Poly carbonate vs Glass!

[Poddington Pea]

Hello all,

We're going to purchase a greenhouse, our first thought is to get a polycarbonate house as we have a young son and feel it would be safer to have polycarbonate than glass. However, his area of the garden is fenced off and separate to where the greenhouse will be sited so if there was a huge difference we could get a glass house and keep him (and his footballs!)well away.

Basically what I'm wondering is; is there a difference in how well the retain heat? Do crops grow better in one than the other?

Thanks in advance
x

[T8Ter]

Hi PP, I use polycarb and much prefer it to glass, I use auto-vents to keep cool, but the twin-wall that I have does decrease the light slightly, having said that I always get good crops. I found the main attention has to be when setting up, I put clear silicon sealant on the edges of every panel before clipping in, I've never lost a panel yet. When I had glass you could guarantee every year some replacement would be required. If you have a young son why take the risk that he'd never get into the greenhouse area? I changed mine because of the arrival of my grandaughter and feel much happier now when she, and my grandson are in the garden.

[Two_Sheds]

I have a v.strong glass greenhouse (a half brick was chucked at it and just bounced off)
It was dear though. If you're on a budget polycarb might be the way to go (but fix those panels in because the wind will pop them out on a regular basis)

[Galileo]

I have a Greenhouse with toughened glass. The glass is really tough. I was driving stakes into the greenhouse border when I hit rocks and I had to hit the stakes full bore with a heavy sledge hammer. I hit the stakes so hard the head of the sledgehammer broke off and hit the glass about as hard as you could imagine. Incredibly the glass did not break.

I also hit the glass very hard when my spade slipped digging compacted border soil this happened several times. Again the spade hit the toughened glass really really hard and it didn't break. In fact I am not sure what you would have to do to break this stuff. It is incredibly strong. A football has no chance of breaking this glass.

So if you are set on glass get toughened glass.

[Poddington Pea]

Thanks for the advice, glass strong enough to withstand sledgehammer beatings, that's quite something!!! We've been looking around today and probably will go with the plastic gh. To get one as strong as your's both sound would probably be a bit pricey for us.
We've also ordered a shed today, so it's all going on in the garden!

[chris]

I bought toughened glass too, for the same reason (kids). I've dropped 3 of the panes on my driveway, they didn't break - phew. I've had my daughters little 'first' spade and rake thrown at it too.

Not sure what your budget is but my 10x6 (or 8 - can't remember?) was £600, with some extras (two auto vents, lourve, base, toughend glass, coloured frame) etc. It depends on the size too, but my local GC had a 6 x 4 toughened glass one for 299 - last year. ediT: (or 4 x 6 - whatever the odd way ones are )