How to build a greenhouse using
polycarbonate
Why use polycarbonate to fabricate a
greenhouse?
Having a kitchen garden in the
backyard is what we can think of if we want o use fresh veggies. If you are
fond of pretty flowers, how amazing it will be if you can have them at your own
home. But growing vegetables or plants intended for medicinal purpose or just
to add delight with ornamental plants and pretty flowers need proper care and
maintenance too. A greenhouse is a perfect thing to think of if you want to do
gardening.
Since multiple options for greenhouse
materials are available including glass, varied kinds of plastics, fibreglass,
acrylic, we will have to make a choice of the material. One such option that is
very efficient and light on the pocket is the polycarbonate. It has other
advantages too like that of being lightweight, having better insulation and
retention properties. Even lesser heat tends to loose from the greenhouse
fabricated using polycarbonate. You can do it yourself. Yes, you can make your
own greenhouse that suits your size and pocket. And you will enjoy while you
make it because the outcome will be much pretty.
So, let us start with this interesting
craft and fabricate a greenhouse.
Materials Needed:
•
Measuring tape
•
Carpenter's Square
•
Polycarbonate sheets
•
Drill driver
•
Screwdriver
•
Spirit level
•
Wooden sleepers
•
Batten screws
•
Mechanical saw
•
Fine-toothed blade
•
Hand Shear
•
Markers
•
Glazing tape
Step by step procedure:
1. Choose the location:
You may want the greenhouse in your
home backyard or in the garden or on the rooftop if you are planning for
terrace-farming. The ideal location would be based on the direction of the
sunlight. Try to choose a position where the greenhouse can get plenty of
sunlight from one direction in the morning and from the other direction by sunset.
Still, the choice can be done according to the space available too.
2. Mark the chosen site and prepare it:
Mark the chosen site using a paint.
You may use a carpenter's square for more accuracy. Drain the floor well to
create a level area.
3. Making trenches and positioning bearers:
Mark three locations parallel to each
other. Locate the bearers and dig trenches.Now, make three bearers using the
sleepers. Lay the end of the length to end and secure them with batten screws.
Before that, make sure that the sleepers are properly aligned.
Now position the bearers on the marked
site in a parallel position. Use a spirit level to check if the level is proper
or not. In case, the spirit level indicates an improper level, use blue metal
gravel and add it in the trench. Else wise, you can use sleeper blocks for
elevation.
Once the level is fine, position the
blocks.
4. Attaching Sleepers:
Sleepers will have to be positioned
across the bearers. Check for the square. Secure the position with the batten
screw. Use the screwdriver to do this. Sleepers should be well-aligned one
against the other and properly secured.
5. Preparing the base:
Once the sleepers are attached well,
position the base. Assemble them to form the base frame. Tally its diagonal
lengths to ensure it is a square.
How to check the base frame?
To check whether the frame is in a
perfect square, the lengths are measured in diagonals. Take a measuring tape
and measure the length of one end to the other end which is located to it
diagonally. Now repeat the measurement for the other two diagonally located
corners. Cross check the measurements. The two lengths should be the same. In
case there is a variation amongst the two recordings, do necessary adjustments
and ensure a square before proceeding further.
6. Building wall frames:
Build upright wall frames. You can use
wood, but aluminium fabrication is a better choice owing to its strength,
lightweight and resistance to corrosion. Plenty of other choices are also
available and you can choose the best that suits your purpose.
7. Adding wall panels:
Since we have chosen polycarbonate to
be used as our wall panels, we will have to first cut the polycarbonate sheets
as per our required lengths. Polycarbonate panels are available as either
single-walled, double-walled and triple-walled panels. You may need to choose
the one you need for your glasshouse. You can get the panel coated for protection
from UV light. If you do not get polycarbonate readymade panels, you can easily
fabricate them on your own.
To cut out the polycarbonate sheets to
create wall panels, fix the sheet on a flat saw table. Measure and mark the
cut. Install the fine-toothed blade in the saw. The settings of the saw blade
are done in accordance with the type of the desired cut. And the speed of the
saw is also adjusted in accordance. Now, while moving the sheet into the saw,
do not stop in between before the cut is made. Otherwise, the sheet might
crack. Once the wall panels are cut in desired lengths and shapes, they have to
be installed in the frames.
Install the panels. Being light in
weight, it is easy to install polycarbonate panels in the frames. Leave one
side panel for the louvre window.
Cap the panel end to avoid moisture
getting built-up. And also seal the joints with the help of glazing tape.
Since the polycarbonate when subject
to temperature variations can expand or contract, drill the fastener holes
larger in size as compared to the fasteners themselves.
8. Checking the perfect square:
Use a carpenter's square to check
whether it is in a perfect square. It is rare that it will not be square, but
still, if it is not so, you can try repositioning.
9. Securing the floor:
Once the greenhouse is in position,
you will need to fix it to the ground. Secure the base with batten screws.
10. Roof installation:
Before installing the roof, make sure
to include a window or a vent. Assemble the roof panels. Keep in mind the cross-ventilation
and the air flow.
11. Beautify:
Once your greenhouse is ready, you can
make racks inside, keep benches to keep the gardening tools and other necessary
items. You can beautify your glasshouse as much creatively as you like.
The 9 advantages of a polycarbonate
greenhouse over a glass one
Having a greenhouse installed is a
great idea one can think of. And to make an idea great, it takes in a lot of
decision-making. There are so many choices available in the market which
further complicates the thing. But a correct analysis of the facts and the
features involved can clear the road to our destination. With each choice
arises a question and a question always has an answer. We just need to
speculate what we need so a better outcome can be generated with the right
choices.
Every would-be greenhouse installer
will have multiple choices for the multiple things used in the installation
process. One such major choice is to decide whether to have the greenhouse made
of glass panels or that of polycarbonate. Both are available for glazing a
greenhouse. For a better insight into choosing between glass and polycarbonate
to be used, we have arrived at 9 amazing advantages of having polycarbonate
used over the glass.
#1. Light on pocket:
Budget is the most important and the
starting factor in initiating any project. So, if your budget is limited,
polycarbonate panels will weigh light on your pocket when compared to the rates
of glass. Not just the rates of polycarbonate are less than the glass, but also
installation cost and the manpower required for polycarbonate panels is lesser
than that of glass.
Ease of handling and maintenance of
polycarbonate greenhouses saves not just the money but much of your time too
which goes in installation, maintenance and repair.
#2. Durable:
Polycarbonate has another advantage of
durability over the glass. It does not shatter as does the glass. Unlike glass,
polycarbonate panels will not shatter. They can withstand the impact of the
normal things a greenhouse can have to face. Hailstones, any heavy flown or
thrown objects hitting the windows of the greenhouse. And if you have children
playing nearby, it is almost certain you may not want to be complaining about
the broken windows with the hard hits from their balls or other likely objects.
#3. Better insulation properties:
One of the main deciding factor to use
polycarbonate coverings over the glass for your greenhouse can be the
insulating properties of polycarbonate. Polycarbonate walls provide far better
insulation to the greenhouse than the regular glass. It retains heat meant to
be trapped in more than the glass. So, the average temperature of a
polycarbonate greenhouse will be on higher mercury level as compared to that of
the glass greenhouse. The plants will stay warmer in polycarbonate greenhouse.
Temperature maintenance in seed starting and stem-cuttings is very important.
This improves the proficiency and the productivity of the greenhouse.
The thermal efficiency of glass is
poor than polycarbonate. So, polycarbonate is a thermally more efficient
choice. And the twin layer available in double-walled polycarbonate further
enhances the thermal efficiency.
Better heat retention makes
polycarbonate greenhouses more efficient. This also extends the time for which
seasonal vegetables and fruits become available like any other perennial
vegetables or fruits.
If a greenhouse is a part of a
commercial set up, year-round availability and higher yield are what you might
be looking for. And polycarbonate greenhouses will ensure your profits and that
too in a pocket-friendly manner.
Moreover, when the greenhouse is
already warm enough, you may not need to install in the heaters, as the case
may be with glass greenhouses. It will also save electricity. Again, will save
you money.
#4. The longevity of the greenhouse:
The strength of the polycarbonate and
its high impact resistance tends to have a longer life than glass greenhouses.
Polycarbonate can resist much damage which glass cannot.
#5. Ease of installation and handling:
Owing to its lightweight,
polycarbonate walls and roof are much easier to fit in the greenhouse frame.
Even a single handler can do this in case of polycarbonate while multiple
people are required to install glass panes.
Even handling of polycarbonate is
easier than that of glass. Not much care is required while working with
polycarbonate. In case replacement of any panel is required, it is much easier
to do in case of polycarbonates.
Polycarbonate greenhouses can be made
if one wishes to make it on his own using his creativity and a little
knowledge. While glass greenhouses require skilled workers to do the job.
#6. . Protection from UV rays:
Polycarbonate walls ensure protection
from harmful UV radiations. They filter the harmful rays before the light
reaches the plants.
#7. Diffusion of light:
Polycarbonate is plastic and plastics
diffuse more light than glass. So, in a polycarbonate greenhouse, the light
will be more evenly spread as compared to that from a glass greenhouse. Equal
quantum of light received by all the plants will not require you to keep
shifting plants from area of more light to the lesser one or the vice versa.
While in a glass greenhouse, frequent shifting is necessary to maintain
efficiency. Time will also be saved.
#8. Customization options:
Polycarbonate panels are available as
single-walled, double-walled or triple-walled panels depending upon the
percentage of light retained by them. Double-walled panels retain a higher
amount of heat than the single-walled ones. So, even amongst the polycarbonate
panels, you have many choices to choose from. While glass panels do not allow
such custom offers.
Moreover, polycarbonate panels come in
a variety of shapes and sizes and you can choose the one that solves your
purpose. Glass greenhouses are mounted on metallic frames while polycarbonate
ones generally employ wooden frames. Wooden frames can add up to your style.
You may decorate it to add elegance. Creativity has no limitations.
#9. Protection to plants:
Polycarbonate panels protect the
plants from the direct scorching sun rays by diffusing it evenly inside the
greenhouse. Even the cranny areas of the greenhouse receive an equal amount of
sunlight. Glass greenhouses can even burn the plants by overheating.
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