Greenhouse panels

Crispy_Ambulance

Our greenhouse was a casualty of recent storms - about a third of the panels blew out and smashed. We have rigged up an emergency tarpaulin but need to replace the panels. I have no idea how much such things might cost and where would be the best place to buy them. I'm thinking plastic rather than glass as at least if they blow out again they won't break - would that be a sensible suggestion?

Rummer

I have the same problem at the moment so I am looking forward to reading the replies

gpc273

I replaced a couple in my greenhouse last week, cost me a tenner for two large (2ft x 2ft) glass panels. And he gave me the clips free.

no1catman

I've had a similar thing happen to mine.
My greenhouse has 'toughened' glass, whilst this is harder to break when it does it shatters into tiny pieces - I need to buy a pair of tweezers!!
I had one go on the right side - I suspect not enough spring clips, fortunately it had a soft landing.
And two on the left side - with a hard landing! Also the adjoining frame strut came away at the bottom - no idea where the securing nut and bolt have gone.


I was going to get someone to do it, but no luck, the installer didn't reply to the email, got cut-off on the 'phone, the next one who I found gave advice on greenhouse installation so should have been good - didn't turn up to view, and the third came granted made some enquiries on glass prices - but cried off when I rang him - too busy looking after his granddaughter!


Got someone coming in about a weeks time to sort out wind damaged fence, or may manage it myself.


This morning, went and got the glass ( 4 of 2' x 2') + clips, + 's' hooks, and bolts = £27


Wish me luck.

REEN

I got a kit from the garden centre, it wasn't cheap and it wasn't much thicker than the plastic you get round Easter eggs. The next bit of windy weather saw me collecting it from neighbours' gardens and apologising. Rigid plastic off ebay lasted longer, and they helpfully cut it to size, but a gale bent the greenhouse frame and I gave up.

Dizzy_Ditzy

I had to buy a lot of replacement glass when I got my greenhouse because the table we were packing the glass on decided it was going to collapse :eek:

I never paid more than £4 for a pane. I just took the measurements into the glazing shop, and managed to bag a discount too because I was getting so much glass

Have a ring round some local glazers and see what prices they charge. Where I get mine from is half the price of one that is on my doorstep

whippetowner

we paid £2.75 bout 3 years ago the garden centre at cramlington it has a bit where they sell sheds and greenhouses got them from there cut to size

trollopscarletwoman

My polycarb greenhouse blew a couple of panels out. I retrieved one and sourced the lost piece directly from the manufacturer.

Glass ones-if you still have the origainal instructions then you can take the dimensions to local glazier or measure a similar panel. Fit it yourself or use them. Clips would probably still be there otherwise local diy, ebay.

If frame pieces are bent then a bit of fettling or replacement is in order.

trollopscarletwoman

Crispy_Ambulance wrote: »

Our greenhouse was a casualty of recent storms - about a third of the panels blew out and smashed. We have rigged up an emergency tarpaulin but need to replace the panels. I have no idea how much such things might cost and where would be the best place to buy them. I'm thinking plastic rather than glass as at least if they blow out again they won't break - would that be a sensible suggestion?

You could buy polycarb sheets and have them cut to size either directly from the supplier or cut them youself (easy with stanley type blade). One such here



http://www.theplasticpeople.co.uk/polycarbonate-c-155_22.html

Another one

http://www.nick-gray.co.uk/Polycarbonate_Sheet?gclid=CObT757D4LwCFU_KtAodiX0AHA



4mm twinwall is the usual size for greenhouses (mine anyway). Some on ebay as well.

sussexbaker

I lost a few panes of glass from my greenhouse on the 23rd Dec, the scary thing being that I worked out that actually the wind shifted the greenhouse sufficiently that the oil tank smashed the panes.


Most Greenhouses will use standard sized glass, buying this in horticultural glass (which is the thinnest) is about £3 a sheet. The panes will either be full sized, or rougly 3/4 sized. Any glazier will send it to you. When I've recovered from the game of rugby I just played I'll dig out exact sizes and costs.


There is a good reason for buying glass rather then going plastic, which is to do with light transmission levels. For most growing the most important thing is getting light to you plants, rather then keeping them warm. Warm seedlings in a dark place will just grown leggy. Glass transmits the most light through, plastic will reduce the amount of light getting through which will stunt the growth of your plants. So you really don't want plastic.


As far as Horti glass vs safety glass, my understanding is that safety glass is really of most use in situations were it's likely to be broken. If you've/neighbours have kids etc then it's worth investing in as it won't shatter into a million shards which will cut them into shreds. horticultural glass will shatter into a millions shards, but is about 1/3 cheaper and lighter. The choice is yours!

balustrada

sussexbaker wrote: »

Glass transmits the most light through, plastic will reduce the amount of light getting through which will stunt the growth of your plants. So you really don't want plastic.

The fact that you personally prefer to use glass is fair enough but your apparent assertion that plants grown in polycarbonate greenhouses suffer with stunted growth is seriously misleading. In my experience twin-walled polycarbonate of 10mm (or thicker) is rigid, very much more stronger than glass, completely shatterproof, light to handle and easy to cut and does not diminish light levels to any significant degree. Again, in my experience, one of the best companies to obtain it from (they provide a free cutting service as well) is http://www.livsupplies.co.uk/index.php?id=11.