Porch roof panel recommendations?

[ThePenguin]

I bought the house in 1997 and after 14+ years, the screened in porch roof needs to be replaced. It currently has some white panels on it. They are very brittle (I'm surprised none of the critters scampering across it have fallen through) and leaked pretty bad this winter. I live in Northern California where there is no snow or hail, just lots of sun in the summer and rain in the winter.
I've looked at the offerings at Lowes, HD and OSH and dug around online. The Lowes brand polycarbonate panels don't seem to have very good reviews but the brand that HD carries seem to be OK.

Before going ahead with my porch project, I thought I was ask to see if anyone here has any recommendations for roof panels. Information online isn't always very technical. I figure the sun and UV will be the limiting factors for the life of these panels. Some brands have a 10 year warranty which might indicate they are better made. I have a hard time finding the thickness or other metrics that might indicate which brand might last longer. Prices are all about the same.

I'd be happy to buy online, but many of these places have pretty high minimum purchase price and my porch isn't all that large.

Any advice would be welcome.

 

[5lima30]

Why not switch to the galvanized corrugated metal roofing. This would be much more durable, give shade, and easy to install being they come in the same size and wavy patterns as your current material.

 

[dude67]

I built this porch about 3 years ago. Very easy to put up. There pans that overlap the next one. The hardest part was the layout to make it look nice. They make the pans to the length you ask for. You need a min. of 1" drop 12" length. I had the company that made them deliver them as the beam that the pans screw to was 32 feet long and plus if they damage them it's on them. Take your dimensions down to this place a the counter person will tell you exactly how much and what you need to do your job. I will try and post the company here in Florida where I bought it so you can look out west.

 

[ThePenguin]

I've thought about metal, but it will cut out all the light. I don't want those ugly silver things. The while and smoke grey panels cut out about 60-75% of the light and there are green panels. The existing panels are mostlhy flat with some ridges in them every 8" or so. They are laid out on a grid of wood.

dud67, where did you get your panels from? That's a nice looking overhang. What material is that? It looks like it they don't allow any light transmission.

 

[dude67]

It's Aluminum. I did not see that you wanted light to shine thru. It's the roof for a screened in porch enclosed with out the screen. I could add that later and that was my plan. We wanted shade without light. It's too hot as it is on that porch. This is where I bought it but, you'll find a place like this out in California I would imagine.

http://www.ace-aluminum.com/page2.html