Old greenhouse in need of replacement glass or other suitable medium

Im completely new to gardening. Have an active one year old child and have moved to a house with an old greenhouse (several panes missing). As the existing glass seems fragile and unstable Im looking for a suitable safe replacement option rather than ditch the greenhouse as friends (non gardeners) have suggested. Please help! [email protected]

 

Hi and Welcome B Lea..I would replace the glass with polycarbonate..A local glaziers should carry it and have it in standard sizes.
And they will take your old glass off you if they are any good!

 

B&Q sell packs of polycarbonate to fit standard sized greenhouses

 

Thanks for the replies, will check out the options and work on the one that is the most feasible.
B Lea

 

I don't know anything about this as I don't own one but I've seen someone's which has bubble-wrap on the inside(insulation?). Might be a short-term measure on the windows while the panes are being replaced?

 

horticultural glass is fragile, not only will it break easily (especially near children?) but the edges ar not usually that smooth, so if you are going to remove it, please wear gloves.

 

Polycarbonate sheets are expensive, a cheaper alternative is acrylic (perspex) which can be got in two thicknesses, 1.5mm and 3mm.

 

Try these people. They advertise on e-bay and I'm told they are very resonable.

[email protected]

http://tinyurl.com/y3gtz5

 

Thanks, will check into it.

 

I have tried replacing some panes in my greenhouse with Acrylic panes....they are great and certainly safer BUT... I found that in high winds they tend to flex and pop the clips.

Lose a pane or two in a wind and you could lose the greenhouse....I saw one explode in such circumstances a couple of years ago...the broken glass was spread over five allotment plots and the aluminium frame twisted so much that the house was just taken down and dumped.

 

Hi Tipsy,
Thanks for the message, but now its a bit late. I did get some Acrylic panes - carefully had them installed... and then the high winds came over the weekend and blew the greenhouse (unfortunately I didnt witness the event... If Id have known I would have been touting tickets!).
So, its back to the drawing board
Have a good and green new year
Lea

 

Anyone round about would have been watching their own one doing the same, Lea! I certainly was! And I'm very glad I wasn't near - shards of glass were fired into the fence!! :eek:

It was a fairly unusual wind direction for those gusts, so fingers crossed for next time.......

 

Don`t go near the greenhouse in high winds..they should come with a warning sticker in the window :D
Getting hit by high speed glass shards or a polycarbonate sheet wouldn`t be much fun.

With a 70mph wind your greenhouse will be under the stress of at least 22lbs per square foot.

Which is about half a ton on an 8ft x 6ft glass wall, little wonder they sometimes give up the ghost

 

Which ever type of glazing you use try applying a run of silicone around the edge where it touches the frame. The structure will become firmer and the 'type' of glazing will not fly away...Promise!

 

Am I right in thinking that you need the low modulus neutral cure silicone for acrylic Pal?