For the longest time, glass has been the go-to material for glazing applications in the construction industry. But things are changing for the better because there are newer, more improved substitutes for the glass. One such alternative to glass used in glazing applications like skylight windows is polycarbonate. These engineering thermoplastics are quickly gaining acceptance as glazing material for skylight windows because of the superior properties they exhibit.

Let's discuss what some of those properties are. 

Strength

One of the main reasons why many builders and building owners in Australia today prefer installing skylight windows glazed with polycarbonate is because the material is much stronger than glass. Polycarbonate offers impact resistance that glass cannot match, thus providing skylight windows with better breakage qualities. As a result, polycarbonate glazing offers superior resistance against harsh weather elements, such as hailstorms.

Thermal insulation

Many modern building owners are keen on keeping their energy costs down. This may be difficult to achieve when too much of the sun's heat is absorbed into their buildings. Skylight windows are often positioned to face the direction of the Sun, so they can allow as much natural light as possible to enter a building. In the process, these windows are also exposed to the heat of the sun and they can absorb excess solar heat.

While glass used as glazing material for skylight windows usually has good thermal insulation, it retains heat longer than polycarbonate. Therefore, when it comes to preventing unwanted solar heat gain in a building, polycarbonate is a superior choice of glazing material.

Weight

Another notable advantage of skylight windows glazed with polycarbonate sheets is that they are actually lighter in weight than their glass equivalents. This means that polycarbonates are easier to work with, resulting in faster installation times. As labour time is reduced, installation costs can also be cut down.

Light transmission

Skylight windows are primarily installed to introduce more natural lighting into a building. Therefore, any glazing material that is used in skylighting applications must be transparent. Polycarbonate is an ideal glazing material for skylight windows because it can transmit light almost the same way as glass.

Given the above-elaborated material properties, it is clear way polycarbonate is a superior choice of material when it comes to glazing applications. The benefits of polycarbonate as a glazing material is not limited to skylight window installations alone, but it can also apply to other glazing applications, such as wall windows and door installations.