Think I'm taking the greenhouse plunge!

[Becca]

I've heard that has been an issue from others and the rep I talked to said that drilling weep holes would help eliminate this problem. I'm just afraid a good triple wall polycarbonate greenhouse is out of my price range unfortunately!

[Becca]

Ray, I found this greenhouse kit with 16mm triple wall sides: Riga XL Greenhouse - Hobby Greenhouses | Greenhouse Megastore. Unfortunately it is almost double the price I am looking at. Would it be cheaper to attempt to build a greenhouse and buy the triple wall polycarbonate paneling? Where would I go to for a design?

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Becca

I've heard that has been an issue from others and the rep I talked to said that drilling weep holes would help eliminate this problem. I'm just afraid a good triple wall polycarbonate greenhouse is out of my price range unfortunately!

Weep holes will not have any effect on algae growing on the innermost surface. If it is a known problem, it tells me that the two layers aren't even sealed very well!

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Becca

Ray, I found this greenhouse kit with 16mm triple wall sides: Riga XL Greenhouse - Hobby Greenhouses | Greenhouse Megastore. Unfortunately it is almost double the price I am looking at. Would it be cheaper to attempt to build a greenhouse and buy the triple wall polycarbonate paneling? Where would I go to for a design?

Double the price for double the space AND more energy efficient sounds like a deal to me.

Certainly you can do-it-yourself less expensively. My first full-size greenhouse was a copy of a Turner, built from pressure treated lumber. I think most greenhouse manufacturers will provide enough info that you can approximate the design, but it is more work than simply assembling a pre-fabricated kit.

[DavidCampen]

I took a look at the Sunglo website:
About Sunglo Greenhouses
It is an interesting design concept, it seems that it would have good strength and the insulation value should be better than single pane glass. It is too bad though that they don't state what the insulation value of their design is so that one could compare it against multiwall polycarbonate.

Here is a different brand greenhouse that is using 4 wall polycarbonate that has a R factor of 3.03 :
Cross Country Insulator - Hobby Greenhouses | Greenhouse Megastore

[Becca]

Thanks for the link! I'll take a look at it shortly. I do now that there are a few on here with Sunglo's and one person I know locally who has a Sunglo and they are pretty happy with them. For the price, it isn't bad for what it is. Yes, a triple wall polycarbonate one would be nice but that gets into an entirely different price range....I understand they are bigger and better....but when money is a factor, money is a factor....but for now, Ray has me talked into holding off on my purchase...lol. I'd like to look into what it takes to build one. I wasn't planning on getting a greenhouse until next year anyways....I have no real rush and hubby agrees with Ray's comments about the Sunglo...lol.

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by Becca

Ray, I found this greenhouse kit with 16mm triple wall sides: Riga XL Greenhouse - Hobby Greenhouses | Greenhouse Megastore. Unfortunately it is almost double the price I am looking at. Would it be cheaper to attempt to build a greenhouse and buy the triple wall polycarbonate paneling? Where would I go to for a design?

I paid $128 per 4'X8' sheet of Thermoclear brand 16 mm triple wall polycarbonate delivered to a warehouse in Southern California. I could have gotten Polygal brand 16mm triple wall for $110 per sheet.

Then you also have to consider the cost of the assembly (gaskets, aluminum extrusions etc.) for attaching the plastic to the frame; that is also a significant cost.

I did my own design and construction but I am a professional engineer; for most anyone else I would suggest a packaged kit.

[Gin]

What we did was buy used thermo pane sliding patio doors $25 each with the frames and screen for 3 sides with glass in between them set in treated 2 by 4 frames . In the winter I staple gun plastic over the panels on the outside the east opens into the enclosed porch south has thermo pane windows west is exposed and is also covered with plastic in the winter .. If we sold the place ,it would just need a solid roof to be used for something else .
When I sold the place where we did live the green house was earth contact 16 X 24 a lot of people said Oh a green house and had no interest in it .
Why I was not willing to spend a ton of $$ on another one.