Roof Shape and Design

 

Although the Leka Conservatory Roof System has a number of important and highly engineered layers, the finish outside and inside is still very important.

The Leka System has been engineered in such a way that any existing conservatory design or shape can be replaced/installed with the Leka System Lightweight Tiled Roof.

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The Leka Roof solves the challenge with a lightweight GRP construction and engineered tiles, which weigh around 12kg per square metre in Tapco slate, and 9.9kg per square metre in Metrotile concrete. There’s no aluminium or timber in the Leka roof. The ring beam, rafters and ridge are all made from glass reinforced plastic.

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Using glass reinforced plastic allows for a structurally tested and far lighter alternative to aluminium and timber to create a truly lightweight conservatory roof. The weight of the Leka roof depends on the size of the construction but the average is just 30-40kg more than the equivalent glazed roof. In most cases, the existing structure of a conservatory can bear the weight. This is determined prior to construction.

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A good rule of thumb is glazed roof conservatories usually have robust vertical frames capable of taking the load. Polycarbonate roof conservatories usually require additional support. Regardless of this fact, Leka installers have the necessary expertise to build up the system in such a way it meets our strict quality standards.

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GRP 

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GRP is used to manufacture the ring beam, rafters and ridge because it has an exceptionally high strength to weight ratio and high flexural strength.

GRP never corrodes, it is impervious to common chemicals, greases and oils, it is non-conductive, non-sparking, and non-shrinking. You may have already heard of it but by another name - fibreglass. There is no difference between them, they are one in the same, made out of glass fibres and a synthetic polymer. In the case of the GRP in the Leka system, that polymer is epoxy, which has a stronger bond than polyester.

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Boards, sheets and insulation 

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The Leka roof has internal boards one third of the weight of plasterboard and external sheets that are stronger but lighter than plywood or MDF. Celotex insulation sheets are installed on top of the internal Leka boards with a 15mm gap. This creates a warm air barrier to guarantee thermal efficiency. The Celotex sheets weigh around 1.5kg per square metre and the Leka boards around the same.

Engineered tiles of course, the extensive engineering time we put into developing the GRP for our lightweight tiled conservatory roof would be pointless if the tiles on top of it added too many kilos of weight. We found the solution in engineered tiles, which are strong, durable and available in a wide range of different colours.

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We offer two engineered tiles: Metrotile tiles which mimic concrete, and Tapco tiles which mimic slate. These are lighter than real concrete or slate tiles but just as durable. They are suitable for roof pitches as low as 14.5 degrees and require no more maintenance than regular roof tiles. Importantly, they look good and offer a close match to the existing roof on most homes for aesthetic continuity.

The Leka roof compares favourably to other lightweight roof systems for conservatories and is probably the best system of its kind.

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Be Safe

 

There are no restrictions other than the pitch of the roof to be installed as well as what lies beneath your existing conservatory roof and this is governed by the rules of physics.

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We at Leka Systems have seen every type of roof structure you can imagine over the years and also some roofs that are simply unsafe, due to the pitch and construction. With this in mind, all of our UK retailers. manufactures and distribution partners have strict guidelines issued to them before installing any of our systems we provide to them.