Green house gardening is not a new fad despite what some will say. Glass greenhouses have been popular for many years. They were around long before polycarbonate was used to build a green house. You will find these in freestanding backyard greenhouses and lean to greenhouses. Some commercial greenhouses are even glazed with glass. Most of the commercial green house that you will encounter, however, will be polycarbonate greenhouse glazing or even polyfilm. They may even be a mini green house. Or, these can be elegant structures such as you commonly see in botanical gardens. Conservatories, especially the older ones, as seen in historical homes or gardens will always have glass.

The green house glass is typically tempered glass. This is a special safety glass. It will crinkle if it breaks so that no one will get cut. Most people are under the common misconception that you can cut tempered glass. This is not true. The glass is cut to the desired size and then tempered. If you attempt to cut it after it has been tempered it will break. For this reason you need to know the exact size of the greenhouse glass that you will need before you design your green house. If you are purchasing a green house kit this should already be included and not an issue for you. Building codes in most areas forbid the use of float glass in greenhouses. Especially in overhead glass. It is very important for your safety and your family’s safety to follow these regulations.

A glass greenhouse is typically not a cheap green house regarding the prices of greenhouses. They are typically the most expensive greenhouses to buy. And, with the insulation factor, multi layer polycarbonate will often be less expensive to maintain the climate. Many people with choose the glass greenhouse for aesthetic purposes. They want to be able to look directly into their greenhouse from the outside and see a clear view of their plants in the green house.

An excellent way to offer ventilation in your hobby greenhouse is to use a greenhouse auto vent. These are operated with solar powered arms. They contain a wax cylinder. It is a very simple concept. When the wax gets hot it expands and pushed the roof vents open. When the wax gets cold it contracts and pulls the vents closed. They typically have a thumbscrew at the end of the arms which you can use to adjust the temperature at which they open and shut. Sometimes, in certain climates it will be better to remove these during the winter, or at least adjust them so that they will not open readily. Whatever greenhouse you build these are an important accessory.