This guide covers adding alternate materials to metal roofs, typically for installing polycarbonate roof lights or skylights. You can install them as full-length panels or split them at purlin/batten locations.

🧾 Prerequisites

Before inserting roof lights, you must:

Define your roof panels using Cover > Select Panel
Apply purlins/battens using Cover > Flashing > Purlins/Battens
Ensure the polycarbonate panels have the same width profile as your metal panels

Important: Roof lights cannot be installed without purlins to attach them to, especially for non-full-length panels.

🔧 Installing Full-Length Roof Lights

For roof lights that run the full length of the roof:

Model your roof and apply the selected roof panels using Cover > Select Panel
Apply purlins/battens to the roof using Cover > Flashing > Purlins/Battens
Identify which panels will be switched out for polycarbonate roof lights
Go to Cover > One Panel - the Panel Material dialog box displays
Select the [Change Metal] button
Select the polycarbonate panel you need
Select [OK]
Select the existing metal panels you want to change to polycarbonate - each panel highlights as selected
When finished selecting panels, right-click to cancel selection

⚠️ Critical requirement: The polycarbonate MUST be the same width profile as the metal panels for this to work.

🧾 Verifying Your Installation

When complete, the tally panel list displays two lists under the Material heading:

List of the primary (metal) panels
List of the alternate (polycarbonate) panels with tallied panels highlighted

🔧 Installing Split Panel Roof Lights

For partial panel roof lights that don't run the full length:

Step 1: Split the Panels

Use Estimate > Modify Panels > Split Panels
Set the lap variable between panels first [1]
Select the option to choose individual panels to split [2]
Choose the purlin line splitting method [3]
Select the purlin line to split at when prompted [1]
Select the panels to split when prompted [2]
Right-click when finished - panels split and a line indicates the split location

💡 Tip: Panels are typically split at purlins to provide structural attachment points. The program automatically accounts for lap between panels.

Step 2: Create Multiple Splits (if needed)

For roof lights in the middle of panels:

Repeat the splitting process
Select a lower purlin line [1]
Select the lower portion of the same panels [2]
The split line confirms correct execution

This allows you to create any combination of short and long panels with various materials on the same roof, provided they're all the same cover width.