Greenhouse glazing panels

[Dave-G]

I'm about to make a 6' x 2' lean to greenhouse for some more reliable tomatoes this year. The plan is to build it onto one of the new 6' high slide in fence panels I replaced last year - after adding three extra reinforcing spars to them, so they now have 7 cross bars.

Is horticultural glass going to be needed or will twin wall polycarbonate sheet be ok - which I think I'd prefer too as neighbours kids play footy in their garden but we often get their balls over ours.

[Dave at kelton]

Judging by how hot our conservatory used to get I would sat twin wall would be fine given the likelihood of balls crashing into it.. Will be interesting to see what others say.

[Dave-G]

6 minutes ago, Dave at kelton said:

Judging by how hot our conservatory used to get I would sat twin wall would be fine given the likelihood of balls crashing into it.. Will be interesting to see what others say.

And as the lads are nearing their teens the balls are getting bigger and heavier.

[McSpredder]

If you are very lucky you might be able to buy s/h double glazing panels, which would seem ideal.

At out last place I used 10mm twin-wall polycarbonate to make a 10ft x 5ft greenhouse.   Timber frames (38x63 CLS) at 760mm centres, rebated for the glazing panels (proprietary  glazing bars are good, but quite expensive).   Somewhat lower light transmission than glass, but the insulation kept the temperature fairly even, and it was a lovely place to sit out and drink coffee.   Fix the panels properly and you won’t have any problem when the gales blow -- our neighbours bought an off-the-shelf greenhouse, and spent hours picking up shards of horticultural glass after every storm.

Polycarbonate can be quite expensive at DIY shops, but online suppliers (mine came from RoofingSuperstore) are much cheaper, and will cut to size if required (adds about 20% per sq m to the price).    With a Stanley knife it is very easy to cut twinwall lengthwise, and not too bad to cut crosswise.    Avoid sawing as far as possible, because dust is very liable to get inside the reeds, and very difficult to remove.

For our current house I made a larger one (11ft x 15ft) using 16mm triple-wall, which obviously improves insulation and rigidity, but was not so easy to cut.

Don’t forget to include large vents, otherwise you and the plants will soon suffocate.

[bruno22rf]

Twin Wall Polycarbonate panels are available from some builders merchants - or, as ever, Ebay is your friend - run a bead of Silicone along the top and bottom edges to prevent water ingress and "fogging". Make sure your plants don't get too hot - my greenhouse often hit the low 40's last year and my Tomatoes suffered - I had a couple of young plants left over after filling the Greenhouse and couldn't stand to see them thrown away - popped them in a raised bed and just ignored them......Tomatoes were at least 3 times the size of the Greenhouse ones!!! If blight is a problem then 1x 75mg dissolvable Aspirin in a litre of water and sprayed over the plant is effective.

Edited February 26, 2020 by bruno22rf

[DoolinDalton]

Ask around at any double glazing companies in your area for poly sheets that they've removed from conservatories.  You might fall lucky and get enough.  Best of luck with the tomatoes also.

[Centrepin]

Couple of years ago I bought my daughter a poly tunnel. Metal hoops with polythene cover. Like thick bin bags but in green. Her "greenhouse"  food including red and yellow tomatoes is superb. Obviously takes after my Grandad cos I cant even grow hair.

[Dave-G]

Thanks chaps. Two or three of these look like they'll do the job to nicely suit the border width between the lawn and fence:

https://www.wickes.co.uk/10mm-Clear-Multiwall-Polycarbonate-Sheet---3000-x-700mm/p/166524

[D3ave]

5 hours ago, DoolinDalton said:

Ask around at any double glazing companies in your area for poly sheets that they've removed from conservatories.  You might fall lucky and get enough.  Best of luck with the tomatoes also.

This is what I did but it was a conservatory company,   they were glad to get rid of them.

I expect they would have had to pay to dispose of them otherwise.

[Dave-G]

3 hours ago, D3ave said:

This is what I did but it was a conservatory company,   they were glad to get rid of them.

I expect they would have had to pay to dispose of them otherwise.

I happen know where there is a huge skip of removed windows doors etc outside such a place. :-)

[NoBodyImportant]

Fun story on my green house project.  So I’m kinda at the point where I can pick and choose when and where I work.  I started playing this truck driving game so I decided I wanted come out of retirement to get my Truck License.  So I applied at the company that said paid CDL training.  So I’m working as a delivery driver for this company that does restaurant and commercial equipment.  Well the installers kept bringing these thermal insulated glass panels back to the shop as the defrosters go bad and they are made into the glass panes.  They are the ones you see in frozen food isles. Instead of trashing then I brought them home as they are triple panes and cost $1000 each.  I stuck around the company until i got about 50 of them.  😂   I is will soon have a extremely insulated green house.  

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Now they do look good!

[DoolinDalton]

They look like the dogs danglies!  Can you remove the handles easily?   What will you be growing in the proposed greenhouse?