Topic: New member question

[Gazfoz]

Hi everybody,

I have been trawling the internet for a greenhouse and there are lots to choose from so i have a few questions about the now affordable glazing options.  I had a 8 x 6 years ago which I bought secondhand for £40 and  was a really cheap way to get into greenhouse gardening. I am now a bit older and don't want to be dismantling and moving old frames and glass.
Do I buy cheap glass (affordable), toughened glass (more expensive) or polycarb (don't really understand the benefits) and if polycarb, do I buy plain sheet at say 1mm thick or the double glazed polycarb as I have seen a great deal for an 8 x 6 at under three hundred quid with the first glazing option.
I have erected a greenhouse before so feel ok about that side of things and will be laying on plumbing and power.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Gary.

[tim]

If I had £1 for each new face on the Forum, I could have made a fortune this year!! Great, isn't it?

I'm not the person to answer, but DIY Plastics can answer any technical questions.

I've use all sorts but still prefer glass. With young children, or local vandals, toughened would give peace of mind. On the other hand, the only thing to break ours in 46 years was the car - hand brake slipped!!

[cleo]

I`m with Tim-glass is best and if there are no precluding factors horticultural glass is best

[Tee Gee]

Glass every time!!

Doesn't matter what sort.

I am always on the beg steal & borrow around the plots when glass comes available. ::)

My old greenhouse which must be over thirty years old is glazed with all sorts of glass.

I am currently making repairs with some secondary glazing panes that came available when I re-framed the house.

I just cut it to size and that is me for at least another year!!

[Two Choices]

If you are going to own it for some time, ie not planning on moving, I'd go for toughened glass.  It's safer when you are installing it, if it does happen to get broken, it shatters into tiny peices which are easy to clear up and dispose of, and finally, it is less prone to going brittle with age. TC

[Gazfoz]

Thanks for your replies.

So is polycarb not a good option or is it just not a traditional material?

If I use glass would I not require some shading, I seem to remember that in my last greenhouse in the growing months my biggest problem was keeping the temperature down whereas some polycarb has light reflecting properties and better insulation. I think I might go with the toughened glass as long as I don't have to use small panes and clips, the memories of cut fingers and Jayes fluid are still too painful.

Any thoughts about heaters?

[machman5]

I agree with glass being better, on my lottie, all the plastic/perspex greenhouses are kind of cloudy ands split due to age and going brittle.  :-\

A good and cheap shading I have found is the bamboo/grassy roller blinds which are sold for windows.  Mine were about £3 each, used in the kitchen windows for a year and will be serving their 3rd year on the greenhouse this year! ;)

Something I remember hearing on Gardeners world years ago was that to shade your glass house, you should use the shading on the outside and this is where a lot of people (apparently) go wrong.  This is because if the shading is on the inside, the glass is still soaking up the heat and although you will still shade your crops, the heat will still build up. ::)

Good luck with it all anyway and welcome to A4A ;D
Donna.

[tim]

Polycarb discolours, Gazfoz.

[Gazfoz]

Thanks guys,

I am now thinking about a Halls forest green supreme 8 x 8 for my garden with the large pane toughened glass option (i like curves!) but am a little worried about getting the curved section of glass replaced if the unthinkable happens.
I presume the curved section is poly but don't know for sure.
Any ideas about availability and price for this sort of thing?
This is getting  complicated :-\ :-\ :-\

[Tee Gee]

A good and cheap shading I have found is the bamboo/grassy roller blinds

I use a much cheaper one that that;..........the fleece that kept the frost off my plants in winter/Spring.

If it is a bit dirty stick it in the washing machine and put it on the line for a couple of hours.

I see no point it sitting in a corner somewhere waiting for next year to come round when I can put it to another use!

[Two Choices]

Gazfox, another thing you might want to consider is getting one where the sides and ridge are higher. Especially if like me, you are over 6 foot. 
Having made all these decisions, it will arrive, you'll put it up and then....another decision!  what to do with the floor? .....soil beds, gravel, solid concrete or slabs...... it'll be great once it's sorted though.  Good luck ;)

[Marymary]

Welcome Gazfox, i agree with everyone here - my previous greenhouse was a mixture of polycarbonate & glass, much of  the PC had discoloured & lots of panes had actually gone black.  when we tried to replace them I bought sheets from B&Q & it proved impossible to cut.  We now have a new greenhouse with toughened glass & in the gales in February several panes blew out but they were unharmed & just clipped back in.

TG  I have been wondering about shading & like the idea of usuing fleece - do you put it on the outside or inside?  How do you attach it?