The Benefits of Polycarbonate Greenhouses
Polycarbonate Greenhouses are our top pick. We like polycarbonate for a variety of reasons. First is the fact that polycarbonate is virtually unbreakable. Most polycarbonate on the market today has a ten year warranty against hail damage. Most sheets also have a ten year warranty that the sheets will not vary more than 6% in light transmission in 10 years. This is just a fancy way of saying that the sheets will not get yellow or brittle. We have a customer who replaced her polycarbonate panels after 15 years because of damage from a hurricane. She stated that if it had not been for the damage, she wouldn’t have replaced the panels as they still looked good. I have heard from people in the industry that they have kept their polycarbonate for up to 20 years without replacing it. Don’t let this lightweight material fool you, it stands up!
We also offer polygal multiwall sheets and other polycarbonate panels and sheets here.
Features of Polycarbonate Greenhouses
A polycarbonate greenhouse will typically be less expensive than a glass greenhouse, especially with a curved eave. You can bend the polycarbonate to fit in the frame right on the jobsite. Curved tempered glass can be expensive.
The double layer configuration of polycarbonate will give you much better insulation in your greenhouse. Also, you will virtually eliminate hot spot areas. Looking down a sheet of polycarbonate is like looking down a piece of a cardboard box. You have a sheet on the inside and outside with a rib that runs between the 2. In the polycarbonate sheet the rib will be straight through between the 2 sheets, not wavy like in a cardboard box. Which brings us to the only down side we can think of about a polycarbonate greenhouse. This rib will distort your view even though the 2 exterior sheets are clear. You will be able to see color inside the greenhouse, but you will not be able to see the form clearly enough to identify a plant. If you want to be able to see inside your greenhouse, you should choose glass. Some greenhouse kits offer the choice of a polycarbonate roof with the glass side walls. This is an excellent choice if you are looking for the clarity of glass, and also the benefits of a polycarbonate greenhouse.