Balcony cladding protects against wind, sun, rain and your view. Balcony cladding can be mounted on all sides of your balcony. Different materials offer different solutions here. The most common balcony cladding is made of plastic, glass, fabric or wicker-wood mats. Remember that we only sell the sheets, not mounting systems for balcony cladding. For this, we recommend you visit your local DIY store.
Balcony cladding made of plastic can be made of HPL, Trespa®, acrylic or polycarbonate. These materials each have different properties. On this page, you will find everything about these materials to help you decide which one best suits your needs.
HPL (High Pressure Laminate) and Trespa® are the same product, only Trespa® is a brand name of HPL. HPL is a very strong and durable material, and is also used as facade cladding and fascia boards.
Acrylic, also called Perspex®, is the ideal substitute for glass. Acrylic is a lot stronger than glass and is available in various colours and finishes. In addition to being extremely impact resistant, polycarbonate from Plasticsheetsshop is also UV resistant. This is unique for our polycarbonate, as regular polycarbonate can yellow and become brittle when used outdoors. Polycarbonate is however sensitive to scratching, just like acrylic.
It is also possible to make balcony cladding from glass, fabric, or wicker/wood mats. Glass is often chosen to preserve a beautiful view, fabric in turn is budget-friendly, and wicker or wooden mats work well for privacy.
| HPL | Acrylic | Polycabonate | Glass | Fabric | Wicker, wood and mats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Impact resistant | + | + | + + | - | + | + |
| UV resistant | + + | + + | + + | + + | - | - |
| Scratch resistant | + + | + | + | + + | + + | + |
| Weather resistant | + + | + + | + + | + + | + + | - |
| Waterproof | + + | + + | + + | + + | - - | - - |
You order your new balcony covering easily and quickly to size, in the order module on our product pages. First, measure your balcony properly to determine how big your windbreak should be. Then fill in the measurements on the product page of the material of your choice and order!
It is also possible to indicate in the order module where you want to have cut-outs or drill holes. It is also possible to order your sheets in a specific shape. If you want to order a very special shape, you can even upload your own DXF file drawing with your exact desired sheet. Please take our drawing rules into account.
Please note: we do not sell fastening systems for balcony cladding. You can find accessories for gluing, screwing, and sealants on our fasteners and accessories page.
The required thickness of plastic balcony cladding depends on the material you choose. Below you will find the thicknesses required per material. These are based on being assembled on at least 3 sides, with the shortest side free. We recommend a solid assembly so that the balcony cladding cannot become deformed by contracting and expanding, or be blown away by the wind.
| Longest side up to 1 metre | Longest side up to 1.5 metres | Longest side up to 2 metres | |
|---|---|---|---|
| HPL | 6 mm | 6 mm | 8 mm |
| Polycarbonate | 5 mm | 8 mm | 10 mm |
| Acrylic | 8 mm | 10 mm | 12 mm |
First decide what is the main function of your balcony covering. For example, are you looking for privacy, or do you just want to be sheltered from the wind? If you want to continue to enjoy your view, then we advise you to go for a clear acrylic. It is see-through, so you won’t lose your view.
If you want to enjoy your view but also want some privacy, we recommend a coloured tinted acrylic. If you don’t want to be seen at all, it is best to choose an opaque material such as HPL or an opaque acrylic or polycarbonate.
Whatever material you choose, you can order your new balcony cladding in any size and shape at Plasticsheetsshop. Using the order module on our product pages, you can easily choose the required shape and then the size. It is also possible to add a cut-out, such as an opening for your cat.
There are different ways to mount balcony cladding. Our advice is to mount on at least three sides of the sheet (including both of the long sides), with rubber washers and screws. Make sure that no tension is put on the sheet. When temperatures rise or fall, polycarbonate and acrylics can shrink and expand.
Furthermore, there are many ways to mount your balcony cladding. You can, for example, also use bolts and clamps. As long as you take into account mounting all sides and the possibility of shrinking or expanding.
Maintenance of synthetic balcony cladding is quite simple. Each material needs its own type of maintenance. Go through our blogs below to learn how to clean your chosen material.
