How clear should my new 6 mm twin wall polycarbonate panels be?
pollywoggle999
6 years ago
Hi everyone.
My name is Nikki, not Randy and I'm a greenhouse newbie. I put up a couple of fabric portable ones but now I'm building a western red cedar one 8 x 12. I've made a proper foundation, stained the wood prior to building and all has gone well. Yesterday I put the window panels in and of course didn't peel the protective coating off until the last minute , as recommended, and the panels are filled with debris. I understand some dust will get in the flutes but this stuff is everywhere throughout. Two panels are squished and warped so don't fit into the slots properly and one large panel had a piece of blue stuff stuck to it underneath the protective coating. When I gently picked it off it left a big scratchy hole yet I didn't scratch it. The top of this same panel has what looks like a big bubble at the top of it so it's warped also.
When I wrote to the manufacturer he merely brushed it off to this is how they come. Do they really?
He then asked me to send a part number of the one panel in question.
I'm not too impressed with the response. I ordered this directly from Costco who have excellent customer service. Maybe I should just call them instead.
I have some pictures of these pieces but it was about to storm so I took the panels out since I didn't want them filled with water.
Tomorrow I'll take pictures of the damages panels.
Should I use an air compressor to blow this out ? I'm really scared of damaging these or mixing the sides up while I'm doing it.
Or should I use my dyson vacuum cleaner?
Any suggestions?
Thank you in advance.
Nikki ❤️
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oakhill (zone 9A, Calif.)
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoRelated Discussions
HFGH Polycarbonate Panels Failing (Part 2)
Comments (38)Hi steve333, good question. I always said I'd never buy HF panels again, but when I was faced with the purchase, I caved! It was a combination of price, and convenience. At the time, I priced 4mm twinwall polycarbonate at a number of greenhouse supply companies. The best price at the time was through FarmTek (cheaper than Charlie's or any other source I tried.) Their product had a ten year warranty, and was truly UV-protected. However, the cost to purchase enough material (just for the roof) with crating and shipping fees to my address, was $410. The cost to order more Harbor Freight roof panels, with shipping, was $135. That difference was enough to give me pause. Hmmmm. Note, it's possible folks living closer to urban areas with more businesses would have found better deals on shipping, but down here in southern NM, the only things close to us are lizards and cactus. Also, the HF panels arrive sized to fit; if you buy better polycarbonate from a greenhouse supply company, you'll have to cut the material to size yourself for each part. Not difficult, but it does take time, so I factored the convenience in as well. Also, occasionally I consider upgrading to a larger home-built greenhouse, so kicking the can down the road doesn't bother me as much as it would if I was positive I wanted to keep this small greenhouse another ten years. I think an argument could be made for both sides. If rtyu's and my experimentation with the Top Secrets clear epoxy product pans out, though, it will definitely tip the scales towards using the (clearly lower quality) HF panels and protecting them with the coating, especially if folks can apply it to their new greenhouses, and avoid the need for panel replacements. Fingers crossed. I think much of the appeal of the Harbor Freight greenhouses is cost/value. They appeal to folks who want to try greenhousing but don't want to make a major investment. I haven't tallied it up exactly for a while, but scrounging supplies, materials, and labor, I figure we have around $2500 in ours total, including kit, benches, sink, plumbing, electric, heaters, thermostats, shadecloth, pavers, and the new roof panels. Over six years that's roughly $400 a year (not including heating costs, which aren't too bad in my climate.) So I think many folks who are attracted to the HF structures also enjoy keeping costs low. It's just one option in the world of greenhouses, and not the right fit for everyone. Happy New Year!...See More6 x 6 polycarbonate GH at Costco- $199
Comments (5)I used a DeLonghi 1500 watt convection heater but would have preferred an oil-filled radiant type if I'd been able to get hold of one quickly enough. The convection worked just fine and has a little fan for quick-heating if needed; I just had to be careful to avoid putting plants directly in the path of that fan and be careful not to drop things down through the grate onto the heating element. It provided a nice even, gentle heat. For backup, we have a small Coleman catalytic model that will provide up to 16 hours of heat on a single one-pound propane cylinder. I wish I could calculate how much the electric bill went up, but the electric company really messed up in 2004-2005, estimating my bills and such, so that winter's usage is no accurate basis for comparison. None of this winter's bills knocked me off my feet when they came in though, and over the course of the entire winter, I don't think it was a huge increase ... certainly worth the enjoyment we all got from the greenhouse. (I'll have to sit down and do what I can with the numbers I have.) I had intended (wish I knew how to do italics here) just to overwinter a few marginal plants and some annuals, keeping the greenhouse just around 40 or so. The annuals were so happy, though, promting the disease to progress quickly and a revision of plans; I put many houseplants out there, bought some new things I'd never dreamed of trying before, and grew some herbs and a few vegetables in the greenhouse through the winter. This called for a warmer minimum temp of about 50 degrees. I did use a clear solar pool cover; it was big enough to wrap the entire greenhouse. I also placed 1-inch foam insulation panels along the north wall and north 1/3 of the east and west walls. The polycarbonate panels are edged with foam weatherstripping tape. Frigid temperatures disclosed drafts around the base, so I did a little retrofitting of insulation where I could and will do a proper job some time this summer. I have no doubt that there are better, more sturdy greenhouses on the market, but the little HFGH certainly took the winter in stride, including winds gusting to over 50 mph. I'd love a larger one, but this one has provided an opportunity, at a low cost, to learn what I personally will want - and not want - in a larger, more expensive structure someday. You'll probably be investing a good deal of time and effort in a greenhouse made of sliding doors and probably at least as much money as for the HFGH. There are some threads in this forum showing some fine examples; they can be strudy and handsome. If you are truly sure of the dimensions you want/need for the structure that's good ... but it would be a shame if you get it all done and into your first season decide you wish it were bigger, higher, whatever. I hope all this helps. Good luck with whichever you decide. Please keep us posted and maybe include some photos, especially if you decide to build your own. Diane...See MorePolycarbonate panels failing
Comments (9)Yes, they'll fail with that much curvature on a straight piece of polycarb. One of my smaller g'houses is polycarb twin wall, and we actually had it designed for the spot and they sent one of their engineers down to look it over to make sure it would 'fly'. Well, I didn't have good feelings when they did a bend on mine down near the bottom. Was told it would be guaranteed. It failed within three years. We didn't even ask to have it replaced, as it would just do the same thing again. What we did was replace the lower two feet of the g'house (where they were putting the bend) with other building materials and then attached the glazing to that and just cut the cracked part off. No problems since. We are prolly on year ten or more now, and it's still clear and functional. The polycarb will bend safely over the slight arch of your typical quonset or gothic roof, but wow, bending it that much like in your pic is asking a lot....See MoreTwin wall polycarbonate - Question
Comments (22)Well, let me just start by saying that I have been selling and installing polycarbonate sheets since 1993. I see as much confusion in this discussion as there usually is concerning polycarbonate. I will try to make a list of the questions in this thread to keep this simple. 1. The higher the number (thickness) the more insulated the greenhouse is in the winter months. A) The number for the polycarbonate refers to the thickness between the 2 outside sheets. So, the 6mm is 1/4" thick overall and the 16mm is 5/8" thick overall. The R value for 6mm is around 1.6 (depending on the manufacturer of the sheets). The 16mm has an R value of around 2.5. The greenhouse will not maintain its heat overnight. You must supply supplemental heating or use solar practices to keep the greenhouse warm. There will be an energy savings with the higher R values. It will take less energy to heat it. There is a formula to figure out how many BTu's are needed. It is the surface area of the greenhouse x the desired difference in temperature outside and inside x the insulation factor of the covering. 2. Warranties A) Warranties are dependent upon the manufacturer of the sheets. All of the multiwall sheets that I deal with are UV protected. This is what keeps the sheets from breaking down in the sun. Most greenhouse multiwall sheets have a warranty between 10 years (that the light transmission will not vary a set amount) to 20 years. Just check with the manufacturer to get this information. If the sheets are not UV protected don't use them for a greenhouse. 3. Snow load A)The snow load is determined by the frame. The polycarbonate manufacturers have lists showing the required framing to meet certain snow loads for each thickness of polycarbonate. Here is an example of one. See the bottom of page 2. https://advancegreenhouses.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/polycarb-installation.pdf If you are buying a kit the manufacturer should be able to tell you if the greenhouse is rated and what psf snow load it is rated for, as they have designed the frame. 4. Weight A)Polycarbonate is a very lightweight material. For example, a 8 x 12 sheets of 8mm will weight approximately 40 pounds. A 8 x 12 sheet of 16mm will weigh about 68 pounds. 5. Light transmission A) The light transmission of 6mm clear is approx 80%. The light transmission of 16mm clear is approx 74%. This is not relevant regarding greenhouse usage. These numbers will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. It is when you get into the bronze and opals that may have as low as 40% light transmission that you want to stay away from these for greenhouse use. If anyone has another specific question about polycarbonate I would be happy to answer. Tammy, www.advancegreenhouses.com...See Morepollywoggle999
6 years agopollywoggle999
6 years agooakhill (zone 9A, Calif.)
6 years agopollywoggle999
6 years agopollywoggle999
6 years agooakhill (zone 9A, Calif.)
6 years agopollywoggle999
6 years agopollywoggle999
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoHey! I figured out the proper sides. One angled portion had printing on the outside, the other one didn't but it only fits a certain way.
So I have all the panels in the basement with the outside facing out. I am going to mark them at the top RH corner with coloured nail polish so I will always know.
Once I clean each panel I will seal the top and bottom. When they are ready to go in I'll place them but until then I'll keep them safe downstairs.
One panel was scratched and the manufacturer asked if I found take the panel off the frame so I did. This is a vent opening panel so I really don't want it leaking. The panel was chalked on and screws were used.
Do you think I can do this without it leaking? I hope so.
oakhill (zone 9A, Calif.)
6 years agopollywoggle999
6 years ago
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