Pros And Cons Of A PVC Greenhouse

Building greenhouse is a pretty expensive proposition, so many people search for lesser expensive options to build greenhouses. One of the cheaper options that people can use to their advantage is to go in for a PVC greenhouse. PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride. It is a flexible plastic\generally used to make pipes.

The flexible PVC pipes can be bent to make arches and the greenhouse PVC frame. You can then secure them at the bottom to the ground and at the top and covering the arches and the walls with polycarbonate glazing panels or greenhouse plastic sheeting. The former is the better of the two, but the latter is much cheaper. The plastic greenhouse coverings are easily available in the market. The greenhouse plastic sheet can be cut to size to cover each wall and the arches separately and then zipped up for assembling it over the PVC frame.

Such PVC based greenhouses may cost you upwards of $250, the size of the structure determining the exact amount that you shell out for it. The advantage of a PVC greenhouse lies in the easy availability of the materials and comparatively a still not cumbersome construction. The disadvantages would be low useful life and poor aesthetics.

PVC based greenhouse plans and designs on the Internet. The cheapest design available under this category of greenhouses is the dome design. Kits are easily available in the market to give you the necessary impetus to begin assembling your PVC dome greenhouse. The advantage of using the kit is the good after sales services provided by the kit vendor and the easily understood greenhouse assembly instructions. The disadvantage of course is the low life of PVC components.

A PVC greenhouse is suitable for gardeners who begin seeding in the spring season or for those who just want to extend the winter season. Heating requirements for a PVC greenhouse can be met by use of a small kerosene heater during cold nights. During the hot summers, a fan can help cool the greenhouse. A 4 tier greenhouse cover made of durable plastic may become necessary if you plan to use the greenhouse all the year round.

The upside of use of PVC sheet as a covering for the greenhouse frame is that it can last longer than polyethylene based sheet. It lasts approximately five years, The downside is that it becomes dirty easily with the constant accumulation of dust on it. So, you need to regularly wash it to retain its dust-free status. In case the plastic is used as a covering, poly patching tape and batten tape can be used to secure the plastic on to the PVC frame.

All in all, the PVC greenhouse is only a temporary and cheap greenhouse. Price conscious individuals can use it to implement their dream hobby.