Poly’s nice on the wallet upfront, but you end up paying in sweat and replacements down the road.
That’s basically been my experience too. I put up poly on a little greenhouse, thinking I’d save some cash and time, but after three summers it was all cloudy and brittle—didn’t see that coming quite so fast. The trick seems to be how much direct sun you get. Mine faces south with zero shade, so maybe that sped things up.
Swapping to glass was a pain—especially getting the frames right—but it’s been holding up way better. One thing I did notice, though: glass can get pretty cold in winter. If anyone’s thinking about using it off-grid, I’d suggest sealing up the edges really well or even double-glazing if you can swing it.
If you’re handy and don’t mind the extra work upfront, glass seems to win out long-term. But if you’re just looking for a quick fix or something temporary, poly still has its place. Just wish it lasted longer...
If you’re handy and don’t mind the extra work upfront, glass seems to win out long-term. But if you’re just looking for a quick fix or something temporary, poly still has its place. Just wish it lasted longer...
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I’m not convinced glass is always the better call. I’ve got a buddy who went all-in on glass for his shed—looked great at first, but one hailstorm and he was back at square one, patching up cracks. Meanwhile, my poly panels (the twin-wall kind, not the cheap stuff) have held up through some rough weather. Yeah, they get a bit cloudy after a few years, but I’d rather swap out a panel than deal with shattered glass everywhere.
Plus, glass is a pain to move and install if you’re doing it solo. Not everyone’s got the tools or patience for that. For me, poly’s worth it if you go for the thicker sheets and just accept you’ll need to replace them every so often. Not perfect, but less stress in the day-to-day.
Has anyone tried the single-wall polycarbonate? I keep reading mixed things about how much insulation it actually gives, compared to glass or even the twin-wall stuff. I get that glass can shatter, but isn’t it supposed to let in more light overall? I’m wondering if the extra hassle with glass is worth it for growing plants, or if poly’s just “good enough” for most people. Just trying to figure out what’s actually best for a first project...
I totally get the confusion—single-wall polycarbonate sounds good on paper, but in my experience, it’s kind of a “meh” middle ground.
That’s spot on. I tried single-wall on a small lean-to last year. It was easy to cut and install, but honestly, the heat loss was pretty noticeable in early spring. Plants did okay, but I had to supplement with row covers on cold nights.I keep reading mixed things about how much insulation it actually gives, compared to glass or even the twin-wall stuff.
Glass does let in more light, and it looks nice, but yeah, it’s a pain if you’re not used to working with it. If you’re just starting out, I’d say polycarbonate is “good enough”—just don’t expect miracles with insulation. If you ever upgrade, twin-wall is worth a look. It’s a bit pricier, but the difference in holding heat is real. Don’t stress too much for your first run—plants are more forgiving than we think.
Yeah, I hear you on single-wall polycarb. It’s easy to slap up but doesn’t do much for keeping the heat in once those temps drop. I ran with it for a season in my old hoop house—looked decent, but every cold snap meant dragging out extra blankets for the seedlings. Kind of a pain, honestly.
Glass is classic, sure, but it’s heavy and breaks if you so much as look at it wrong. Plus, hauling replacement panes off-grid is a headache. Twin-wall polycarbonate is where it’s at if you want to actually keep some warmth overnight, but yeah, the price tag stings a bit.
One thing I’ll say for polycarb in general: hail doesn’t faze it much. Had a nasty storm last year—glass would’ve been toast, but the poly just shrugged it off. If you’re off-grid and don’t want to mess with repairs all the time, that’s worth something. Heat retention still isn’t perfect unless you go thicker, though... tradeoffs everywhere.
Had a similar experience with single-wall polycarb—looked alright at first, but I was forever fighting drafts and losing heat at night. Ended up doubling up on bubble wrap just to keep the chill off my peppers. Anyone tried stacking twin-wall or using those thermal curtains? Curious if it’s worth the hassle or just overkill for a backyard setup.
Tried the twin-wall last winter after getting fed up with single-wall drafts. Honestly, it made a noticeable difference—my tomatoes survived a couple surprise frosts without any extra covering. Haven’t messed with thermal curtains yet, but I’ve seen folks use old blankets at night and swear by it. For a backyard setup, I’d say twin-wall isn’t overkill, especially if you’re tired of constantly patching with bubble wrap. It’s not cheap, but less hassle in the long run.