The Yardstead

I am planning to build a permanent greenhouse near my garden plot. I am considering using the clear plastic corrugated panels that you can find at Lowes or Home Depot. I would love to hear from anyone who has used this type of material for a greenhouse. I have seen several small portable greenhouses for sale at places that sale portable storage buildings. I remember many years ago helping a friend replace plastic 'greenhouse panels' that had been in place for about 5 or 6 years. They were very brittle and discolored. The panels i am looking at now have a limited lifetime warranty and are much clearer than the old ones i remember. I would hate to buy them and have to replace in 5 or 6 years.

My dad covered the roof of his greenhouse with clear polycarbonate (plastic) corrugated panels manufactured by Suntuf in Pennsylvania. He purchased them from Home Depot. They have been on teh roof of his greenhouse now for oveer three years and look as good as the day they were installed. They are crystal clear. Suntuf provides a limited lifetime warranty on the panels as well. Be sure and read the warranty details before you install any panels. The one for Suntuf is very detailed about the way the panels must be installed to be covered under the warranty. It basicaly states that the panels must be installed acording to the manufacturers specifications. Nothing unusual for the most part, proper spacing of perlins, screws not tightened too tight etc.. One requirement of the Suntuf warranty is the use of different type of washer on the installation screws. Many screws made for installation of metal roofing include metal washers lined with a pvc washer that seals around the screw head. The pvc washers are not allowed for use on the Suntuf panels. The warranty specifically states that EPDM washers, never PVC washers shall be used when fastening sheets. Maybe the PVC degraded the material somehow, but in any case using pvc washers voids the warranty. I would not have known this if we had not read the warranty before installation. Installation of the panels was very easy and we were very careful not to get the screws to tight which could also dadmage the panels and void the warranty. He has not had any problems at all with the panels and has been very satisfied. He plans to cover the side walls with the same panels this year.