient:
- Glass: The glass cover can count on high protection against ultraviolet rays, has a remarkable degree of transparency, results in durability, and maintains its transparent aspect for a longer time. As a disadvantage, the glass is heavier and needs a more resistant structure for its installation.
- Polycarbonate: This material is ideal for composing curved roofs and can be used in compact plates, honeycomb sheets, or tiles with different shapes. It also has protection against UV rays, being two to six times lighter and 30% more resistant to impacts and weather. On the other hand, it is less durable and can scratch over time.
- Tarpaulins and fabrics: The roofing systems that use tarpaulins and fabrics are more conventional, and in addition to steel and aluminum, they can also be assembled through a more straightforward wooden structure. According to the material used, they are beautiful, resistant, and offer protection against rain and sunlight, allowing natural light to penetrate the environment subtly.
Seal
For glass and polycarbonate coverings, the seal is the factor responsible for making the cover safe and watertight in the event of a wind rain, for example. For water not to enter the environment, it is essential to have, in addition to a well-studied and executed structure, flashings, connection parts, brushes, and robust and high resistance sealing rubbers.
Operation
The collection system can be done manually, more common in wooden and canvas structures, or motorized. The automation used in these roofs consists of a motor very similar to that used in automatic gates and works when operating a remote control. It results in a silent and long-lasting system, and some covers can even count on intelligent rain and wind sensors.
Where To Use Them
Retractable roofs are ideal for use in both residential and commercial environments. According to the customer’s needs, they can be applied in gardens, backyards, swimming pools, barbecue grills, balconies, apartment roofs, ballrooms, corridors, parking lots. Anyway, in any environment where it is necessary to protect from the sun and rain in a versatile, comfortable way, without losing natural light or compromising ventilation.