with Palram Clear Sheets

with Palram Clear Sheets
No one offers more
alternatives for glazing!
"Glaze" is defined in the Oxford dictionary as: fit (a window, picture, etc.) with glass.
Glass has traditionally been the material of choice for glazing, but today there are a wide variety of thermoplastic
materials with the clarity of glass that possess selected properties superior to those of glass. No single material,
including glass, is the ideal glazing material. In each case, the specifications for the glazing application must be
weighed versus the properties of the materials available.
Palram, a leading manufacturer of thermoplastic sheets, produces a greater variety of sheets for glazing than any
other manufacturer. One of the following items in the wide range of Palram products suitable for glazing will be
suitable for your application.
PALSUN Flat Polycarbonate Sheets, The Glass Steel - combining clarity with strength and offering the widest
service temperature range
PALGLAS Flat Extruded Acrylic Sheets - the economy and clarity of acrylic, 6 times stronger than glass
PALCLEAR Flat Water Clear PVC Sheets - the economy and attributes of PVC with a clarity that no other PVC
sheet can offer
PAL-G Flat Copolyester Sheets - made from a copolyester polymer, combine clarity and impact resistance with
an attractive price
SUNLITE Multi-Wall Polycarbonate Sheets - solutions where light transmission (and not optical appearance)
along with light weight, insulation, and the widest service temperature range are critical

QUALITATIVE Comparison of Palram Clear Sheets for Glazing with Glass
Sheet
PALSUN
SUNLITE
PAL-G
PALGLAS
PALCLEAR
Glass
Description
Impact Strength
Flat polycarbonate
sheet
Excellent
Multi-Wall
polycarbonate
sheet
Good
Flat PETG
sheet
Excellent
Flat acrylic (PMMA)
sheet
Poor
Flat PVC sheet
Good
Glass Sheet
Extremely Poor
Weight
Light
Lightest
Light
Light
Light
Heavy
Light Transmission
Transparency/Clarity
Thermal Insulation
Excellent
Excellent
Good
Good (with
distortion)
Fair (rib
interference)
Excellent
Excellent
Excellent
Good
Excellent
Excellent
Good
Excellent
Excellent
Good
Excellent
Excellent
Poor
UV Resistance
Excellent with UV
protective layer
Excellent with UV
protective layer
Very good with UV
protective layer
Inherently excellent
Excellent with UV
protective layer
UV radiation has no
effect on glass.
Fire Resistance
Good (Excellent in
FR grade)
Good
Fair
Poor
Excellent
Excellent, but tends
to shatter
Abrasion Resistance
Fair
Fair
Fair
Good
Fair
Excellent
Chemical Resistance
Fair
Fair
Good
Fair
Excellent
Excellent
Thermoformability
Fair
Not relevant
Excellent
Good
Excellent
Bendable. Shaped
by different
technology.
Machining
Excellent
Excellent
Excellent
Good
Excellent
Poor

Impact Strength
Glass is the most fragile of materials. With the exception of
PALGLAS, all Palram sheets have a vastly superior resistance to
impact when compared with regular glass (Note that PALGLAS
acrylic is still 6 times stronger than glass and when it does
shatter, larger less dangerous pieces result). The best,
solution is PALSUN polycarbonate. For a given mm
thickness, there is no clear material that is stronger.
Hail will not penetrate skylights made from PALSUN.
PAL-G copolyester is intermediate in strength, while
the impact resistance of PALCLEAR is somewhat
less. SUNLITE stands up well against large objects
where the ribbing absorbs the brunt of the
impact. However, an impact resistance of
1 mm polycarbonate will characterize impact
by smaller objects between the ribs, which
is far superior to that of acrylic or glass,
but less than that of other thermoplastic
sheeting usually used in glazing applications.
A quantitative comparison for various
thicknesses appears in Figure 1 below. Note that
the tempered glass will behave much better than
normal glass under impact, but its impact resistance is
still much less than Palram's thermoplastic sheets. We
have chosen only to present the simplest glass alternative.
Tempered glass approaches or surpasses the cost of thermoplastic
alternatives especially when added structural requirements are
considered.
450
400
Figure 1 - Comparison of Impact Resistance of Glazing Materials
as Function of Thickness (ISO 6603/1 E50)
Energy (ISO 6603/1 E50 - J)
350
300
250
200
PALCLEAR UV
150
PALSUN
100
PAL-G UV
50
SUNLITE
0
PALGLAS
GLASS
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Thickness (mm)

Weight
All Palram clear sheets are half the
weight of the corresponding glass pane.
Sunlite multi-wall sheet weighs
significantly less than the others do. A
comparison of the relative weight of
Palram glazing materials and glass
appears in Figure 2. The lighter weight
of Palram sheets makes them easier to
transport, handle and install.
Light Transmission and Transparency
Weight (Kg/m 2 )
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Figure 2 - Comparison of Weight of Glazing Materials
(4 mm Thickness)
PALSUN SUNLITE PALCLEAR
UV
PALGLAS
Material
PAL-G
UV
Glass
Glazing by definition should transmit light, but it doesn't necessarily have to be clear or transparent. For example,
embossed glazing is used in shower stalls to permit the entry of light while rendering those within not visible to
those standing outside. All Palram
sheets for glazing transmit light,
but the degree varies with the
product as does the clarity or
transparency.
PALGLAS acrylic and PALSUN
polycarbonate sheets offer the
highest degree of light
transmission and clarity. The values
of light transmission for PAL-G
PETG and PALCLEAR Water Clear
are slightly less, but the difference
is hardly noticeable. The maximum
light transmission of SUNLITE
multi-wall is 84 %. The ribbed
structure and layers create a
distorted view of objects on the
other side. The advantage of
% Light Transmission
95
90
85
80
75
70
Figure 3 - Light Transmission versus Thickness for PALRAM
Clear Sheets and Glass
PAL-G UV
SUNLITE*
PALCLEAR UV
0 2 4 6 8
10
12
SUNLITE glazing is the insulating qualities of the sheet, its lightweight, structural strength as well as the economy
achieved by utilizing less material per unit area. A quantitative comparison of the above products appears in Figure 3.
Palram manufactures many additional products, which transmit less light with varying degrees of transparency and
light transmission. Tinted PALSUN, PALGLAS, PAL-G and PALCLEAR sheets are available. The new PALSUN Solar
Control sheets transmit either 20% or 35% of incident light, allow a highly filtered viewing of objects on the other
side while offering the benefit of preventing heat buildup within. PALSUN or PALCLEAR embossed sheets are available
with a high degree of light transmission, but permitting observation of only an outline of the objects on the other side.
GLASS
Tickness (mm)
* SUNLITE is also available in 16, 25 and 32 mm thicknesses
PALSUN
PALGLAS

UV Resistance
All our thermoplastic sheets for external use possess an UV protective layer or are UV resistant. When ordering sheets
for outdoor applications, this must be specified so that the correct sheet will be supplied. Nevertheless, some of
our products are more resistant than others. A quantitative comparison of the effect of UV radiation on light transmission
is presented in Figure 4, while the effect on Yellowness Index is depicted in Figure 5. The testing was carried out
under accelerated laboratory conditions where 100 QUV exposure hours are equivalent to about a year of exposure
in Israel or Phoenix, Arizona.
% Light Transmission
95
90
85
80
75
Figure 4 - % Light Transmission of Palram Clear Sheets vs
QUV Exposure Hours
PALGLAS
GLASS
PALSUN
PALCLEAR UV
PAL-G UV
SUNLITE
70
0 500 1000 1500 2000
QUV Exposure Hours
7
Figure 5 - Change in Yellowness Index versus QUV Exposure Hours
for Palram Clear Sheets
6
Change in Yellowness Index
5
4
3
2
SUNLITE
PAL-G UV
PALSUN
1
PALCLEAR UV
0
GLASS
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1400 1800 2000
QUV Exposure Hours
Fire Resistance
PALCLEAR PVC sheet meets the highest fire standard anywhere. PALSUN FR clear sheet is available where extremely
high impact resistance and fire resistance are required in glazing applications. Glass will melt or shatter at high
temperatures. PALGLAS, being made from acrylic, is highly flammable and its fire rating reflects this fact. PAL-G has
a fire rating lower than that of PALSUN, but superior to that of PALGLAS.

Abrasion Resistance
No glazing material is totally resistant to abrasion. Glass is superior with respect to this property. The other materials
have values decreasing in order of their ranking. See Figure 6. Note that PAL-G is made from a self-healing material.
Slight scratches can be heat polished with the aid of a hair dryer or heat gun. Further details appear in PAL-G literature.
A special PALSUN product, PALGARD, is manufactured with a special coating that results in a resistance to abrasion
approaching that of glass.
Figure 6 - Hardness of Glazing Materials
Value of glass is
approximately 600
on C Scale. Many
orders of
magnitude larger
than values for
Palram sheets.
200
180
160
Rockwell R Scale
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
PALSUN SUNLITE PALCLEAR
UV
PALGLAS
PAL-G
UV
Glass
Product
Service Temperature Range
Both PALSUN and SUNLITE polycarbonate sheets share
with glass the ability to withstand any temperature
naturally occurring on the face of the planet. PALGLAS
is suitable up to 80 °C. PAL-G is suitable from -20 °C
up to 60 °C and PALCLEAR is suitable from 0 °C up to
50 °C.
Chemical Resistance
No material exists which is resistant to every chemical.
Glass is attacked by strong alkali or fluorine based
compounds. Among plastic materials, PVC resists attack
by the widest range of chemicals. But there are chemicals
that will attack PVC, which won't attack polycarbonate.
It is therefore best to consult with your Palram distributor
in cases where chemical resistance is critical.
Cold Curving
All the materials mentioned above, with the exception
of glass, can be curved upon installation. Attaching the
sheets to an arched frame will accomplish this. The
restrictions on radius of curvature are listed in the
brochures for each respective material. Here again,
note that glass must be cast to the required radius of
curvature.
This property is extremely useful for creating domed or
tunnel skylights as well as curved windows. (Note that
Palram offers clear SUNTUF corrugated polycarbonate
sheet for creating skylights within any type of corrugated
roofing.)
Thermoformability
Thermoplastic flat sheet can be shaped or bent by a
process that is called thermoforming. Glass may be
bent when heated, but other types of forming must be
carried out when the glass is cast. All other factors being
equal, PAL-G is the sheet, which is easiest to thermoform.
No pre-drying is required. PVC also does not require
pre-drying. The rest of the materials do. Additional
documentation is available upon request.

Machining
Glass can easily be cut. However, it is not possible to
machine it in the fashion that sheet metal is machined.
All Palram sheets can be cut, milled, machined and
fabricated using standard tools. Details for each of our
products are available upon request.
Cost
At first glance, glass is the cheapest material. However,
the flexibility, strength, insulation and other factors will
make Palram clear sheets the material of choice and
best value in a multitude of applications.
Installation
All thermoplastic sheets have a much larger coefficient
of thermal expansion than glass. Additional allowance
has to be made when choosing the dimension of the
frame.
As a general rule, the glazing technique for Palram
thermoplastic sheets is the same as for glass. The
sheets must float in a frame designed with a sufficient
allowance for expansion. Only compatible sealants may
be used. Palram discourages the use of screws or rivets
for fixing glazing sheets. Screws are often overtightened.
This results in crazing and deformation upon expansion
or contraction. In the event that screws are used, all
holes should be 5 mm oversized and large soft rubber
washers should be used. Extra care should be taken
not to overtighten the screws to allow for thermal
expansion.
All Palram clear thermoplastic sheets are shipped with
polyethylene masking to protect the surface prior to
and during installation. The masking must be removed
immediately after installation. Any significant delay
could result in permanent adhesion, especially of the
masking facing the sun due to the combined effect of
heat and UV radiation on the masking film.
The above is designed to serve as a general guide.
Palram suggests that you contact your local distributor
before selecting one of our products for professional
assistance in choosing the best thermoplastic sheet
to suit your applications..

Inasmuch as PALRAM Industries has no control over the use to which others may put the material, it does not guarantee that the same results as those described herein will be obtained. Each
user of the material should make his own tests to determine the material's suitability for his own particular use. Statements concerning possible or suggested uses of the materials described
herein are not to be construed as constituting a license under any PALRAM Industries patent covering such use or as recommendations for use of such materials in the infringement of any
patent. PALRAM Industries or its distributors cannot be held responsible for any losses incurred through incorrect installation of the material. In accordance with our Company policy of continual
product development you are advised to check with your local PALRAM Industries supplier to ensure that you have obtained the most up to date information.
61341 - 08.04
Europe
UK
Israel
USA
Australia
Far East
EUROPE
PALRAM EUROPE LTD.
Tel (44) 1302 380 777
Fax (44) 1302 380 788
sales.europe@palram.com
PALRAM UK
Tel (44) 1302 380 738
Fax (44) 1302 380 739
sales.uk@palram.com
ISRAEL
PALRAM ISRAEL LTD.
Tel (972) 4 8459 900
Fax (972) 4 8459 980
palram@palram.com
USA
PALRAM Americas
Tel 610 285 9918
Fax 610 285 9928
suntuf@suntuf.com
www.palram.com