PVC/Polyester fabrics have been used for structural membranes in the field of textile roofing for more than 30 years. The properties of the material are constantly being optimized. Membranes made of PVC/Polyester fabrics are usually chosen for roofs with requirements such as open roofing, roofing for closed buildings as well as retractable membranes.

The durability of this material type is approximately 15 - 20 years. However some roofing systems have exceeded the durability of the 20 years without any damages. There are various examples of roofs fulfilling their function since the early 1970's without any necessary maintenance or repair. Due to the very good material properties, a project bound guarantee up to 10 years can be granted. PVC/Polyester corresponds to the fire class A under ASTM 84 and fire resistant under NFPA, therefore, the material is self extinguishing. Note that the material has an extremely low mass. This is a major advantage in case of fire.

Due to the addition of a fluoro-polymer top coating in modern Architectural Grade PVC/Polyester fabrics, the protection against pollution of the material has been considerably improved in comparison to earlier forms of this fabric. Sufficient thickness of the topcoat leads to a long-lasting good visual appearance as well as to lower costs due to longer cleaning intervals. Due mainly to the presence of free chlorides in the molecular makeup of PVC, PVC/Polyester fabric can be particularly susceptible to Mold & Mildew attack if basic design guidelines such as ventilation and water run off are not addressed. For this reason, SKYShades only endorses the use of Architectural Grade PVC/Polyester in structural applications. Architectural Grade PVC/Polyester Fabric usually contains anti-mould and anti-wicking technologies specifically to guard against the above biological attack. However, the above design guidelines should always be addressed.

The translucency of PVC/Polyester depends on the necessary thickness of the material and the light wavelength being considered. For short wavelengths (ie UV light) light transmission is very low (approx 1%). For visible light, transmission is usually between 8% and 20%. The light reflectance is very high at approximately 70%. Note that an overall translucency of 10% for the whole roof under direct sunlight usually provides enough light for reading a newspaper beneath. For internal use (interior structures) fabric types are available where the translucency can be up to 70% and be flame retardant. If required the translucency can also be reduced to almost 0% (a.k.a. blackout material). The material can also be delivered with a wide variety of colors. On certain types of PVC/Polyester material it is possible to print graphics or text. However, these fabrics tend to be weaker in strength than other fabrics and thus are only suitable in short span or internal applications. Larger structures may require decals instead.

PTFE (Teflon) Fiberglass

PTFE (Teflon) coated fiberglass fabrics offer all the benefits of PVC Polyester fabric with two major advantages. From a fire performance perspective it is the only architectural membrane that is rated non-combustible per ASTM 136 and can be used as roofs and skylights attached to conventional buildings. The inert nature of the Teflon makes the fabric self cleaning. The life expectance of a PTFE/Fiberglas structure is in excess of 35 years. The first structure to be build with PTFE was the La Vern college activity center in La Verne California. This structure was built in 1972 is and still be used today.

When the material first comes to the jobsite it is beige in color and bleaches to a pure white color. White works best for heat reflectivity. Translucencies range from opaque up to 2 percent.