Polycarbonate greenhouses

Recently, polycarbonate greenhouses have become very popular. In this article, I decided to analyze the pros and cons of this material.

But first, what is polycarbonate?
Polycarbonateis a kind of very durable plastic. It is used to make many common things: computers, CDs, household appliances, food storage containers. He has a large selection of colors and shapes. For greenhouses, transparent cellular polycarbonate is mainly used.

Advantages of a polycarbonate greenhouse:

High strength, which exceeds the strength of glass by almost 200 times. It will not be damaged by gusts of strong wind, hail, and in winter it can withstand up to 70 kg of snow.

Easy. This material weighs several times less than glass, and, therefore, the entire greenhouse will be lighter and you can not use a capital foundation.

The honeycomb structure ensures long-term heat retention.
The transparency of such greenhouses reaches 98%, which will have a positive effect on the yield.

Resistant to the damaging effects of ultraviolet sunlight. Therefore, the service life of the same greenhouses is 40-15 years. Agree, not a little.

Resistant to large temperature fluctuations. It can withstand +70 to -40 degrees.
High sound insulation up to 25 dB.

Easy to assemble. It is necessary to interconnect all the elements of the frame and fix lightweight and flexible sheets on them. Does not ignite on contact with fire. The price is several times less than for a glass greenhouse. A polycarbonate greenhouse looks beautiful in the garden.

Yes, there are many advantages, let's now analyze the disadvantages of a polycarbonate greenhouse.

Scratches remain easily.
Over time, transparent polycarbonate becomes cloudy and allows less light to pass through.

It is better to clean the snow in winter, as ice can form, which will lead to deformation of the greenhouse.
Condensation may occur if the greenhouse is not properly assembled
In winter and summer, the sheets expand and contract, if this is not taken into account when assembling, then the sheets may burst.

Comparing all the pros and cons. came to the conclusion that a polycarbonate greenhouse is much more durable, practical than glass or films.
Of course, there are fewer minuses, but they are not pleasant enough.

How to care for a greenhouse made of this material.

Must be washed before planting and after harvest. You need to wash not only outside, but also inside. Use soft cloths and non-abrasive products for cleaning.

Remove snow from the roof in winter. In order to prevent mold and mildew from forming in the greenhouse, it is recommended to always keep the entrance closed. Use special windows for ventilation.

The strength of the greenhouse will depend on the frame. The stronger the frame, the stronger the greenhouse.

For the frame, you can use:

Metallic profile. The greenhouse will be strong, durable, sustainable. The only requirement is to treat the profile with an anti-corrosion agent.

Aluminum profile... The frame from it does not bend, it is resistant to any weather conditions. in addition, aluminum is not subject to corrosion, and therefore will not rust.

Woodis an environmentally friendly material. It is easy to attach polycarbonate sheets to it. Any part can be quickly replaced without disassembling the entire greenhouse. Before assembly, treat the wood with special compounds to protect it from external influences.

Polypropylene pipes. Thanks to this frame, the greenhouse can be shaped into almost any shape. the construction is strong, durable and stable. No foundation is needed for such a greenhouse.

Previously, it seemed to me that glass was the best option for greenhouses. It is durable, transmits sunlight well, retains heat. But this material is very fragile and can break, especially in winter, when there is frost and a large amount of snow falls.In addition, the cost of glass is several times higher than that of polycarbonate.

Greenhouses that are covered with a film, as a rule, survived only one season. Over the summer, it breaks, becomes cloudy. And the next year I had to buy it again.

It's good that now you can buy a greenhouse made of this wonderful material, which, although it is expensive, ultimately saves well. The most important thing is to correctly assemble such a greenhouse so that there will be no problems in the future. It is better to entrust it to a professional.