Waltons Polycarbonate greenhouses

redser7

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone has one of these and what you think of them. I'm looking at the 8 x 6 version.
Thanks!

http://www.waltongardenproducts.ie/waltons-extra-tall-polycarbonate-greenhouses

robbie checker

Hi there redser. You replied to my post last year when I was asking about a glasshouse as compared to a polytunnel. I was getting a lot of condensation in the polytunnel. I went with a glasshouse this year. Got a Elite Belmont 10 x 8 foot and 8 foot high from Morris Polytunnels in Nth Irl for €1,050 which included delivery, automatic window opener, downpipe for waterbutt and toughened glass which is about €250 extra. Done a fair amount of research on the glasshouses and thought this one looked the best. Its a good bit of money but I hope to have it for a good few years. Looked at the waltons ones and as they are polycarbonate, I didn't think they would be suitable for my site as it gets very windy and any of the polycarbonate ones are very light. The frame on the glasshouse I got is aluminium and its the weight of the glass thats keeps them down. Built a concrete base for it and screwed it down so it is very secure. So far I am finding that it is a good bit hotter than the polytunnel. Some of my smaller seedlings were getting burnt up earlier on and I transferred them to the polytunnel. Also, any condensation clears very quickly early in the mornings in the glasshouse whereas it doesn't clear in the polytunnel unless both doors are opened and its a sunny day. Have mostly tomatoes and peppers in the glasshouse this year and melons & cucumbers, potatoes etc in the tunnel. The cucumbers and melons don't mind the humidity. I found any of the Irish glasshouse suppliers were purchasing from the UK. Priced them in the UK too but Morris were the cheapest for the one I was getting.

Technophobe

As Robbie says, the polycarbonate ones will need very strong securing....

I have polycarbonate lean to greenhouses and they have been secured with batons on the walls etc etc...In your case, you will only have the ground to secure to, so make sure to have a think about how you will do this.....

redser7

Thanks lads. If the budget allowed I would be going for something better but well ya know Waltons will have to do I plan to screw the base onto 4 x 4 pt timber which will itself be anchored with either rebar or scaffold poles driven deep and attached. But was wondering if the base comes with 'legs' or pegs?
Thanks for the replies. Glass is out of the question unfortunately due to kids.

offroadannie

I have one of these which I got from Waltons. Unfortunately the snow 2 years ago (think it was then?) caused some of the top panes to fall inside the house. We patched it up but it doesn't look as good as original. My garden is a very windy site and that didn't seem to make much difference

redser7

offroadannie wrote: »

I have one of these which I got from Waltons. Unfortunately the snow 2 years ago (think it was then?) caused some of the top panes to fall inside the house. We patched it up but it doesn't look as good as original. My garden is a very windy site and that didn't seem to make much difference

Thanks a lot for the reply. I've been reading that they can do with a bit of strengthening by fixing the panes in with silicon.
Mind if I ask how you secured the base to the ground?
Cheers

redser7

Just bumping this in case anyone else has an opinion.
Thanks

fred funk }{

Hi redser,

As per our PM conversation last week, I got a polycarbonate 6x4 from B&Q. I'm reasonably happy with it and as someone else mentioned I siliconed each section as well as its own fixings.

The window came off in the wind one night as its hinge isn't really that strong but it was easily fixed.

redser7

Thanks again Fred!
Would also be interested to hear if anyone ordered anything at all (greenhouse or shed etc) from Waltons and were they reliable? How was customer service if you had to deal with them?
Cheers

Supercell

I have one exactly like that, i think they are probably made by the same company in China. Mine isn't green (just plain aluminium) but is exact same in design and size. Its great! I put it up last winter and have zero regrets. It handled the worst winds no bother. Interestingly I found that in strong winds the poly windows flexed a little until the air pressure equalizes, i guess glass would have blown out in the same conditions.
If its like mine, the base came with legs which i put into holes and filled in with concrete.

redser7

Hallelujah! You'll be getting plenty of questions
I wanted to ask someone about those legs on the base, I've seen them in some photos. Are they long? I was thinking of screwing the metal base to a treated wooden frame and then staking the 4 corners of the wooden frame to anchor the whole thing. Thought it might give me a few extra inches too. But maybe the legs will do just fine.
Did it take long to build? I hear 2 days is average. I hope to try it on my own, do you reckon that's feasible? Its hard to get someone to commit to a couple of days to help me.
Thanks a million!

Fiskar

If you like mechano (not Lego) then you will enjoy it. Personally ours is okay, 8x6 but we have had panels drop out due to snow or wind. Waltons have good service.
the base will have 4 corner pegs screwed to the frame, ours were a mere 6 inches so we cemented them in position.
Allow a week to prepare the ground, build each panel with the Chinese puzzle instructions and hopefully if you have the right kit it will come together!

redser7

Cheers Fiskar. Not sure if 6 inches is enough for me, the land slopes away a little. I'll see anyway and maybe go with the original plan. I plan to use silicon on the window panels, apparently that stops them blowing out.
Any problems with the bolts or missing pieces? The garman which is very similar apparently has cheap bolts that shear off easily.
Cheers

Supercell

Personally I wouldn't recommend the silicone at all. Last winter there was some very very windy days and if the panels couldn't have flexed allowing the air to escape I think they would have blown out, it was literally like watching it breathing. It didn't rattle either so I dont think silicone on a poly greenhouse is best, for glass which doesn't flex and which movement will shatter I could see its merits.
The legs are about a foot long.
Assembly is fussy and two heads are better than one. My old man helped me assemble mine. For one person probably three days at least would be needed, you will need help doing simple things though like holding panels while you screw the bits into place, its a long long process, but only has only to be done once!
As long s the corners are secured well then the rest of the glass frame is attached to the base frame, not sure what you would screw into the wood.

redser7

Cheers Supercell, that's very helpful. Maybe I visualised it wrong, but I figured the greenhouse frame sits on teh metal base. I was going to construct a wooden base, level it and anchor it, then screw the greenhouse/metal base to that.

Technophobe

Probbaly depends on location very much, Redser...but I did use silicon on both of mine and they are fine..

redser7

Thanks a lot

Fiskar

These kit greenhouses are fiddly puzzles, I helped my neighbor do his which was a 12 x 8, found he had the wrong perspex sheets and it took 3 deliveries to get it right. The odd panel blows out but they do hold up.
there are many nuts and bolts, many nuts and bolts, many.......!

redser7

Cheers Fiskar gonna get me a nut spinner for the drill!

joseph brand

Here's some reviews of Walton's polycarbonate greenhouse. (2/5)

I'd love to get a greenhouse myself, but I'm lacking the funds at the moment, so maybe next year. Here's the Rhino greenhouses. They're more expensive at £900 for a 6 x 6, but they seem to be pretty strong and decent.

I don't like the idea of buying the cheap version of anything, only to have to bite the bullet and end up buying the good quality version. This just costs you more money in the long run.

Just my 2 cents, speaking as someone who has never owned a greenhouse.

redser7

Thanks Joseph, I've read those reviews. It's the cheap end of the market or nothing for me and I want one. So that's how it has to be. I've also been in touch with people on other sites who have them and recommend them providing you take some extra steps likes silconing the panels in. They say the build is a nightmare but once up it is worth the hastle. I'm committed now so fingers crossed

joseph brand

redser7 wrote: »

Thanks Joseph, I've read those reviews. It's the cheap end of the market or nothing for me and I want one. So that's how it has to be. I've also been in touch with people on other sites who have them and recommend them providing you take some extra steps likes silconing the panels in. They say the build is a nightmare but once up it is worth the hastle. I'm committed now so fingers crossed

Best of luck, and keep us posted.

redser7

Cheers Joseph, I think I will. Being a Celtic tiger mortgage victim I'm usually forced to go the cheap route and 'modify'. Might be of use to somebody. I'll take photos.

Supercell

I really thing siliconing a poly house is unnecessary and just going to cause window blowouts and mould to grow - the greenhouse needs to breath a little.
Its its screwed together well then it should be fine unless you are on the west coast or something. Putting it together is a PITA, i really wouldn't recommend trying to do it by yourself, someone will need to hold those big floppy panels while you screw them together, you'll be driven demented without a helper unless you're a very placid person! Definitely don't try to put it up in windy conditions as until its screwed together it will blow all over the place.
Have a good read of the instructions, if they are the same as mine, they will take a bit of figuring out!

redser7

Cheers supercell. It's funny, most people complain about the panels flexing and popping out in the wind, and say silicon is a must. Maybe you have a better sheltered area. Or maybe manufacturing quality is a bit hit and miss. I have auto vent openers and will be getting the louvre too so I hope ventilation will be taken care of.
Thanks

Technophobe

One option if you have space is to assemble it in a garage or similar close to where you will eventually site it...

this means you can do bits and pieces as you have the time...= less stress:D

redser7

I don't have a garage but actually I'm going to do a certain amount of it indoors alright. And hopefully leave a minimum to be done outside. Stuff like putting the beading on the panels and whatever assembly with fit through the kitchen door.
Cheers