Does A Glass Greenhouse Have Any Real Advantages?
If you are considering building a greenhouse to facilitate your green thumb, chances are you are unsure of where to get started on your project. After deciding the size and location of your new nursery, the next thing that you should always do is to determine the appropriate building material for the job.
While you may have seen many a glass greenhouse, the fact is that most modern structures are made of plastics such as polcarbonate. There are a variety of reasons for this change in building material when it comes to modern greenhouses, not the least of which having to do with the safety and durability of plastics as opposed to glass.
The fact of the matter is that glass is notoriously prone to breakage, especially when it is utilized in large sheets or panes, as would be the case in larger sized greenhouses. Being exposed to the elements, hot and cold, year-round and year after year only exacerbates the problem, and over time, greenhouses constructed out of glass have a tendency to have issues with breakage. This can be not only dangerous but also costly, and can even cause you to lose your infant plants should the breakage occur during the cold months and leave your budding crop unprotected from the elements.
Another issue that goes along with utilizing glass for as a greenhouse building material is overall cost, particularly if you are talking about a newly constructed building. The fact of the matter is that each individual pane is going to need a frame, which can end up being quite expensive, particularly when compared with materials such as plexi-glass or plastic sheeting, which work just fine simply being attached directly to the greenhouse frame. If you are not experienced in building these frames or installing glass, chances are you will have to hire a professional, which is another additional cost that most do-it-your-selfers generally strive to avoid.
Another common issue, which is often misunderstood, about using glass as the primary material of your greenhouse is that, contrary to what you may think, using a smokier or otherwise slightly tinted material instead allows for more even dispersion of the suns nurturing rays. This means that your plants may not get evenly distributed lighting if you use glass as your primary greenhouse architecture supply.
While this little drawback may not seem like a critical one, over the course of a growing season or even a pre-season, you may see a marked disparity in the way plants flourish or do not flourish depending on where they are located in your greenhouse.
All of the above being said, there are still those who will settle for nothing less than a traditional glass greenhouse. If you fall into this category, there are some things you should keep in mind. For example, to make your endeavor more economical, you may consider using scrap glass or recycled glass rather than buying it new. To increase safety, you tempered glass is an option (albeit and expensive one). Finally, to increase the efficiency of your glass, you may wish to consider tinted or smoky glass as an alternative to standard clear glass. This allows the light to pass through and be properly diffused.
