Barns have been around for centuries, and they’ve changed in shape, style, and color over the years. From Dutch barns to English barns to the classic American red barn, builders keep finding new ways to innovate and improve these iconic farm buildings.
… And building an innovative barn is exactly what Jarrett, a general contractor, was hired to do.
When a client came to him with the idea of building barns for growing purposes and wanted to use polycarbonate as the barn’s covering, Jarrett got to work researching the best suited materials for this project.
The challenge was finding translucent roof and wall panels that would provide an abundance of sunlight as well as UV protective qualities to shield plants from harmful rays. It was also important that the polycarbonate material chosen for these barn structures was strong and durable yet economical.
While searching for the right material, Jarrett kept in mind the panels’ ability to wick away condensation. This is pertinent in growing environments because condensation buildup can reduce light transmission and cause diseases like leaf spot or bud rot. An anti-drip coating on the panels interior surface helps to keep water droplets from forming, protecting the plants below.
With these key product features in mind, Jarrett decided to cover the two large barns along with the three smaller buildings for storage and a nursery with LEXAN™ Greca corrugated polycarbonate clear panels. These high-performance panels offer 90% light transmission for optimal plant growth and a Dripgard coating that reduces the contact angle of water droplets, ensuring condensation is carried away from the roof instead of dripping down.
Jarrett and his team had purchased polycarbonate panels for other building projects, but only from big box stores which typically carry limited panel options and sizes. Needing lengths longer than what was available at these stores, Jarrett did a quick online search and found the Duralight website.
He was pleasantly surprised to discover Duralight stocks corrugated polycarbonate panels in lengths up to 38 feet, offering him the option to order custom lengths to fit his client’s needs.
“This was the first time we’ve used polycarbonate panels that was customized for our client’s needs.”
When asked about the ordering process and working with Duralight Plastics, Jarrett described his experience in two words: “very easy”. He went on to explain that the Duralight website has plenty of good resources and the staff was very helpful – from finding the right product to customizing his order.
If you’re in need of custom length panels or would like help deciding which product would work best for your next project, reach out to our friendly support team today!
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