Pros And Cons Of An Aluminum Greenhouse

By: Bill Rowe
Tuesday, 12:32 pm

Pros of an Aluminum Greenhouse

There are many distinct advantages of opting for an aluminum greenhouse rather than a simple cold frame or wood greenhouse.

Minimum Maintenance: For one thing, aluminum has a very long lifespan and it requires very little maintenance. In addition, the fact that metal frame aluminum greenhouses are suitable for extending growing seasons anywhere makes it a very popular choice for greenhouse buyers. Probably the one thing that greenhouse owners like the most about aluminum is that it does not rust or rot and will therefore not need to be repaired or replaced periodically.

Weather Resilient: Aluminum greenhouses are known for their weather resilience. Aluminum framing is extremely strong yet amazingly slight and as a result, sun exposure is not interfered with by the greenhouse frame. Plants get the optimal exposure to the sun in an aluminum greenhouse.

Easy to Assemble: An aluminum greenhouse is simple to assemble, merely bolt it together to make the most durable greenhouse available. An extra added attraction of aluminum is that it is available in a variety of colors such as white, green, silver, bronze and dark silver or charcoal.

More Compatible: Another attractive feature of aluminum greenhouses is the frame’s compatibility with a variety of types of paneling. Glass, plastic and polycarbonate window panels all can be used with aluminum framing. Aluminum framing allows you to simply slide in whatever sort of panels you wish to use.

Lightweight & Portable: Of all the metals we have available for building a greenhouse, aluminum is the most lightweight and the most portable. Of the types of greenhouse frames on the market today, aluminum frames are the most popular likely do to their cost and their durability when compared to other materials.

Cons of an Aluminum Greenhouse

There are a few disadvantages to using aluminum to build your greenhouse.

More Expensive: Aluminum is costlier than wood or other metals such as steel. Not only that, to build your structure as strong as if you has used steel would require significantly more aluminum frame supports be incorporated into the greenhouse design. In other words, to build an extremely strong greenhouse with aluminum does take more material than it would if you opted for steel or wood.

Soft Metal: Aluminum is a fairly “soft” metal with some flex characteristics. Due to this feature, aluminum can bend under stress and may not stand up well to harsh winds or heavy snows.

No Insulation Value: One serious disadvantage of building an aluminum greenhouse is that aluminum does not have any insulation value.  Aluminum allows heat to transfer straight outdoors from your heated greenhouse in the winter; you will lose a lot of heat through an aluminum frame in other words. In addition to heat loss, aluminum allows condensate to form on the inside of the greenhouse frame. Aluminum is not heat efficient by any stretch of the imagination.

If you are researching greenhouses you will find that there is more information online than most of us could process in a lifetime relating to buying or building greenhouses. Even though a little overwhelming, the vast amount of information available assures that after looking into the various options you will choose the greenhouse that is right for your distinct needs and conditions.

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