Compare ondulin and corrugated board

When analyzing the materials used to cover the roof, we were faced with the fact that many developers cannot choose between ondulin and corrugated board. We will not give peremptory advice, since it is up to you to choose, but we will try to make this difficult choice easier by making a small comparison. The discussion was attended by competent specialists of «Expertology», who know everything, or almost everything, about roofing.

Affordable price, safety or quality? The choice is yours

The roof is «at the forefront» of protecting the structure from precipitation, solar ultraviolet radiation and other undesirable influences, so special attention should be paid to its coating. The market for modern roofing materials is amazing, and it is especially difficult for novice roofers to make the right choice. For them, we have one piece of advice: first, decide what is more important to you: the price of the material or its quality and durability.

For a comparative analysis, we took the most popular materials today — ondulin and profiled sheet. They have no similarities, except for their popularity, perhaps. The technical characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of the materials will be discussed further, and as for the price, be prepared that the cost of a simple galvanized corrugated board is lower than that of Ondulin, while profiled sheets with a protective polymer layer are more expensive.

Let’s compare the main characteristics of corrugated board and Ondulin

The choice of building and finishing materials is a task with many unknowns, and it would be better if professionals do it for you, and especially when it comes to roofing. Here it is important to take into account multiple factors, but you need to know how durable this or that material is and how effective protection of the structure it offers. Now everything is in order.

Durability of materials

Speaking about the durability of the roof covered with ondulin and corrugated board, you should pay attention to the composition of the material. Let’s start with profiled sheets with a corrugated surface. In their manufacture, thin sheets of galvanized steel are used, coated in some cases with a polymer coating that improves strength characteristics.

Despite all the «charms» of the material, corrugated board has one big disadvantage — the need to protect the attachment points to the roof elements. If this is not done, corrosion will not take long, which cannot be said about Ondulin, in which this problem is solved. The composition of the material contributes to an increase in the protective functions at the attachment points, and for the manufacture of Ondulin, pressed cellulose fibers are used, the protection of which is provided by bituminous impregnation. The holes are “sealed” at the attachment points, and the material does not allow moisture to pass through, which increases the service life of the roof. In this regard, the choice in favor of Ondulin seems obvious to us, but this does not mean that it is more durable than the profiled sheet.

Ondulin manufacturers claim that it can be used for up to 50 years, while it is considered one hundred percent waterproof for only 10-15 years. Do you want to live 25-30 years under a leaky roof? If not, choose corrugated board with a service life of 40-50 years, and it is guaranteed, because even corroded metal still does not let water through.

Did you know it? Despite the fact that polymer-coated corrugated board, although it costs more than Ondulin, does not withstand European frosts, the peeling of the surface will tell you that you made a mistake with the choice in 2-3 years

Meet «by clothes», or what material looks spectacular

As we have already found out, a polymer-coated profiled sheet may not look presentable over the years, although this applies to the advantages of regions with severe climatic conditions. If you are not worried about high humidity, heat and severe frosts, you can consider corrugated boarding as an alternative to Ondulin.

In order to understand that the latter looks more aesthetically pleasing, it is enough to make a visual comparison of houses covered with different materials. And in this case, experts prefer Ondulin, which looks very presentable due to the rough matte surface. In this case, there is no comparison with a simple galvanized sheet, which looks relatively “cheap”, although more profitable, compared to gray slate — everything is known in comparison.

Operational properties

Let us remind you once again that we do not encourage you to buy Ondulin, because in addition to the advantages, it is also not ideal, and you will be convinced of this after considering the performance properties of the materials selected for comparison. In fact, Ondulin is not as strong as it seems, and if we talk about strength and the ability to resist mechanical stress, then it loses significantly to a profiled sheet. To be convinced of this, it is enough to look at what happens to the material after the fall of a branch or the impact of a large hail.

Remember! Walking on an ondulin roof is contraindicated, especially in frost and heat, when the material is especially vulnerable to mechanical damage — in summer it is soft, and in winter it is fragile

Accordingly, the strength and resistance to mechanical stress of the profiled flooring is higher. This can be explained by the presence of stiffeners and the natural strength of the metal, albeit of small thickness. Unlike a competitor, corrugated board tolerates temperature extremes well, but is very afraid of bends, which cannot be said about Ondulin with good plasticity. This means that the profiled sheet is suitable for roofing with the correct geometry, and for a figured roof it is better to choose an ondulin coating.

If we compare the weight of the material, which is especially important for the organization of transportation and lifting, then the experts did not find much difference here. Both subjects are lightweight, especially when compared to asbestos slate and other heavy roofing materials.

fire safety

Speaking about the durability of materials, it will not be superfluous to recall such an important property as fire safety. In this regard, Ondulin does not seem to us an ideal roofing, as it is, in fact, paper impregnated with bitumen. One can imagine how well such a roof burns, so experts categorically do not recommend the use of material to cover social infrastructure facilities.

Although the manufacturers of Ondulin are doing everything to increase its fire resistance, corrugated board is better in this regard. Made from steel sheets, it does not support combustion, so it is safe. It is recommended to use it to cover the roofs of kindergartens, schools, medical institutions and industrial buildings.

Applications

We consider Onduline and corrugated sheet in terms of roofing, but corrugated sheet has a major advantage in this respect. In addition to covering the roof, it is indispensable in the arrangement of the local area and in industrial enterprises. In addition to covering the roof, it is used for the construction of fences and temporary buildings.

Mounting Features

The width of the Ondulin sheet is 96 cm, the height of the corrugation is 36 mm, and the thickness is 3 mm, while its length does not exceed 2 meters, which cannot be said about corrugated board. The thickness of the corrugated board varies from 4 to 8 mm, the wave height can reach 75 mm, the width lies in the range of 1.1-1.25 m, and the length reaches 12 m. roof. Another plus in favor of Onduline is that it can be cut with a regular hacksaw, and the ease of installation allows you to mount it in the most inaccessible places.

It should be noted that Ondulin is afraid of high temperatures, so its installation in hot weather is difficult, which cannot be said about corrugated board. Another disadvantage is the need to use a denser crate, in contrast to the profiled sheet, which has additional stiffeners. This significantly reduces costs. The advantages of the profiled sheet also include the possibility of ordering material of any width and length, which helps to reduce consumption by reducing the amount of waste. It is not recommended, meanwhile, to bend the profiled sheet; cutting it also takes more time.

The corrugated board heats up very much, as it has a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, therefore, microclimate is disturbed under the roof. The consequence of this is the appearance of condensate on the inner surface of the roof, which means that you will additionally have to spend money on the equipment of the waterproofing layer.

Price policy

In general, the installation of a roof from Ondulin, including the purchase of material, will cost more than in the case of corrugated board, but this is relative. The fact is that the costs in the case of Ondulin will ultimately be lower, since it is not necessary to hire special transport for its delivery, moreover, it is often necessary to unload the profiled sheet using lifting equipment, the services of which are expensive. Even a non-professional roofer will cover the roof with Ondulin in a few days, while only professionals can work with a profiled sheet, and it is difficult to call their services cheap.

What to choose: ondulin or corrugated board?

Briefly summing up what has been said, it can be noted that the compared materials have both positive and negative properties. In condensed form it looks like this:

1. corrugated board is a universal material, and it is used as a roofing, for the installation of hangars, fences and garages.

2. Ondulin, for its part, looks more presentable, so for connoisseurs of beautiful roofs it is of particular interest.

3. Onduline is easier to mount, there are no difficulties with delivery and lifting.

4. The guaranteed service life of a professional flooring is more.

5. Condensation often forms under profiled sheets.

6. Ondulin is not durable, as it is able to actively resist moisture for only 10-15 years, which cannot be said about a profiled sheet designed for decades of operation.

Considering all the pros and cons, we do not recommend making hasty conclusions, since each material has both advantages and disadvantages. Estimate correctly in what conditions the roof will be operated. It is very important whether it will be a private house in the Far North or a school in the central part of Europe, where there is no sweltering heat and severe frosts. We hope that you will take advantage of our advice and make the right choice.