First ever greenhouse

Hello! My wife and I have decided to buy a greenhouse and she's left it to me to arrange. We have a fairly big garden so we can consider a 8x6 model, perhaps 10x6, with toughened glass. We've narrowed our choice down to one of the Halls or Simplicity greenhouses. Rain and wind are two of the factors in play in our thinking as we live about 15 miles outside Glasgow. Any pros or cons of those two brands to consider when making our decision?

 

Thanks, John. For what my wife has planned for it - tomatoes, chillis, seedlings, plus storage of gardening items like watering can, garden rake etc - she thinks an 8x6 is enough but I'm not so sure. She's also planning to build some raised beds - carrots, onions, potatoes etc - beside the greenhouse. We've looked at the Halls range and the Simplicity range from The Greenhouse People but can't decide which to choose. We want to be sure it is strong and safe against rain and wind. The Simplicity range uses bar capping to retain the glass in place. The Halls uses clips which they say is not as secure or watertight as bar capping.

 

Hi,

Halls is probably the most popular, but having had one and our current Elite greenhouse would suggest the Elite are much stonger.

Bar Capping is available on many makes, though probably doubling up the number of standard clips would be just as sound.

As @JWK says go for the size bigger than you think and if you are tall , look for ones with high eaves.
Most smaller greenhouses come with just one top vent so do order an extra one with auto openers as well.

 

a new greenhouse exciting ! changes everything ..especially on a rainy day .... are you putting together yourself ? as you need two days at least and another full day to add the glass and no wind !! and foundations ? to be honest if I ever get a new one I will will pay£ someone else to build it.... I have a new one it has glazing strips I find ok on the sides but I have few that slip in the roof only a bit annoying but easily sorted ... mine doesn't have a threshold so no trip hazard going in or out of the door way and makes it so much easier moving big pots in and out the greenhouse ...


Spruce

 

The keys for greenhouse construction is in the foundation / metal base, they need to be square ( diagonals) and level, otherwise you can find the frame is difficult to join up at the corners and the glazing is difficult to fit.

The other key is time, patience and read the instruction manual at least twice !

 

One thing I found I needed to change with my first greenhouse was part of the base. Yes, you need a solid base to anchor your house. Do NOT make it perfectly level if you are planning on collecting your rainwater. I adjusted mine to ever so slightly be higher at the front so as to have the gutters drain to the back and into a trough directed to a barrel. Think you call them butts.

Do NOT make the base totally solid with zero gaps if you intend to feed wiring or waterlines into the structure. I left two gaps in my bases. One for water, one for solar wiring to run fans and in the larger of the three little structures, a third gap for the mains gas to run a heater.

You can feed your lines, or whatever and then pack in around them to seal off any access for rodents or other pests. I used plastic gutter mesh on the outside and a simple sponge on the inside to block cold air in the winter. Easy peasy.

I put mine together by myself and though I could sometimes have used a third hand, I managed to do each one in 9 hours. So if this wiry old broad can do it, anyone can

 

I wouldn't have expected anything else from that "wiry old broad" who carries a bloomin great axe.

 

I don't doubt that at all...