Glazing Contractors Connect with Duo-Gard’s Prostock Program
When Duo-Gard introduced the Prostock program in late 2013, glazing contractors weren’t sure what to expect. After all, they’d never had a translucent glazing concept designed around their specific needs. They had to go it alone or pay the price for expensive, fully engineered systems.
Prostock changed that by offering stock-length, translucent polycarbonate systems that enabled contractors to take advantage of fast-growing markets for cost-effective, energy-efficient daylighting solutions. In fact, Prostock offers two alternatives: straight stock-length materials or fully engineered systems. Each is available with Duo-Gard support in selection, design and engineering expertise.
Contractors caught on quickly. Today, contractors from coast to coast, working in new construction and retrofit, are seizing opportunities to provide their customers the benefits of attractive, economical, high-performance solutions in translucent canopies, vertical glazings, skylights and more – and to provide themselves with installation ease.
Ben Ruffalo in Vancouver WA and David Carroll in Clayton NC are two of them.
The owner of Ruffalo’s Awning and Patio Co. in Vancouver WA chose a straight Prostock system for the entrance canopy at Underwriters Laboratories in Camas WA. This radiused canopy is 12 feet wide by 18 feet long, glazed in pre-cut panels of 25mm opal polycarbonate from Duo-Gard set in Ruffalo’s own steel and aluminum structure.
“Duo-Gard was helpful in getting us really comfortable working with this,” says Ruffalo. “I was impressed with how rigid the material is, yet how easily it conformed to the shape of the canopy. The roof system and the low-profile design really finished this project off beautifully. And from an installation standpoint, it was great to work with. I cannot wait for the next opportunity I have to build something so unique and appealing.”
Ruffalo had some experience with polycarbonate. David Carroll, president of Edge Building Services in Clayton NC, did not. When he was awarded the installation of the entrance canopy at the new Hilton Gardens hotel in Asheville, he was concerned about working with polycarbonate. And rightly so. Multiwall polycarbonate requires special expertise in framing and handling. That’s why Prostock packages come complete with technical support to make life easier for the contractor.
Carroll opted for a fully engineered Prostock system. When the material arrived, Duo-Gard’s Greg Dehetre, who heads the Prostock program, went out to lend a hand, along with 30 years of experience, about working with the 40-foot-long, 20-foot deep structure. Duo-Gard provided the 25mm glazing panels and all the steel structure.
“This is an awesome system,” Carroll says. “It’s so light compared to glass, and it transmits daylight. There are so many applications it can be used for. I love being able to recommend this.” Ben Ruffalo says he’s already looking ahead at potential projects involving retrofit for existing buildings with old windows that are cracked and leaking. “Translucent overglazing would easily transform these old windows,” he says.
According to Dehetre, that’s exactly how Duo-Gard got its start back in 1984 when founder Al Miller patented his energy-efficient, polycarbonate overglazing system. “It’s exciting to realize how far Duo-Gard has come, advancing right along with polycarbonate technology in serving the green building market with sustainable solutions.”