Material 03 — PTFE-coated glass fibre
PTFE membrane.
A woven glass-fibre cloth sealed inside PTFE. The longest-lived membrane in common use, and the only genuinely non-combustible one.
IllustrativeWhy it is used
The glass weave does not creep or degrade in sunlight, and the PTFE film is inert and slippery, so rain keeps it white for decades.
How it is built up
Layer by layer.
- 01
Glass-fibre weave
Fine continuous glass filaments woven into the base cloth. Strong, dimensionally stable and unaffected by UV.
- 02
PTFE film
Built up in repeated dips and sintered at high temperature until it fully encapsulates every fibre. It seals the glass, gives the low-friction surface and provides the fire performance.
Typical characteristics
The numbers, with their caveats.
- Fire
- EN 13501-1 A2-s1,d0, non-combustible; no flaming droplets
- Light transmission
- ≈ 7–20% by grade, commonly ≈ 12–17%, fully diffused
- Solar reflectance
- ≈ 70–75% for a clean white surface
- Design life
- 25–30+ years; the earliest PTFE roofs are now 40–50 years old
Typical ranges for the material class. The exact figure comes from the datasheet of the product we specify, checked against your project's structural and fire requirements.
Grades and options
A family of grades, not one fabric.
Lightweight
Higher light transmission and easier handling, for smaller spans and feature roofs.
Standard
Around 1,100 g/m². Balanced strength, life and translucency; most permanent roofs use it.
Heavy
A heavier base cloth and more coats for the largest clear spans and stadiums.
Choose it for
- Airports, stadiums, malls and large atria
- Anywhere a non-combustible class is required
- Landmark roofs meant to last 25–30 years and more
Look elsewhere when
- You need colour: it is white or off-white only
- The budget is tight
- The membrane has to fold for transport or handling
FAQ
Common questions.
The glass base, the repeated sintered coats and the specialist welding all cost more, and it cannot be folded, so handling is harder. It can roughly double the fabric line of a quote, though the fabric is usually a minority of the total.
No. It is white or off-white, and it actually brightens with age as rain keeps the surface clean.
Start a project
Not sure which membrane? Tell us what it has to do.
Tell us where it is, roughly how big, and what it has to cover. We come back with questions, options and the next step, which is usually a site survey.
or call +91 93159 45187