Greenhouse glazing is often a term used to explain the materials covering the outside of a greenhouse. For someone in the process of creating his or her perfect greenhouse, past type and location, the kind of greenhouse glazing you determine is one of the most important selections you're going to make when either ordering your greenhouse kit or constructing one from scratch.
As with all the things we’ll outline; there are numerous things to bear in mind when selecting the correct type of greenhouse glazing to suit your demands. The top three considerations for anyone reviewing possible selection for glazing materials should be:
·The perfect covering must permit the maximum quantity of sunlight to enter your greenhouse while stopping as much warmth as you can from exiting the building.
·It needs to be durable enough to endure your regional weather whilst at the same time not requiring a considerable amount of time for maintenance and upkeep on your part.
·As with almost everything you need to consider your overall budget when deciding on your glazing material. Some materials are a lot more affordable than others, even though this does come at the expense of performance and durability. Only you'll be in a position to choose what the right balance between expense and function is for you.
There is often a variance of around 80 – 90% for visible light transmission from one substance to the next. A common rule of thumb we once read in a book was that for every 1% reduction in the light that a plant is able to take in (as a result transferred by your glazing material) you can expect a 1% reduction in that plant’s growth. In case you’re making use of your greenhouse to help feed your spouse and children, this might really be a big worry for you. Decide on your material with care!
Greenhouse glazing comes in a variety of different types materials.
Greenhouse Glazing Materials
Glass – Glass would be the most age-old substance used for covering a greenhouse. It’s use stretches back through the centuries as the “go to” material for constructing greenhouses. Glass offers fantastic visible light transmission to aid in the growth of your plants, and quite a few would argue presents the best looking style of greenhouse. Glass is, well glass – it may break easy, is costly and weighs a lot more than other types of glazing material. This means your greenhouse will need to be sturdier and on a sound foundation to be able to support the extra weight – consequently adding even more cost.
Polycarbonate – Polycarbonate is a excellent synthetic alternative for glass. It's lighter, cheaper and far more flexible. It'll additionally offer you more resistance to impacts from hail or perhaps a youngster’s errant ball toss. Polycarbonate may also be relatively expensive, particularly if it is multi-layered for warmth retention reasons. It is also not as effective at light transmission as glass.
Acrylic – Acrylic panels utilized to go over a greenhouse have similar clarity and light transmission traits to glass, at a far lower cost. It's also a lot more impact resistant and lightweight than glass. Acrylic materials do have downsides unfortunately; they can turn yellow through time when exposed in the sun and are flammable. With the non flame retardant traits of this glazing material it's not generally utilized in industrial greenhouses. You'll need to check with the local permitting office to find out if acrylic glazing is authorized for residential greenhouses in your own location.
Fiberglass – Fiberglass was first offered to greenhouse builders and dreamers as a alternative for glass itself. It is lightweight, less expensive, provides superior light diffusion attributes and is also well suited for greenhouse warmth retention. Despite all of those amazing capabilities, fiberglass is not usually utilized today and has been replaced primarily by polycarbonate. This is because cheaper fiberglass panels (like those found in some kits) can break down rather quickly and demand a lot of focus to insure continued efficiency.
Plastic Film – Plastic film greenhouse glazing is fairly commonly applied nowadays. It is affordable, easy to set up and will rapidly lend itself to a number of different types of greenhouse framing; from lumber to PVC. Plastic could have durability issues if not well installed and maintained, and some may well argue that plastic film greenhouses appear “cheap”.
As you may see there are lots of different factors to consider when choosing the correct greenhouse glazing material for your requirements. Be certain to give this all-important investment the careful consideration it deserves.
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