At this time of year we start thinking about our gardens, and perhaps this year it’s time to build a new Greenhouse? What materials you should use depend entirely on the space you have available and the location of your greenhouse. Here we take a look at the advantages of using acrylic sheeting over glass.
Traditionally greenhouses are built with glass, but this comes with several disadvantages:
- Glass is heavy and because of this it requires a much better frame construction than cut plastic or acrylic sheeting.
- It is easily broken, an expensive risk in a garden or allotment where children play ball games.
- It is initially expensive to build, and requires deep foundations to carry the weight.
Clear acrylic sheeting on the other hand has several advantages:
- It is as transparent as the finest optical glass.
- It is lightweight, in fact it there is a huge decrease in weight when you compare it to a glass panel.
- Acrylic is extremely strong with an impact resistance 6 – 17 times greater than glass.
- Acrylic sheeting is completely durable in all weathers and has excellent UV stability.
- A non yellowing material, you can expect your greenhouse to look spectacular for a good 15 – 20 years.
- It is chemical resistant.Furthermore, acrylic sheeting is easy to work with. Thinner sheets can be cut with a knife or scriber, much the same as glass. For thicker sheets a Jigsaw may be used provided it is fitted with special acrylic blades. Where a crisp, clean edge is required; Diamond polishing is recommended to give a professional finish to your greenhouse. Enjoy the summer in your new acrylic greenhouse, where the only glass you will need, is one to pour your wine into!
