Best Green Houses

Panels form the walls and ceiling of your greenhouse. In order to enable the hothouse to

actually be able to retain heat within its confines, these panels must be able to insulate its

enclosure from the outside surroundings. In this way, heating costs can be kept within

reasonable limits.

Individuals seeking to install a greenhouse as a hobby, must consider the properties of the

panel material and check whether it conforms with the needs of the plants that are to be

cultivated in the greenhouse. It is also advisable to go for an insulative and fireproof panel.

Various materials are available for greenhouse panels, with each material having its pros and

cons. Glass, fiberglass, and polycarbonates, are better suited for a greenhouse hobbyist.

Plastic panels, on the other hand are more popular with commercial greenhouses operators.

Plastic panels, however, are not particularly durable and require frequent replacement.

Glass panels

Glass paneling very attractive in appearance. They are also easy to maintain since they are less

vulnerable to scratches. They also have a long life unless subjected to impact that could shatter

the glass. Glass paneling is a good choice from aesthetic point of view. In addition to giving

your greenhouse a pleasant outlook, glass panels transmit large amounts of light into the

greenhouse.

The density of glass, on the other hand, is quite high as compared with other panel materials. In

case glass panels are selected, the foundation and framing must be strong enough to sustain its

weight. Moreover, since glass is fragile as well as heavy, it is quite expensive to install glass

panels. In this regard, professional assistance must be sought and care must be taken so as to

prevent personal injury as well as material damage.

Polycarbonate

While polycarbonate panels are not as appealing as their glass counterparts, they are more

durable. Furthermore, their insulative properties are also quite good, especially when used in a

double or triple sheet configuration. This enables the greenhouse to contain more heat within,

thereby reducing heating costs. However, compared with glass, polycarbonate lacks

transparency. As a result, sunlight let in through these panels is not as intense as in the case

with glass.

Fiberglass

Panels made from fiberglass are strong, lightweight and shatter-proof. However, a good quality

fiberglass must be selected for the panels as a poor grade is likely to discolor, thus reducing

light penetration with time.

The resin coating present in the case of fiberglass eventually wears off, causing dirt to

accumulate between the fibers. Therefore, a new resin coating must be applied after about 15

years. While initially the transparency is comparable with that of glass, it reduces with time,

especially in the case of poor quality fiberglass.

Plastic panels

Both polycarbonate or acrylic plastic, have heat-saving as well as long-life attributes.

While acrylic does not discolor, polycarbonate usually turns yellow. Both materials are usually

guaranteed for transparency for up to10 years. These materials also have an advantage of

being suitable for curved surfaces-polycarbonate being most bendable of the two materials.

The most suitable panel material depends on your needs as well as the conditions that prevail in

your location. In this regard, you must also keep your budgetary constrains in mind. This best

deal would only be the one that your pocket allows. the one that your pocket allows.