Polycarbonate thickness for the greenhouse. What is the best polycarbonate thickness for a greenhouse?

If you like to eat fresh natural vegetables grown in the early spring, enjoy the fuss on the beds, and even in addition have a lot of free time, you should think about devoting yourself to agriculture. Whatever it was, but that your works are not wasted, and the harvest is always happy with its abundance, it will be necessary to acquire a greenhouse. Forget the broken window panes and torn pieces of cellophane. In the modern construction market, there is absolutely perfect material for the construction of greenhouses. It's about polycarbonate. Read the article to understand what kind of material it is, how to choose it correctly and what criteria to consider when buying. Also you will be able to figure out what is the best polycarbonate thickness for a greenhouse.

Main characteristics

What thickness to use polycarbonate for a greenhouse, you will learn later, and now it is worthwhile to talk about the material itself and its properties. The chemical composition and technology of melting granules, probably, you will be of little interest, but the basic qualities for household use need to know necessarily. First of all, polycarbonate is stronger than glass, not to mention a polyethylene film. It perfectly passes light and, importantly, protects plants from ultraviolet rays.

The material has excellent thermal insulation characteristics and practically does not burn. It is used for a wide temperature range: from -40 ^о С to +120 ^о С. Sheets are not subject to corrosion, moisture-proof, durable. Due to the plasticity and light weight, they are quickly mounted and easily handled. At the moment, there are two types of this material on sale - cellular and monolithic. Both one and the second type can be used in the construction of greenhouses.

Monolithic polycarbonate

Monolithic polycarbonate is a one-piece solid material like glass. It has increased strength, well resists blows, withstands heavy snow loads. Produced in the form of standard sheets:

• Width - 2.05 m,
• Length - 3.05 m.

The thickness of polycarbonate for a greenhouse can vary from 2 to 12 mm. The most acceptable is 4-6 mm.

Cellular polycarbonate

Cellular (cellular) polycarbonate to reduce the overall weight and increase the thermal insulation properties is made of two, three or more sheets of material. They are welded together by means of stiffeners so that a layer of air remains inside. Such polycarbonate is produced in sheets with standard sizes:

• Width - 2100 mm,
• Length - 612 mm.

The thickness of the material can be 4-32 mm. Depending on this indicator cellular polycarbonate has a different distance between the stiffeners - from 5.7 mm to 20 mm. Also, the bending radii differ: the thinner the material, the more it can be bent. For example, for a polycarbonate-"six" it is equal to one meter. This is useful to you, if you decide to make an arched type greenhouse.

Different cellular polycarbonate and a typical, structural structure. This refers to the number of welded sheets and the angle of installation of the ribs. There are five main types of this material: 2R, 3R, 3RX, 5RX, 6RS.

Material Color

On sale there are transparent, white, green, red, yellow, blue sheets of polycarbonate. Less often you can see the color of opal and bronze. For the erection of greenhouses, the coloring of the material does not matter much. That's just to get involved in too dark shades is not worth it, it can adversely affect plants.

A little about the thickness of the sheets

The thickness of the polycarbonate for the greenhouse affects the conductivity of light, heat conservation and protection from ultraviolet (the so-called UV-factor). If you look at the sheet at a certain angle, you can see a bluish hue on the plane. This is the protective layer. A big role this indicator does not play, unless you intend to grow specific exotic fruits and vegetables. Depending on the size of the sheets, UV protection varies between 3.9-2.4 units. The recommended thickness of polycarbonate for the greenhouse is 4-6 mm, for complex structures - 8 mm, and for the use of the structure in the winter period - not less than 10 mm.

How to choose a material

So, you want a greenhouse, no matter what - stationary or national team. The most correct solution will be to order it directly from the company engaged in the manufacture and installation of these same structures. And they just have to know what thickness polycarbonate is better to use for a greenhouse. By doing so, you not only can avoid mistakes in the construction, but the entire responsibility for the quality of the material put on the manufacturer.

Keep in mind that the firm must necessarily provide a guarantee for both the polycarbonate itself and the greenhouse in general. The longer the warranty period of the design, the more secure and quiet your sleep. If you have listened to the advice, then you can not read further. You will only have to harvest the crop grown in this greenhouse, and in case of revealing any defects call the manufacturer and demand immediate removal. If for some economic reasons or because of your diligence you still decided on a difficult independent construction, welcome to the store.

First of all, when choosing polycarbonate, ask to show all available documents. No such - a fake, do not buy. There are not enough fasteners or different colors of docking and end strips - we do not take. We observe bloating or damage to the protective film - aside. There is no marking on top and at the ends of the sheets - let them leave it to themselves. Do not be afraid to ask the sellers questions, ask the consultant of the department how much polycarbonate is better for a greenhouse. At the same time, remember that it's their business to sell, and then you have to suffer from poor-quality goods.

Requirements for polycarbonate

So what kind of material to buy, what is the best polycarbonate thickness for a greenhouse? It all depends on your desires and possibilities. The main criterion is strength. For a temporary greenhouse, you do not need to spend a lot of money - you can take polycarbonate - the "four". Let the money - buy a "six". The thickness of polycarbonate for a greenhouse, the use of which will last for more than one season, respectively, should be greater.

You can make a combined version of the construction, where the roof will be made of monolithic, and the walls - from the honeycomb type of material. There are structures where whole sheets are allowed to be lowered, in order to avoid mechanical damage. The best thickness of polycarbonate for a greenhouse is one that withstands all natural disasters: wind and hail, frost and snow. In this regard, do not be stingy, it is better to choose with a margin of safety.

No matter what polycarbonate thickness for the greenhouse you bought, you need to remember that this material is subject to the influence of temperatures. It expands in the heat and narrows in the frost. Installation should be done taking into account this factor. As much as possible, try to make the hull of the greenhouse from small sheets, since it will be easier and cheaper to make a replacement in case of damage. And buy the materials of proven, well-proven manufacturers. Let your greenhouse last for many years and please you with abundant harvests.