It is often a question of money which material is used in greenhouse construction. Our greenhouse tips are intended to briefly convey the positive properties and disadvantages of the usual building materials. When making your selection, pay particular attention to longevity and ease of processing.
Plexiglas is a cheap, durable alternative to glass and foil
Questions that usually arise right at the beginning of planning often relate to the different building materials that can be used for a greenhouse. Let's start with the outer scaffolding, i.e. the frame, which is particularly affected by the weather over time. We make a distinction, regardless of whether you built it yourself or bought it ready-made, three basic statements, which have a little to do with personal taste, a little more with the costs and a lot to do with the subsequent maintenance effort and life expectancy of a greenhouse.
- Wood: The absolute classic, also in greenhouse construction. Humidity and rain, which should be considered, play a major role in terms of resilience. However, wood scores with its pleasant naturalness. One good choice is larch or cedar wood. The inexpensive domestic softwoods such as spruce and pine should be carefully impregnated before processing.
- Plastics: They are durable and almost indestructible, provide excellent insulation for the interior of the greenhouse and are easy to maintain. In the case of heavy roof constructions, the material may warp under certain circumstances. Therefore choose a sensible material thickness, especially if a prefabricated construction kit is to be set up.
- Aluminum: The light metal frames are quick to set up (on your own), hardly wear out and, thanks to their robustness, require almost no maintenance. The insulating properties are less good, as both cold and heat are let through immediately.
- Glass: A clear view for a good view, but also the high permeability of light and UV radiation are the greatest advantages of this traditional greenhouse roofing. face it a relatively high price and the difficult processing when cutting. Impact and impact-resistant single-pane safety glass with a thickness of at least three millimeters should preferably be used.
- Sheets made of plastic: The twin-wall sheets, mostly made of polycarbonate, are characterized by their lightness, are translucent and sufficiently impact-resistant when it rains a little harder. Less expensive but also robust: sheets made of PVC, which, however, have poorer values in terms of light transmission. Of all plastics, acrylic glass has the longest service life, remains clear for decades, but tends to splinter quickly.
- Film: Not recommended for professional greenhouse construction, since the stability is not sufficient in the long term, even with multi-layered species. They are mainly used for short-term cultivation, on cold frames or in small houses. Their big plus: They are extremely easy to work with and, above all, inexpensive.
tips
However, do not reach for just any foil, but if possible choose a slightly more expensive mesh foil, which is not only much more stable, but also offers the plants better heat protection and better drains the condensation that inevitably forms on the inner surfaces.