The best tips for planning and building

Questions that usually go straight to the Start planning Often refer to the various building materials that can be used for a greenhouse. Let's start with the outer framework, i.e. the frame that the weather over time is particularly difficult. We differentiate, regardless of whether you have built it yourself or bought it ready-made, three basic versionsthat have a little to do with personal taste, a little more with costs and a lot to do with the subsequent maintenance effort and life expectancy of a greenhouse.

• Wood: the ultimate classic, also for greenhouse construction. Humidity and rain, that should be taken into account, play a major role in terms of resistance. However, wood scores with its pleasant naturalness. One a good choice is larch or cedar wood. The inexpensive domestic softwoods such as spruce and pine should be carefully impregnated before processing.
• Plastics: They are long-lasting and almost indestructible, provide excellent insulation for the interior of the greenhouse and are easy to maintain. In the case of heavy roof structures, the material may warp under certain circumstances. Hence a
  choose a sensible material thickness, especially if a precast construction kit is set up.
• Aluminum: The light metal frames can be set up quickly (on their own), hardly wear and tear and, thanks to their robustness, require almost no maintenance. The insulation properties are less good, as both cold and heat are let through immediately.
• Glass: A clear view for a good view, but also the high permeability of light and UV radiation are the greatest advantages of this traditional greenhouse roofing. Face it a relatively high price and the difficult processing when cutting. Impact and impact-resistant single-pane safety glass with a thickness of three millimeters or more should preferably be used.
• Sheets made of plastic: The twin-wall sheets, mostly made of polycarbonate, are characterized by because of their lightness, they are translucent and sufficiently impact-resistant when things get a little stronger hails. Cheaper but also robust: panels made of PVC, which, however, have poor values ​​for light transmission. Acrylic glass has the longest service life of all plastics, remains clear for decades, but tends to splinter quickly.
• Foil: Not recommended for professional greenhouse constructions, as the stability is not sufficient in the long run, even with multi-layered species. They are mainly used for short-term cultivation Cold frames or in small houses. Your big plus: They are extremely easy to work with and, above all, inexpensive.