Greenhouses

A question about : Greenhouses

I'm after buying a new greenhouse, does anyone have one with Polycarbonate instead of glass?
Are they any better/worse than glass?
I have moved to the midlands so it will be colder than in Devon from where moved from, so will they be ok at lower temps?
Just looking as they seem to be cheaper than glass
TIA

Best answers:

• I've got polycarbonate in mine.
  I bought just the frame in B&q then got the plasic like you have in a conservatory roof, double glazed.
  I got that 'cos i live in a corner house, meaning the back garden isn't really at the back of the house but on view to anyone walking down the side. Then to make matters worse the local Comp was almost next door, i thought the kids may be tempted to throw stones over to break the glass and the plastic would be stronger.
  Some panels have blown out a couple of times with them being so light but i've learnt to stop that.
• Thanks,
  that is one thing I didn't think about, the panes blowing out.
  Not suer how windy it gets here.
• What i've done to stop them blowing out now is, exactlly the same as i did to my wooden fence panels.
  Along the edge of each panel drill about 6/8 little holes. 3/4 on either side, then a got string (later changed to stronger thin wire), and threaded the wire through the plastic, going around the aluminium frame and then through the holes in the next panel.
  I've done my fence panels the same with thin rope so they're all tied next to each other and around the concrete posts.
• That's a brilliant idea, better start to be nice to my other half
• Poly greenhouses are fine and as has been said if there is stones/footballs flying about a good choice as opposed tot the more expensive toughened glass.
  As they are so lightweight panels can blow out (and not cheap to replace if lost) so the whole structure needs to be bolted down/well secured if in any kind of exposed position. Personally I'd only place one in a sheltered position.
  My 8*6 has a 6 foot wall behind it. If it didn't I think it would have imploded a long time ago. But I do live in a seaside town.
• We have just moved from Torbay to here and i don't think I would have risked one there, here is more sheltered, I guess.
  We was face on to the sea.
• like the look of glass and even when outside you can still see what is happening inside, though if it is hidden out the back doesn't really matter
• I have experience of both types of greenhouse. At first I had a polycarbonate kit one. It is windy where I live (2 miles from the sea) and the panes in the greenhouse started to become brittle and shatter after a couple of years. I replaced this with a glass one and I just love it. I've replaced one pane due to a firework strike!
• I went through this decision process a while ago.
  Having a young family, safety was an important factor, but we're also in quite an exposed, windy location.
  I ended up getting a glass one with toughened glass. If a pane breaks, it shatters into tiny pieces rather than nasty shards that ordinary greenhouse glass breaks in to.
  Even with loads of clips, I still had some panes blow out. My frame is aluminium, so I used silicone sealant to fix them in - it's worked really well.