Does A Glass Greenhouse Have Any Advantages?
If you are considering building a greenhouse, chances are you are not very sure of where to get started on your project. After deciding on the size and where you are goung to place your new greenhouse, the next thing that you have to do is determine the appropriate materials for the job.
While you may have seen a lot of glass greenhouses, the fact is that most modern greenhouses are made of plastics such as polcarbonate. There are a number of reasons for this change in materials when building modern greenhouses, the major factor being safety and the durability of plastics as opposed to glass.
A Fact glass is prone to breakage, especially when it is being used in large sheets or panes, as would be necessary in larger sized greenhouses.
Being exposed to the weather elements,of both hot weather in the summer and severely cold in the winter months every year, only exacerbates the problem, and over time, greenhouses made out of glass have a tendency to have breakages
This is not only dangerous but also costly. You can even lose your young plants should the breakage happen during the cold months and leave your new plants unprotected from the elements.
Another issue with utilizing glass for a greenhouse material is overall cost, particularly if you are talking about constructing a new greenhouse. The thing is each individual pane of glass is going to need a frame, which can end up being quite expensive, particularly when you compare it with materials such as plexi-glass or plastic sheeting, these materials work really well simply being secured directly on to the greenhouse frame.
If you are not experienced in building these frames or installing glass, chances are you may have to hire someone, which is another additional cost that most DIY'ers strive to avoid.
After all of the above being said, there are still people who will settle for nothing less than a traditional glass greenhouse. If you are one of these people, there are some things you should keep in mind. For example, to make your project more economical, you may consider using recycled glass or old window frames. To increase safety, tempered glass is an option (albeit and expensive one). Finally, to increase the efficiency of your glass, you may like to consider tinted or smoky glass as an alternative to standard clear glass. This allows the light to pass through and be properly diffused. A good sorce for used glass is to contact a local double glazing company who may have salvaged glass from new installations.
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