Should I have Polycarbonate or Glass in my conservatory roof?

Conservatories what glazing to use

This is probably the most common question we are asked and a very valid one at that. The answer unfortunately is not so straight forward. Here are the most important aspects to consider;

1. If you are overlooked then polycarbonate should be considered, it will offer complete privacy from overlooking neighbours. The alternative is to consider a glass roof with blinds although this can add a significant sum to the budget.
2. What direction is the conservatory facing. A south facing conservatory will have direct sun on it for most of the day and can be hot in the summer months, we would normally recommend a tinted roof for this application, either a tinted polycarbonate or a solar control glass such as out Activ Blue glazing at our showroom. North facing conservatories will have little sun and it is important to maximise the light to the house, we would normally recommend a clear glass roof or clear polycarbonate, if the budget allows glass would be preferable. East and west facing conservatories benefit from sun at different times of the day and so a careful balance needs to be made between making the conservatory comfortable and maximising light to the house. Again Activ Blue glass or an opal polycarbonate would be suitable.
3. What is your budget? Glass is a more expensive option with the typical glass roof adding €1200 to €2000 to the overall price depending on the complexity of the shapes of the roof sections.

Here is a photo of the interior of a blue self-cleaning glass roof we installed in south Dublin

1. Noise. Polycarbonate is a composite sheet of seven layers of plastic, it is therefore noisier than glass during heavy rain, many of our clients like to be able to sit in the conservatory and hear the rain while others cannot tolerate it. I suggest a visit to the showroom on a rainy day and you can make a decision very quickly.
2. Aesthetics. Do you want to star gaze or do you prefer a ceiling, again this is a matter for the individual and again a visit to the showrooms should make the decision a lot easier.