Waterproof Temporary Arch Tents Commercial Shade Structures European Style

Stretch Tensiile Temporary Dinner Room Tent

PTFE (Teflon) coated fiberglass cloth has become established as the highest quality architectural membrane for tensile structures. The material was developed by DuPont in the 1960s and has been used for structures since the early 1970s. The original 25 year design lifespan of the material has already been exceeded by the earliest structures, and present day expectations are for 30-50 year lifespans.

Each fabric is available in various strength ranges, and selection is primarily an engineering-based decision. The thicker fabrics have tensile strength of 150kN per metre, while the lighter grade fabrics have tensile strength of 75-100kN per meter.

The heavier grade fabrics have light transmission rates of 9-12 %, while the lighter grade fabrics allow 14-16%.

Thermal performance

The insulative properties of PTFE coated glass is similar to the performance of conventional glazing. The equates to a U value of aprox 4.0 5.0 for a single layer membrane, and 2 2.5 for a twin layered membrane. Twin layered membranes have a light transmission level of approximately 50% of a single skin structure.

Insulted sandwich systems have been developed by Architen to achieve very high levels of thermal performance. These equal the highest standards achieved by well insulated conventional construction, equating to U-value of 0.2.

Solar Performance

The typical characteristics of single skin tensile fabric roofs to sunlight are approximately 75% reflection, 10% absorption and 15% transmission.

Fire Performance

All Teflon coated glass cloths are inherently non-flammable and achieve Class 1 in surface spread of flame testing and class 0 performance in BS476 pt6 Fire Propagation tests.

Life

PTFE is actively bleached by UV light, which had the effect of maintaining a bright white appearance in the long term. The Teflon coating provides a chemically inert layer which resists the build up of environmental pollution. The material had been extensively tested both in the laboratory and out in the field and no degradation or loss of strength is observed. The material does not become brittle or discolour over time. It is anticipated that the material has a life in excess of 30 years.

Acoustics

As lightweight material with limited mass, PTFE fabric roofs are acoustically relatively transparent, but provide a degree of absorption and noise attenuation. The inclusion of an insulted layer greatly enhances the acoustic attention of a tensile roof, particularly for mid to high frequency noise sources. This is particularly helpful for lessening the ringing reverberant in din that can affect courtyard and atrium environments.

Cleaning

PTFE coated glass roofs are extremely low in maintenance due to the cleaning action of rain on the Teflon outer layer. Typically, cleaning is recommended every 2-5 years, depending on the location of the structure and its exposure to environmental pollution. The fabric is sufficiently strong to support a mans weight on its surface, so cleaning simply requires the incorporation of man-safe systems to access the roof surface. Cleaning us usually by means of jet-washers, soft brushes and water with a mild detergent. PTFE roofs do not need to be cleaned internally.

PVDF Cover Specifications:

Q235 Steel Frame