Retractable roofs · Compared
Fabric or polycarbonate?
Daylight against shade, heat, rain noise, span and upkeep. The cover is not a finish picked at the end: it sets the weight of every bay, and so the frame and the drive.
In short
Reviewed October 2026
Fabric or polycarbonate for a retractable roof?
Choose fabric for shade, a cooler space, quiet in the rain, longer spans and roofs opened often: restaurants, banquets, pools and large terraces. Choose polycarbonate for daylight and a glass-roof look over a terrace, sit-out or small opening, with a UV-protected face and a plan for summer heat. The two can be mixed on separate bays.
Side by side
Fabric or polycarbonate.
| Factor | Fabric | Polycarbonate |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Diffused daylight, shade underneath | Clear or tinted daylight, a glass-roof look |
| Heat | Cooler underneath; reflects much of the sun | Gets hot under a north Indian summer; needs ventilation |
| Rain noise | Quiet | Louder on rigid panels |
| Span and weight | Lighter, suits longer spans and manual operation | Heavier bays, shorter spans per bay |
| Parked open | Folds into a compact stack | Rigid bays stack and need more length |
| Ageing | Weathers at the surface and edges; PVDF or PTFE lasts longer | Yellows unless the sheet has a UV co-extruded face |
| Suits | Restaurants, banquets, pools, large and frequently opened roofs | Terraces, sit-outs and smaller openings where daylight matters most |
The cover material is a structural decision, made early, because it sets the bay weight, the frame and the drive.
The two can be mixed on separate bays when part of the roof needs light and part needs shade.
Both, on our sites
Fabric is lighter, cooler underneath, quieter in rain and folds compactly, so it suits restaurants, banquets, pools and large or frequently opened roofs. Polycarbonate gives more daylight and suits terraces and smaller openings, but gets hot in summer and needs a UV-protected face.
Yes, in a north Indian summer a closed polycarbonate roof traps heat. Plan ventilation, a tinted or reflective sheet, or fabric over the part of the space people sit in.
It can, unless the sheet has a UV co-extruded face. Ask for that face and check it is named on the quote, ours included.
Yes, on separate bays, where part of the roof needs light and part needs shade. The decision is made early because it sets the bay weights and the drive.
Types
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