Professional Greenhouse Installation, Preston

There are lots of shapes of greenhouse available but generally speaking there are 3 main types: Freestanding, lean-to and octagonal.

Freestanding greenhouses are found on the ground, mounted on concrete or brick foundations. This type of greenhouse can be any size but 4.5 metres square is the most common size.

Lean-tos are attached along one side – usually adjacent to a wall or fence. They typically start at 3.6 metres by 2 metres and go up to 7 metres by 4 metres in total area.

Octagonal greenhouses are also known as Victorian-style greenhouses with their traditional shape. The frame can be made from timber, galvanized steel, aluminium or PVC and the material they are constructed from will depend on the climatic conditions of where they are being erected.

A greenhouse can have many different functions in a garden ranging from being part of an aesthetic drive towards self-sufficiency to being an effective growing space for temperature-sensitive plants.

Greenhouses need to be placed in a sunny and well-ventilated location, so it’s important to know the amount of sunlight you get where your greenhouse is planned.

The area need to be accessible, flat and convenient for watering and moving wheelbarrows around.

The size of your greenhouse depends on the amount of growing space you want. A large area inside is great for things like fruit trees but smaller structures are better suited to tomatoes and windowsill plants.

The minimum size for a productive greenhouse is 1 x 2 metres. The maximum would depend on how much time you have to look after it and what you are growing.

There are numerous different types of greenhouse glazing including plastic, polycarbonate and glass. Glass is the most expensive option but also has a longer life expectancy.

It’s important to check with a local supplier or a product specialist as there can be some dramatic differences in performance between one type of greenhouse glass and another.

Plastic greenhouses are cheaper than glass but can deteriorate in sunlight. Polycarbonate greenhouses are designed to let the most light through while still providing some insulation.

A greenhouse needs a solid foundation to sit on. If you have a patio this can be a great ready made base for your greenhouse.

If you need to install a new greenhouse there are 3 main types of base:

1. Concrete
2. Paving
3. Gravel (With stabilisation grids)

Concrete is the most sturdy of all these bases and the best value for money. It can simply poured into a frame and screed off to leave you with a stable base in 48 hours.

Paving and gravel bases both give you a sturdy base and are good value for money. They require more work as they first need to be laid on level ground and each stone has to be laid down one by one.