Membrane Roofs for Grandstands & Stadiums

An uncovered grandstand is comfortable for about an hour before midday. After that, people move to wherever there's shade and the seats sit empty. A membrane roof fixes it with a cantilever: hundreds of seats covered, and not one column blocking the view of the field.

AeroSpan builds membrane grandstand roofs for sports facilities and event venues, including the grandstand at Maxs Sport Center. The scale ranges from small community-field stands to the main grandstand of a sport center.

Why a grandstand roof is not just a big canopy

A grandstand roof is heavier engineering than it looks. A wide membrane surface at height collects serious wind load, and a cantilevered form sends all of it to supports on one side. Three things therefore get our closest attention:

• Wind load engineering to the applicable loading standards for the site and the structure's height
• Drainage designed so rainwater from a large roof plane comes down under control, not onto spectators at the front rows
• Connection details between new structure and the existing stand, when the roof is added to an existing grandstand

New stands and existing ones

We meet both cases equally often. On a new grandstand, the roof is designed integrally from day one, which is the most efficient outcome. On an existing stand, we start with a structural assessment, then design the roof so its loads land only where the existing structure can take them. Both are entirely buildable; the difference is where the design starts.

Materials and warranty

PVC-PVDF membrane suits most grandstands, with a typical working life of 15 to 20 years. For large-scale projects that demand a longer horizon, PTFE membrane is worth considering, with a working life commonly beyond 25 years. Steel is finished to match its exposure, and our 10-year structural warranty applies as it does on all our work.

Frequently asked questions

Can you roof an existing concrete grandstand?

Yes, and it is work we take on regularly. The one requirement is a structural assessment first, so the roof's support points land where the existing structure is genuinely strong enough.

How large a grandstand can be covered?

From community stands seating a few dozen to a sport center's main grandstand. Scale changes the structural configuration, not the feasibility.

What about rain noise during a match?

Membrane damps rain noise far better than metal roofing, so announcements and the atmosphere of the match still carry.

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