UPVC High-RIB Sheet
UPVC & PVC Sheet
What the deeper rib does
UPVC high rib sheet has a deeper rib than a standard trapezoidal UPVC sheet. The deeper section increases stiffness along the length of the sheet, which lets it carry load across wider purlin spacing without sagging between supports.
It is the answer to the most common limitation of plastic roofing: UPVC is less stiff than steel, so a purlin layout designed for a metal sheet can be too wide for a standard UPVC profile. A deeper rib closes much of that gap.
Where it is specified
Larger spans, sites with higher wind loading, and re-sheeting jobs where the existing purlin spacing is wider than a standard UPVC profile would like and moving the purlins is not practical.
It also gives more margin on roofs where occasional maintenance access is unavoidable, though as with any plastic sheet it should not be treated as a walkway.
Wind uplift, not just load
On an exposed site the governing case is often uplift rather than downward load. Wind across a roof lifts, and it concentrates that lift at edges and corners rather than spreading it evenly.
A deeper rib helps, but fixing pattern matters as much as profile. Edge and corner zones need more fixings than the middle of the roof, and a uniform pattern across the whole roof is a common and expensive shortcut.
Same material advantages
Everything that makes UPVC worth choosing still applies: it does not rust, it is quieter under rain than metal, and it does not conduct heat as readily. The rib depth changes the structural behaviour, not the material.
Multilayer construction matters here as much as on the standard profile, with the UV layer on top deciding service life and the underside layer resisting whatever is in the air inside the building.
What to send us for a quote
The covered area, the purlin spacing, the site exposure and what the building does. Purlin spacing is the number that decides whether you need the high rib profile or whether the standard one will do, so it is the most useful thing to send.
Frequently asked questions
When do I need high rib instead of standard UPVC?
When the purlin spacing is wider than a standard profile can span, or the site is exposed enough that wind uplift governs. Send us the spacing and we will tell you.
Can it span as far as a metal sheet?
It closes much of the gap but not all of it. UPVC is less stiff than steel as a material, and a deeper rib compensates rather than eliminating the difference.
Is it worth it for a re-sheet?
Often, yes. If the existing purlins are spaced for metal, the high rib profile may let you re-sheet in UPVC without moving them, which is where the saving is.
Does it come with matching accessories?
Yes, and they should be used. Steel flashings on a UPVC roof put the corrosion problem back at the ridge and edges.
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