Buying or building a greenhouse?

This time two year ago I bought an ex display from Dobbies garden centre.everything was included the shelving,a massive work bench the fancy bits outside
the water barrel fittings ..being ex display it was reduced ,had only been up that season. I was so pleased with it I replaced the second greenhouse , this was smaller and came from Bents in Cheshire.this was ordered without being seen.I was highly delighted with this one two .like the first it came with automatic vents and two automatic windows.

A few weeks back was disappointed to find I could not replace my third greenhouse the same way as the style had changed.. I went to the internet and found a company who sold many greenhouses of the same style.prices were very compatative . .my order comes in 6 weeks. I can get you details if your intrested.

 

Imagine turning up unannounced. Mr. Streaks. You might find her in one of the greenhouses.

 

Wow, I didn't think THAT many people would reply. Thanks to all of you.

The charm of wood is undeniable, but I think I'm gonna go with a metal one. And since aluminium doesn't need any care at all, why not make good use of it.

Glass is really expensive but tends to live a lot longer. I know quite a few people who renovated their homes and installed new windows everywhere. The old ones were then used to build the garden shed/greenhouse and other stuff. While this has its charm, our windows are new already and my wife is going to kill me if the greenhouse looks like it was stiched together from scrap parts.

So I think double walled polycarbonate (you know, those with the air pockets in between) is the material of choice.

@Sandy Ground
Would you care to elaborate what kind of negative effect you are expecting when using Aluminium? Unless you lick it on a regular basis or it falls on your foot there's nothing to be afraid of. And the same goes for wood as well. I mean it is the third most common element on earth (right after oxygen and silicon). If it was highly toxic, we all would be dead by now (I would advise against eating it though).

 

Aluminium is known to attack the nervous system, and also be a cause of brain disease. A while ago, it was also linked to alzheimers. Plants have a tendency to pick up aluminium through their root system. If those roots belong to edibles, thats a way for it to enter the human body, and thus cause the diseases mentioned.

The aluminium profiles used in greenhouses are generally anodised. This means a layer of aluminium oxide has been added to the surface to provide protection. Despite the fact that the surface hardness is around 60-70 HRC, it can get easily damaged. Aluminium oxide is also linked to health problems, as it is a very abrasive substance.

About 30 years ago, I commisioned a test on behalf of a large company that is related to the food industry to investigate the problems associated with aluminium and food. The result of the commision was that surface treatment of aluminium was prohibited, and as a material was only allowed to be used in certain circumstances.

 

Thanks for the background @Sandy Ground
I know the studies mentioned.
I myself try to avoid storing and cooking food in aluminium pots. I don't use aluminium cutlery (but who does that anyway?).

But banning aluminium as a building material is totally fine in my opinion.
Especially when I see other people coating their wooden fences and structures with tar oil, diesel, old motor oil and paint they found in the basement.
Those are the things I am really worried about, because those are a lot more toxic than tiny amounts of aluminium oxide (elemental aluminium doesn't survive for long in the presence of humidity)

 

Where we lived in Bexhill we were on a flight path, many times we would see plane fuel being ejected into the sky, falling down and down and felt bad when it reached the ground. That was the worst pollution for us ever. We avoid eating large fish species because of the metal these creatures are consuming more and more..There was quite a big issue over non stick kitchen utensils and the toxic effects to us humans... Greenhouses made from aluminium feel very low on my list for being toxic to us humans. More concerned about the additives to the crops these days, as well known to be very harmful to us.

 

Reminded us of this uk aluminuim incident some years ago -

Camelford water pollution incident - Wikipedia

 

Its like everything, whatever you go for their are good and bad points, this mainly depends what you want your greenhouse for.


Go for whatever appeals plus what you can cope with and afford..all I can say of mine is that I'm very happy with them.It's my hobby and I'm not in it to make a cash return, i.e. looking at selling my produce .
Though I do give much of my produce away keeping my daughter , mum and sister stocked up with cucs, tomatoes,aubergine ,peppers and the odd taste of a melon.

Lots of different advice on this thread , it's down to you now but whatever your choice I'm sure youl get pleasure and lots of happy hours from yours.

Will be interesting to see what you decide on.

 

I just wish our greenhouse knew how much we want it..The fun will start with the 'putting it together' which reminds me of our last adventure in France. 2014 and in search of a new home here..Camping became the easiest option and have done tenting before so should be fine...4
We actually set up camp in Ruffec, a place not known to us then but one of our shopping areas we use often now..
The setting was late of an evening, darkness, tent small with too many poles, how do we fit this together...pour a glass of wine...look at the stars, it is warm enough and the morning will be soon be with us.

 

@ricky101
Sounds like the sulphate was the one that did a lot more damage than the aluminium

 

Probably, but the reading did say that the aluminium took at least one life. How many more went unreported?

 

Camelford incident: The damage was done by aluminium in solution, this came from the aluminium sulphate. Aluminium is certainly toxic and aluminium saucepans should not be used for cooking acidic foods as the acids dissolve the aluminium allowing it to be taken up by the body.
Aluminium metal in practice always has a layer of oxide on the top, this is what prevents the aluminium from corroding readily. Any damage to this layer and the freshly exposed aluminium reacts with oxygen in the air and is again protected.
I have no problem with aluminium greenhouses especially as I grow in containers within them.

 

That was actually a question in my chemistry major: "How would you solve aluminium"
And my wrong answer was "using Acid".

Aluminium is actually VERY resistant to acid. If you really want to solve it you have to use basic solutions.

But as you say "steady drinking drains even the largest keg" I still wouldn't use it for cooking because even small amounts taken in every day tend to accumulate over time. And cooking in aluminium while permanently scraping along the walls is quite effective at that.

 

Wooden spoons are good.
Dissolved plenty of aluminium in sodium hydroxide in my time.
Organic acids such as citric and oxalic are quite good at dissolving aluminium and other metals as they form soluble salts.