Extending summer with a PLEXIGLAS® greenhouse
A greenhouse in their own garden is a dream come true for all hobby horticulturists. Find out why PLEXIGLAS® is a particularly suitable material for this, and why even commercial greenhouse operators rely on our branded acrylic.
Faster growth and more intense colors
Hobby gardeners love having a greenhouse in the garden because it extends the gardening season considerably. It provides a protected and sufficiently warm environment for seedlings to grow and, if necessary, for potted plants to survive the winter. PLEXIGLAS® multi-skin sheets are the optimal roofing material for hobby greenhouses.
What are PLEXIGLAS® multi-skin sheets?
Multi-skin sheets, also termed double-web, double-skin, or alveolar sheets, are what are known as hollow profiles and consist of two parallel exterior sheets (walls) and, if required, additional interior walls, which generally lie parallel to the outer sheets. The walls are connected to each other by webs. The cavities thus formed are characteristic of multi-skin sheets. The special structure of PLEXIGLAS® multi-skin sheets allows high loading capacity coupled with relatively low sheet weight as well as good to excellent thermal insulation.
The branded acrylic for greenhouses
PLEXIGLAS® multi-skin sheets are available in a number of variants for different applications. Most suitable for hobby greenhouses are PLEXIGLAS® Alltop multi-skin sheets, which combine four properties that are crucially important for a greenhouse in a single sheet:
- high light transmission
- UV light transmission
- thermal insulation
- weathering resistance
Technical information and warranties for PLEXIGLAS® Alltop multi-skin sheets are available in the product data sheets in the download area.
Glass-like transparency
PLEXIGLAS® Alltop multi-skin sheets are UV-transparent, transmit the full spectrum of light and, with web spacing of 64 millimeters, offer glass-like transparency. The special NO DROP coating on all PLEXIGLAS® Alltop surfaces – including within the cavities - prevents formation of water droplets which would obstruct light. This is why plants in PLEXIGLAS® greenhouses grow all year round in near outdoor conditions while remaining well protected from adverse weather effects. Even hail does not damage the tough multi-skin sheets. The branded acrylic remains clear and shows no yellowing, even after decades; like almost all clear PLEXIGLAS® sheeting, it is covered by a 30-year non-yellowing warranty.
A greenhouse offers plenty of advantages for hobby gardeners
A greenhouse offers hobby gardeners many benefits. In our video, greenhouse expert Ilona Krieger describes the advantages of multi-skin sheets of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), such as PLEXIGLAS® Alltop, over conventional polycarbonate sheets.
PLEXIGLAS® Alltop saves energy
An additional benefit for greenhouse construction is that PLEXIGLAS® Alltop multi-skin sheets are very good insulators because the closed air chambers serve as an insulating layer. Next to energy savings and reduced heating costs accordingly, this also results in the satisfaction of reducing the environmental impact.
The properties that appeal to hobby gardeners are just as relevant for commercial greenhouses because—in addition to absence of yellowing, long-term light transmission, and UV transparency—effective thermal insulation is an important factor in the energy-efficient cultivation of crops and ornamental plants. It means that less heating is required in winter and less cooling in the summer, which reduces energy costs and protects the environment.
For professional greenhouses, variants of PLEXIGLAS® multi-skin sheeting other than PLEXIGLAS® Alltop are available for different purposes and areas of use.
