FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

First, do not use adhesives or caulks that contain silicone when working with PVC.

If waterproofing is your primary concern, use a PVC-specific caulk/sealant. Unlike adhesives, PVC caulks are meant to fill gaps and create a water-resistant seal between materials.

If bonding is more important, don't use PVC pipe glue, which is often colored blue. Instead, choose a PVC-to-PVC adhesive such as Weld-On 705, OSI Quad, Christy’s Red Hot or PVC TrimWelder.

Closure strips match the corrugation pattern of the panels of Suntuf, Palruf, Sun 'N Rain and Suntop panels. The closure strips are attached to the purlins, which are horizontal supporting members that support a roof. Sometimes purlins are used with rafters, which run perpendicular to the purlins.

See the document section at the bottom of each product's web page for complete installation information.

The new guidelines by manufacturers of ACQ lumber call for heavily galvanized or stainless steel fasteners due to the corrosive nature of the ACQ treatment.

You have two basic options for using Palram products with ACQ lumber:

1. Use a comparable fastener made from an ACQ approved material. Make sure that such a fastener uses either a neoprene or EPDM washer, and that it is installed per Palram’s recommendations.
2. Use Palram’s fasteners. Initial tests with ACQ have shown no adverse effect on our fasteners. This is added to the fact that the fasteners are being used to secure a light weight plastic panel (rather than connect structural members). If you use Palram fasteners, our 10 year warranty will still apply.

The best way is to use Palram-recommended screws fastened through pre-drilled holes that are slightly larger than the diameter of the screw. Pre-drilling insures that the panels will have room to expand and contract properly with temperature change. Skipping this step can lead to distorted or warped panels.

Whatever you do, never use nails. Unlike wood fibers, which compress when a nail is hammered in, Palram's rigid PVC and polycarbonate panels do not compress. That means there is significant risk of cracking and impact damage in the area of the attachment. Also, nailing the panels in place prevents them from safely expanding and contracting with temperature change, resulting in warping of the product.

For exact hole size guidelines and other important installation instructions, see the documents at the bottom of each specific product's web page.

DynaGlas branded products are engineered specifically for commercial greenhouse applications. Panel widths, thicknesses, pigments, and special greenhouse-specific features (such as guaranteed condensate control) are consistent with commercial growers' needs.

Aside from commercial greenhouse-specific features, DynaGlas is the same as Suntuf (for equal thicknesses, weights, corrugation profiles, and panel widths). Outside of North America, Palram uses the Suntuf brand instead of DynaGlas.

The protective films in flat (non-corrugated) Palram sheets are for protection against dirt and scratching during the long journey from manufacturing to the job site. In some cases, the film also carries important installation and other product information.

The film will also indicate which side is UV-protected. This side should be installed facing outwards (extremely important).

In most cases, we recommend peeling off the protective films after installation. If this is not possible for practical reasons, always mark the UV protected surface, if there is one, so that the sheet will not be installed upside down.

Important note: The protective films that cover Palram sheets are highly sensitive to heat and direct sunlight. Excessive heat and direct sunlight before taking off the film can cause gluing of that film to the sheet surface, after which it will be extremely difficult to remove it from the sheet.

There no set height. All grills are different and cook at wide range of temperatures. Customers who wish to grill under Suntuf or Palruf must be certain that the maximum temperature above the grill never exceeds 212°F for Suntuf and 122°F for Palruf.

These temperatures represent the maximum service temperature for both products. If the products are subjected to temperatures higher than these, the product warranty will be voided and damage can occur to the panels.

Warm water with a mild household detergent should be sufficient to clean Suntuf or Sunlite panels. Gently wipe off any remaining dirt with a soft cloth and wash again.

Never use a solvent-based cleaner (ammonia, etc.), and avoid abrasive sponges or brushes that can scratch the panels surface.

ThermaGlas branded products are engineered specifically for commercial greenhouse applications. Panel widths, thicknesses, pigments, and special greenhouse-specific features (such as guaranteed condensate control) are consistent with commercial growers' needs.

Aside from these commercial greenhouse-specific features, ThermaGlas is the same as Sunlite (for equal thicknesses, weights, and panel widths). Outside of North America, Palram uses the Sunlite brand instead of ThermaGlas.

Crest fastening is almost always preferred, but some of our corrugated products do require fastening in the corrugation valley. See the individual installation guide for each product to see specific instructions.

It depends mostly on access to your roof. You can choose to install left to right, or right to left, or start at the middle and continue to both sides.

However, never start at both sides toward the middle, or at any two separate points.

Most importantly – always overlap the panels in such a way so that the wind cannot get under the ends of the panel. This can cause "uplift" and, depending on wind speed, can actually pull the panels off the roof.

Most Palram polycarbonate products feature a very thin co-extruded layer of UV-resistant resins that protect the entire sheet from UV radiation. In most cases, UV protection is applied to one side. However, two-sided UV protection is available for select products.

Polycarbonate inherently blocks UV radiation by absorbing it and not allowing it to pass through the panel. However, UV also degrades polycarbonate over time. Therefore, Palram adds additional UV protection specifically to protect the sheet, not to block additional UV from getting through the sheet.

To ensure the protection of single-sided UV protected sheets, they must be installed with the marked UV protective layer facing out toward the sun. Although sheet products can also be UV protected on both sides, most of the sheets are protected on one side that is marked clearly.

This is almost certainly due to condensation buildup on the underside of the panels. The condensation that forms is not a direct result of the Suntuf panels, but rather the surrounding environment in which the panels are installed.

To learn what condensation is, why it occurs, and a few suggestions that can help minimize it, click here to download Palram Tech Brief #5007.