Loved country-wide for its transparency and ability to block out harmful UV rays and glare, polycarbonate roofing is a common sight seen in Australian backyard pergolas and patios. This amazing material is long-lasting, easy to clean and simple to DIY install, but choosing the right kind isn’t so simple.
Polycarbonate roofing sheets come in a wide range of styles from many different brands, which can make finding the perfect one for your needs a bit of a headache. But the team at Roofing Options is here to help! Today, we’re going to delve deep into one of our favourite types of polycarbonate roofing, which is called Suntuf Beehive polycarbonate. We’ll compare it to standard polycarbonate so you can clearly see how each compares, which will hopefully make your choice a little easier.
Let’s begin!
What is Suntuf Beehive Polycarbonate?
Named for its signature embossed surface, Palram’s Suntuf Beehive roofing is a polycarbonate roofing sheet designed to resist high impacts while diffusing any light and glare that comes through it.
Suntuf Beehive is used for everything from home skylights and carports to pool area covers and decorative office embellishments. Its light weight and easy installation makes it a favourite for the home improver or DIY enthusiast, and the unique hexagonal texture makes it great for boosting the aesthetics of your home too.
Let’s dive into how it compares to standard polycarbonate roofing.
Suntuf Beehive vs Standard Polycarbonate
Glare Reduction
Direct sunlight creates a harsh glare, even when coming through clear glass. This glare can make it hard to see and give you a headache and dry eyes if you look at it for too long, which is why having a roof with glare reduction is important if you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors.
- Suntuf Beehive Polycarbonate: This type of Suntuf polycarbonate roofing is well-known for its glare-reduction qualities thanks to its textured honeycomb-style surface. This means that, even under full sun, you can enjoy a glare-free time under your Beehive polycarbonate patio or pergola.
- Standard Polycarbonate: Everyday polycarbonate roofing can still provide some reduction of glare, but it won’t be quite as much as you’ll get from Suntuf beehive polycarbonate. It will still be better than a pure glass or acrylic roof, which often provides no glare protection unless an extra coating has been added for this purpose.
Light Transmission
Roofing that lets sunlight through without any protection can make you feel like you’re sitting in the middle of a sports field. That’s why one of the great things about polycarbonate roofing is its ability to diffuse light! Sunlight that has been diffused has a dreamy, almost glowing quality about it–it’s the same as the light that comes through the sheer blinds or curtains in your home.
- Suntuf Beehive Polycarbonate: 100% of the light that makes its way through Suntuf Beehive polycarbonate will be diffused. This means you can enjoy a brightly lit space underneath your patio without the harshness of sunlight or electrical lights. Suntuf Beehive will retain its optical properties twice as long as regular polycarbonate.
Standard Polycarbonate: Other variations of polycarbonate roofing will all offer differing levels of light transmission, but none can offer the 100% value boasted by Suntuf Beehive.
Weather Resistance
One of the biggest selling points of polycarbonate roofing is its resistance to many of the harsh weather conditions Australians often experience. From sun and wind to rain and hail, your polycarbonate roof should be able to stay strong throughout it all–even fire!
- Suntuf Beehive Polycarbonate: Because it is three times thicker than standard polycarbonate, Suntuf Beehive is extremely strong and resistant to the large hail stones that have become more commonplace over the years. Small falling branches from nearby trees also shouldn’t be a problem. As a bonus, it also muffles the sound of rain!
Suntuf Beehive polycarbonate is 30% more resistant to wind than standard polycarbonate and retains its colour for 40% longer.
- Standard Polycarbonate: While not as thick as Suntuf Beehive, standard polycarbonate also offers a measure of resistance to the weather greater than other transparent roofing materials.
UV Protection
Being sunsmart is important no matter your age or location, and polycarbonate roofing can aid in this endeavour by blocking out UV rays and infrared rays from the sun.
- Suntuf Beehive Polycarbonate: Expect to enjoy a 99% blockage of UV rays when spending time underneath Suntuf Polycarbonate in Melbourne. Not only will this prevent you from getting sunburnt, but it can protect the colours of your outdoor furnishings and linens from becoming cracked or faded as well.
- Standard Polycarbonate: As an important safety feature, you’ll be happy to know that most standard polycarbonate roofing panels also offer a 99% protection rate from UV rays. Some roofing will need its own protective treatments to protect itself from yellowing due to UV, and many manufacturers will sell their polycarbonate with this extra coating already applied.
Colour Range
Polycarbonate roofing is often seen in its clear state, but did you know it can come in many other great colours too? Choosing a coloured polycarbonate roof for your outdoor entertaining area can add to its style or aesthetic, but you won’t always have a wide range of colours to choose from, depending on the type.
- Suntuf Beehive Polycarbonate: You can choose from three neutral colours when purchasing Suntuf Beehive polycarbonate. The classic Clear colour has a 90% light transmission rate, while the darker Grey and Solar Ice shades have a 20% transmission rate.
- Standard Polycarbonate: Want a more colourful choice for your roofing? Other types of polycarbonate roofing, such ones from the Laserlite and Ampelite brands, come in a wider range of hues like a bronze tint, cream, platinum, frosty blue or opal. Every colour will have its own effectiveness when it comes to light transmission and insulation properties, so make sure to check carefully before deciding on a colour if these factors are important to you!
Suntuff Beehive Polycarbonate vs Standard Polycarbonate
| Suntuf Beehive | Standard Polycarbonate | |
| Glare Reduction | Strong | Moderate |
| Light Transmission | Strong | Moderate |
| Weather Resistance | Strong | Moderate |
| UV Protection | Strong | Strong |
| Colour Range | Weak | Strong |
At a glance, it looks like Suntuf Beehive polycarbonate has better qualities than Standard polycarbonate. However, when it comes to looks, you may decide that having a different colour or a smooth texture is more important to you. If you are upgrading the roof of your patio or pergola purely for aesthetic reasons, then a different type of polycarbonate roofing may be the better choice!
What Other Polycarbonate Options Do I Have?
Before you take the leap, make sure to do your research on the other types of polycarbonate roofing that are out there. At Roofing Options, we sell a great range of polycarbonate roofing options, including:
- Suntuf EZ Glaze polycarbonate roofing: Want roofing that looks as sleek and smooth as glass without exposure to UV rays and heat? The Suntuf EZ Glaze range, designed by Palram (who also crafted the Beehive roofing), has a completely transparent, glass-like appearance and is 3mm thick, giving the strength to resist hail damage that would break an ordinary glass roof.
- Laserlite polycarbonate roofing: Discover a wide range of colours, light transmission and insulation levels for you to browse. Its advanced Weatherguard and Comfort Cool technologies make these polycarbonate roofing some of the best in the business. We offer these roofing panels at great competitive prices!
- Ampelite Fibreglass: What sets Amelite’s fibreglass apart from its competitors is the unique Gel Coat technology that protects it from eroding and yellowing over time. This coating adds UV resistance, protection against water damage and is crafted to adhere perfectly to the surface of the fibreglass.
Ampelite Solasafe & Solafrost roofing: With over 40 years in the business, you can rely on Ampelite’s polycarbonate roofing to protect you from all sorts of weather conditions and damages. You can choose from three differing levels of comfort and protection, depending on how you will be using the area underneath the roofing.
Shop for Suntuf Polycarbonate Roofing at Roofing Options
Whether you want standard or Suntuf polycarbonate roofing for your property, the best place to find it is in the range at Roofing Options. You can easily shop for Suntuf Beehive polycarbonate in our online store, or feel free to drop by any of our three physical shops to view the range in person.
Do you have more questions about Suntuf Beehive polycarbonate? Head in-store to chat, or call one of our shops on either 03 9354 2633, 03 8339 1150 or 03 9702 3301 to speak with a team member.
You can also use our online form to leave us a question–we’ll get back to you with an answer as quickly as we can.
