Solarspan is the insulated roofing option we install, built on a Bondor panel with a Colorbond top-skin. It is the answer to the single most common complaint about Perth patios, which is that the space becomes unusable through the hottest part of a summer afternoon.
One Stop Patio Shop supplies and installs Solarspan across the Perth metro area as part of a complete patio build, including the council approvals. We are a registered builder and provide a 6-year structural warranty.
The short version
Most Perth volume builders do not include a patio as a standard inclusion, so it becomes an owner-arranged addition after settlement. Newer estates are also where planning approval and design guidelines are most likely to apply, which is worth checking before you sign.
Who Installs Insulated Patio Panels in Perth?
We do, as part of the whole job rather than as a supply-only line item. The panel is only half of it. How the panel is spanned, how it connects back to the house, and how the flashings are detailed decide whether you get the performance the product is capable of.
Solarspan comes from Bondor and is Australian made, in the same way the structural steel is powdercoated, epoxy-primed, 100% Australian Orrcon steel and the Colorbond coil comes from BlueScope. That matters for warranty support and for material consistency years down the track.
What the Insulation Actually Does
A single skin Colorbond roof blocks the sun completely, which is what most people assume is the job done. It is not. The sheeting itself heats up through the afternoon and radiates that heat downward into the space underneath. You are in shade, but you are in warm shade.
Solarspan puts an insulated core between the sun and you. The top-skin takes the heat, the core stops most of it transferring through, and the space underneath stays noticeably cooler. On a west facing patio in Perth that is the difference between a space you use from November through March and one you write off for four months of the year.
There is a second benefit people notice sooner than they expect: rain noise. The same core that stops heat transfer also absorbs sound, so a heavy downpour reads as a muted rumble rather than something you have to talk over.
The Ceiling Finish
The underside of a Solarspan panel is a smooth Colorbond surface. That means the patio finishes as a clean ceiling rather than as exposed sheeting and battens, without paying separately to line it.
This matters most where the patio connects closely to the indoor living space and the eye reads the two as one area. On an alfresco or an entertaining space you look up at every day, the finish is a bigger part of the result than people anticipate at quote stage.
Solarspan Versus Colorbond Versus Polycarbonate
Colorbond is the durable all rounder and the standard we work in. Flatdek, Trimdek and corrugated are all Colorbond profiles. It blocks the sun, it holds its colour, and it handles Perth conditions year after year. It is the right choice on a shaded or favourably oriented patio.
Solarspan is the step up where heat is the problem. It costs more per square metre and earns that back on any west or north west facing space, and on any patio intended to function as an outdoor room rather than a shelter.
Polycarbonate goes the opposite direction. It lets light through, which suits an area that would otherwise sit dark, at the cost of heat control. It is the right answer where preserving light into an adjoining indoor room is the priority. Our full Solarspan versus Colorbond versus polycarbonate comparison goes through each one in detail.
Who Designs Patios for the Perth Climate?
We recommend based on orientation rather than on price point. If your patio faces south, sits under established shade or is used mainly outside the peak of summer, we will tell you that standard Colorbond will serve you and that the insulated upgrade is not necessary. If it faces west and you intend to use it in February, we will say so.
The showroom at 1061 Thomas Road, Anketell WA 6167 exists for this reason. Standing under a Solarspan panel and a single skin panel on the same afternoon tells you more than any specification sheet.
Book a Free On-Site Quote
Solarspan can be specified on any of the designs in our patio range. Call 08 6500 0614, email sales@onestoppatioshop.com.au or request a quote online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Solarspan is an insulated roofing panel built on a Bondor core with a Colorbond top-skin. It blocks radiant heat, dampens rain noise and finishes as a smooth ceiling underneath, so a patio does the job of an outdoor room rather than a shelter.
On a west or north west facing patio, yes, because that is where radiant heat makes the space unusable through summer. On a shaded or south facing patio the difference is much smaller and standard Colorbond usually serves. We assess your orientation at the on-site quote.
Yes. A single skin roof blocks the sun but heats up and radiates that heat downward. The insulated core in Solarspan stops most of that transfer, so the space underneath stays in genuine shade rather than warm shade.
No. The underside of the panel is a smooth Colorbond surface, so the patio finishes as a clean ceiling without the cost of lining it separately.
Yes. The insulated core absorbs sound as well as heat, so heavy rain reads as a muted rumble rather than the drumming you get under a single skin roof.
It suits flat, gable, skillion and alfresco designs. The panel thickness adds a little to install time, measured in hours on the day rather than weeks to the schedule.
One Stop Patio Shop supplies and installs Solarspan across the Perth metro area as part of a complete patio build, including preparing and lodging the council approvals.
