buying my first greenhouse - any advice?

[loznkate]

Some thoughts for the mixer.

I have a polybcarbonate one and a horticultural glass one. The polycarb came from e-bay (welsh farmer's wife with huge cakes - nice). It was brand new and boxed. The glass one was from my next door neighbour (free but no cake).

Both are quite exposed to the elements and so the recent storms have taken their toll. The polycarb panels are very robust which is just as well since most of them got very airborn. I retreived them all from across the village and they're back in place but it took a couple of hours to sort it out.

The glass ones that were removed smashed into a thousand pieces in the garden and horse's paddock. NIGHTMARE. I'm seriously considering replacing the glass with polycarb.

All that said it appears that 'the look' is important and frankly polycarb looks crap.

Hope it helps someone!

Loz

[gandalf]

Try Ebay, don't pay more than 75p/sq ft, or put a free ad in your local co-op, you will often get greenhouses for the taking away thereof. Anything smaller than 8x6 is really too small to operate in efficiently in my experience.

[Monika]

Whichever make you buy (ours is an Alton, 30 years old, has been moved once and is fine), I would certainly get one with glass right down to the bottom. You can always block one or two sides off with plywood etc if you don't want to grow things in the ground, but at least you CAN use the floorspace for growng things if you want.

[Compo]

I have just rebuilt my second hand freebie greenhouse, and the bare frame is now waiting to receive it's polycarb panes, I wanted glass, but after the storm a couple of weeks ago, I have brought a polycarb glazing kit from B&Q. Whilst I was looking B&Q seem to stock a fairly sturdy greenhouse available upto 10x6 in size, either green or silver in colour, it also comes with a choice of polycarb or horti glass, and priced very reasonably, well worth a look for new purchasers

Meanwhile I will be reglazing mine, and hope to drill holes in concrete blocks and fix it with framefixers this should keep it anchored well. As it is on my allotment I will also be fixing some large brackets to the perimeter fenceposts (concrete) and anchoring the frame to that.

Finally I will also use a couple of tubes or three of silicone to bed the polycarb on the frame.

Hope to complete this weekend and get some seeds going shortly thereafter.

And finally this posting is guaranteed to stop the thread in it's tracks!!!

Compo

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Compo, just so you are not the last, i thought i would help you out.

Compo, when you walk into a room filled with people chatting, does it always go quiet.

[Compo]

Thanks OH, if it was not for your mercy I would be right about stopping the thread in it's tracks, I tend not go into rooms where there are lots of people, as I am likely to find it either too annoying or terminally boring!!

At the risk of stopping the thread again, the polycarb glazing is going ok, but in exposed spots, I would recommend silicon sealant as well as the glazing clips. If you wanted to be really sure it is also possible with two cordless drills (one for drilling and one for driving) to quickly put self tappers and washers through the panes and into the aluminium frame, I reckon that should withstand the highest of winds (hope I don't eat my words!!!)

Compo

OH and Peter !! Fill this thread!!! Save my Bacon!!!!

[oldherbaceous]

Compo, you do know that if you silicone all the polycarb into place there will be no movement, and the greenhouse will blow away in one piece.
Only joking.

[Compo]

Thanks for the vote of confidence OH, have a look at your PM for me!! I need some advice!!!

Compo

[smogit]

Hi,

We had a Norfolk Greenhouses, greenhouse, (I say had, because the local kids managed to burn it down on Boxing day... And then the wind in the new year blew what was left over - the structural strength being in the plastic glazing) and as a green house it was OK, although difficult to ventilate (the automatic fans they sell are truly rubbish).

Also, the instructions provided to construct it where very poor given the large number of parts. So if you buy one be a diy-nut. On the plus side 2 of us got it up in a long day (fit young men), and it looks smart when erected, and pretty secure when bolted down.

That said we are replacing it with more normal aluminium glass one, as it was impossible to repair once torched!

So for a budget solution in a secure location I'd say it was OK. Although I would not expect to last as long as a good quality aluminium one.

C.

[Vegman]

My advice would be to work out the size of greenhouse you need and then buy one much larger! you'll outgrow it in the first year and then wish....!

What ever make you buy, look for wind bracings (struts placed diagonially in each corner)without which it may become a kite!

[malcs]

I have just spent over a week erecting a Norfolk Green house. Yes I agree the instructions are a bit complicated but if you take your time it goes up well. Rather than screwing it down at the edges (the holes are very small) I got some 'T' brackets from my local hardware store and placed the 'T' around the edge of the greenhouse and screwed it down with coach bolts. I am quite happy with the results.

[Chantal]

Wait until the first storm.

I had "shatterproof UPVC" windows and they were right, they didn't shatter. The pieces that I picked up from neighbouring gardens were all big enough to tape back into place. By the end of 2 years I had used over 10 rolls of greenhouse repair tape, the structure had gone rusty and I'd had enough. I binned it and got a proper one.

I wish you luck, I really do.