How to make a greenhouse with a sliding roof and sides? Reviews from gardeners

Today we will conduct a comparative review of new greenhouses with a sliding roof and with opening sides.

For comparison, we have selected eleven of the most popular greenhouses with an opening top on the Russian market:

• Marusya
• Tulip
• Kremlevskaya-Rublevskaya
• Orion
• Delta
• Flora-Cabriolet
• Nurse-Clever
• Assistant-Gardener
• Sesame
• Sim-Sim
• Gift

Comparison information is taken from manufacturers' official websites and verified consumer reviews.

All greenhouses will be sorted in ascending order by cost of a 6-meter long frame for the period January 2022. Some models cannot be installed without a foundation, so we have added the cost of a foundation or lugs to the price.

So, let's move on to our competitors.

Greenhouse "Marusya"

, Moscow Plant website: https://greenhouses-from-polycarbonate.rf No foundation required. Square profile 40x20 and 20x20 mm. Frame price 6m 24,900 rub.

Advantages: Produced since 2016, during this time several upgrades have been made. It is equipped with Premium polycarbonate 4 mm, density 0.7 kg/m2 with effective UV protection on the surface, service life 15 years. The width of the expanding polycarbonate sheet is 1 meter; if desired, it can be reduced to 65 centimeters. The frame does not rust, is made of galvanized square pipe. The design allows the installation of automatic vents. Inexpensive, repairable polycarbonate guides with UV protection. Collapsible, convenient for transportation.

Disadvantages: Difficulty in self-installation.

Greenhouse "Orion"

, Dubna Official website: https://teplica.lobachev.org No foundation required. Profile pipe 40*20 mm. Price 3*6m – 26,700 rub.

Advantages: Has been in production for over 7 years, has good user reviews. We offer branded polycarbonate 4 mm "Volya Premium Garant" with a density of 0.7 kg/m2, service life 15-20 years. Rubber seals included. The width of the sliding part is 1 meter. Galvanized. Polycarbonate guides. Collapsible, easily fits in a car.

Disadvantages: Difficulty in self-installation.

Greenhouse "Flora-Cabriolet"

, Vladimir region. Factory website: https://7teplic.ru The frame is galvanized or painted. Profile 20 mm. The roof is removable. A foundation is required. The frame costs 28,000 rubles. + foundation for 4500 rubles = 32500 rubles.

Advantages: Straight walls – more usable area. You can order a galvanized frame.

Disadvantages: The painted frame will rust over time. Welded, welding seams rust. High walls have greater windage. Bulky, inconvenient to transport in a car. Not convenient to use. The edges of the removable roof are located at a height of 2 meters, making it difficult for short people to use. Before winter, it is necessary to completely remove the roof and put it away, and in the spring, insert a long three-meter sheet into the guides in place; this requires two tall people and a free space of 2-3 meters on one side. The length of the polycarbonate sheet on the roof is 3 meters; you need to have a free space of 2-3 meters on one side to use it. In summer, the sheets cannot be extended more than 20 cm, otherwise the wind will fray the free ends and may even tear them out of the guides or break them. There are no seals, the heat will escape through the cracks. The kit does not include high-quality, durable polycarbonate. Greenhouses “Flora Cabriolet” are equipped only with cheap polycarbonate from the KS Profplast plant without UV protection on the surface in the form of a film, but only “in bulk”. Such polycarbonate can be destroyed by the sun within 5 years. The walls are covered with weak, “lightweight” polycarbonate with a reduced density. Difficulty in self-assembly.

How to choose the best location for a greenhouse

The quality of the future harvest, as well as the service life of the structure itself, depends on the successful location of the greenhouse.
When installing a shelter with a roof for early crops, several basic requirements are taken into account. The place should be open, but protected from strong northern winds. A stream of air passing in the middle past two large buildings or a line of trees and hitting the greenhouse can reduce the internal temperature by 3-5 degrees.

• The mini-greenhouse is arranged so that it is not shaded by anything: no closer than 5 meters from the premises and 3 meters from the trees in the garden.
• It is advisable to place a greenhouse with a roof with the longitudinal side facing south. The lighting will be better.
• The area must be level.

Advice! You cannot install a greenhouse in lowlands where groundwater accumulates.

Soil requirements

• Dense soil will provide stability for load-bearing structures. If necessary, drainage is carried out and the foundation is built.
• Clay soil is not suitable for a greenhouse. Water does not percolate well in such soils and will stagnate.

The ideal placement of the greenhouse provides for the proximity of communication systems: electricity and water. Their presence will greatly facilitate the care of grown crops.

Choosing a design option is very simple - for your greenhouse with a removable roof, determine a bright place. From a lack of sunlight, plants will develop poorly or may die. Consider that when you remove the roof for the winter, it will be difficult to protect it from falling under heavy snow in winter, and besides, the soil inside the structure without a snow cushion will freeze very much, the soil will become desalinated.

Getting into garden plots during heavy snowfall is often quite problematic; you will not be able to remove and clear the snow regularly. With a closed, non-removable roof, you will need to regularly throw snow inside the greenhouse. Non-ventilated structures with a fixed roof can become a breeding ground for parasites, which is absolutely not allowed in small garden plots. If you leave such a structure under a roof for the winter, an infection may develop in the soil and all your plants will die immediately after planting.

The biggest danger is wet, heavy snow. Although the strength of polycarbonate is quite high, during thaws an ice crust will form on the surface of the sheets, and there is no need to talk about how ice destroys the most durable materials.

Next, about the time when plants gain strength and begin to form an ovary. In an unventilated greenhouse you cannot count on a good harvest. Too hot indoor air sterilizes pollen, there are no insects in such rooms, even the most picky flies will look for cooler places where they can profit.

Greenhouse Botanist “Tulip Antistorm 2021”

Production: "AGS-Service", Republic of Belarus Website: https://ags-agro.by Top and sides move apart. Installed on the foundation. Profile 40x20 mm. The cost of a frame 6m long is 41,700 rubles.

Pros: Opening top. Galvanized.

Disadvantages: Large windage of 2-meter sliding polycarbonate sheets. Polycarbonate is a soft, elastic material, with such windage it can be torn out by a gust of wind. There are no rubber seals around the cracks through which heat escapes. In winter, snow gets into the cracks between the opening roof and the sides, bursts the polycarbonate and squeezes it out of the guides.

When installed without a foundation, on piles, due to large spans, skew and polycarbonate may fly out of the guides.

The guides are made of plastic containing various additives, vinyl chloride, which upon contact destroy polycarbonate over several years. Factories prohibit contact of polycarbonate with PVC, and you lose the warranty from the SPK manufacturer. Difficult to install. The profile guides are not transparent, the frame is not visible through them, which makes it difficult to secure them with a self-tapping screw exactly in the center and the sliding elements get wedged as a result. Thick plastic guides and metal frame have different coefficients of thermal expansion. In winter, the plastic loses elasticity in the cold and becomes rigid, the guide pulls the screw out of the metal and, as a result, gaps form between the frame and the guides.

Expensive replacement of guides in case of breakdown; they can only be purchased from the manufacturer in Belarus; in Russia, greenhouse sellers currently do not sell guides separately. Bulky, inconvenient to transport in a car.

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In regions with typical spring frosts, greenhouses and greenhouses are in great demand among summer residents. Particularly popular are structures with a sliding roof, for example, the Orion greenhouse from. Check out the benefits of this model and learn how to assemble, install and maintain it.

Greenhouse "Sim-Sim"

Produced by Greenhouses of the North LLC, Cherepovets. In 2020, the plant stopped producing this model. A copy of the Sesame and Tulip greenhouses with all their shortcomings. Installed on the foundation. The width of the transoms is 2 meters. There are two options: The first is from a 40x20 mm profile. Copied from the Tulip greenhouse. The second is made from a 20x20 mm profile with a double arc, a copy of the “Helper-Gardener” and “Sesame” greenhouses. In 2022, a 6-meter frame cost 25,100-27,000 rubles. + foundation made of timber 3000 rub. + you need to buy lugs for the timber (at least 1 piece every 2 meters).

The same as for all greenhouses with opening sides. Large windage, loose polycarbonate sheets are torn out of the guides by strong winds, and in winter they are also squeezed out by snow.

To reduce the final cost of the Sim-Sim greenhouse, the Greenhouses of the North plant equips its frames with cheap, lightweight, 0.55 kg/m2 density, without UV protection on the surface, 4 mm polycarbonate. Such polycarbonate with so-called UV protection “in bulk” can begin to deteriorate after just three years. Complex and time-consuming assembly. There are no rubber seals around the gaps through which heat is blown out. “Crab system” for attaching pipes (it becomes loose over time). The guides are made of plastic and may begin to crumble after a few years when exposed to the environment. Replacing broken guides is expensive and can only be purchased from the manufacturer. According to reviews on the forum, the lower side parts of the Sim-Sim greenhouse are difficult to open. Welded, seams may rust. Bulky, requires a truck for transportation.

Accessories and additional equipment

The basic kit contains all the parts needed to build the basic model. It includes arches for 3 arches, connecting elements, screws, screws, nuts and everything for fastening the covering. For the basic kit, 2 sheets of cellular polycarbonate, the thickness of which is 4 mm, and 3 polycarbonate H-shaped profiles 6 m long are sufficient.

The basic model has dimensions: height - 2.1 m, width - 3 m, length - 2 m, but the manufacturer provides for expansion, or rather extension, of the greenhouse. If necessary, you can purchase additional packages with inserts, each of which extends the structure by 2 m.

The Orion greenhouse is already equipped with a ventilation system. It includes sliding roof sashes, as well as two windows and doors. If it will function in winter, then the room needs to be additionally equipped:

• lighting to extend daylight hours in winter and autumn;
• heating (electric or gas);
• irrigation system (the best option is drip irrigation).

You can also provide racks for boxes with seedlings and shelves for household tools inside the greenhouse.
Important! In the instructions, screws, screws and studs are shown in actual length. In order to take screws of the required sizes for fastenings, they can be checked according to the drawn template.

Greenhouse "Delta"

, Dubna Since June 2022, the plant no longer produces. The roof is removable. No foundation required. Profile pipe 20x20 mm. The price of the frame is 37,500 rubles.

Advantages: Galvanized. Polycarbonate 4 mm Premium with a density of 0.7 kg/m2, service life 15-20 years. Rubber seals included. “House” shape with straight walls. Polycarbonate runners. Collapsible, takes up little space.

Disadvantages: The complex roof structure, which consists of two parts and is latched in the middle, requires additional time to assemble it yourself. It is demanding on the condition of the soil; when installed on a heaving and swampy area, it is better to mount it on a foundation. In summer, it should not be opened more than 20 cm.

Advantages of greenhouses with removable tops

Let’s say right away that the cost of a greenhouse with a removable top is only 5% more expensive. And there are a lot of advantages:

Living soil

In winter, snow in such greenhouses falls directly onto the beds. This not only retains moisture in the soil and prevents it from drying out and turning into dust, but also protects against desalination. Natural snow cover also protects beneficial microorganisms in the soil from freezing. If you deprive greenhouse beds of it, the soil in them will quickly deplete. As experienced greenhouse growers are convinced, it is better to keep the soil in the greenhouse alive than to completely change it every two years, introducing new infections and parasites with the new soil.

Frame strength

Protection against breaking under snow. If, due to inexperience, it seems that the snow is not so heavy, you are mistaken. In one winter, it will accumulate in the greenhouse as much as a whole company of soldiers would stand on it at the same time, and not just two people happily hanging, as is usually depicted on advertising brochures. It's tons and tons, and wet snow is especially dangerous.

Unfortunately, even the most advertised “powerful” greenhouses have the ability to completely collapse in snowy winters. Also, you yourself may have noticed more than once in photographs and in life how the polycarbonate walls of the arched greenhouse bend inward - from the snow. This is no wonder, because the snow puts pressure not only on the roof. And this is a significant reduction in the life of the entire structure. There is only one solution - so that the snow falls easily and without obstacles inside the greenhouse and also accumulates near its walls, as well as outside. This will equalize the pressure.

For example, these puny greenhouses are popular overseas - and all because they do not need to pass the snow test:

overheat protection

A removable greenhouse roof is also good for the summer. Make it so that it can not only be removed, but also slightly raised - here you have a wonderful alternative to windows. Even with windows, the temperature inside the greenhouse can reach as much as 45°C, and this is a direct path to sterilization of pollen, absence of ovaries and, as one would expect, not a single fruit. This is popularly called “overheating” the plants, which can be much more dangerous than letting them through.

And it happens that even open doors at the ends of the greenhouse are not enough to save the plants from overheating, and the ventilation holes are even made small. It is easy to ventilate such greenhouses by lifting one of the removable roof elements or all of them at once.

In addition, such ventilation is uniform and draft-free, which is also very valuable. Here's how it is in this project:

Excellent illumination

You know very well how much light the plants in a greenhouse need. And the same quantity as in open ground cannot be found in closed ground. Even the highest quality polycarbonate absorbs some spectra - why not make the roof removable? The way the sun's rays caress the leaves of a tomato or pepper directly, and not with the help of artificial and dubious phytolamps.

Here is a greenhouse in which the roof can be completely removed and easily put back:

Normalization of microclimate

After all, it is under the top of the greenhouse that the hottest air collects. Such a roof is the most effective ventilation, while ordinary side vents often only chill the plants.

Something similar was once implemented by Jacob Mittleider, and a removable roof is the next stage. But then you ask: why do most industrial greenhouses have windows either in the doors or above the doors? In fact, this is the simplest design solution and saving of metal, and not at all an exact calculation.

Saving on strength

And the most important advantage is that such a greenhouse can be built with a lightweight design and completely forget about supports. You can safely build even from the cheapest plasterboard profiles and no longer worry that they will not withstand snow loads.

Why, then, with all the advantages, such a greenhouse is no longer located on every site? The fact is that many are still afraid of such a new product - they say that after a thunderstorm they will have to look for a roof in neighboring areas. That's why it's important to choose a good and stable design, agree. Those. We are talking about the so-called “windage” of the greenhouse, namely its resistance to wind.

Although, we note, the owners of such unusual structures claim that none have flown away yet. And everything new is always met with hostility - over time, all those who have ever known the happiness of straightening a greenhouse that has collapsed from snow will definitely implement such know-how.

Greenhouse "Kremlevskaya Rublevska" with opening roof and sides.

Production "New Forms", Kimry. At the end of 2022, the plant stopped producing this model. Installation on a foundation or on piles. Double profile 20x20 mm. Price in 2022: frame 6 meters 24,300 rub. + pine foundation 3000 rub. + lugs 1 set (4 pcs.) 600 RUR, you need to buy at least 2 sets.

Advantages: Galvanized frame. There is a wide selection of SPK varieties; the assortment also includes expensive, high-quality polycarbonate, just suitable for sliding greenhouses.

Disadvantages: The Rublevskaya greenhouse with a sliding roof and sides is a simplified version of the Kremlevskaya greenhouse, it has only three longitudinal lintels. Mounting on "crabs". The opening sides and 2-meter-wide sliding roof have a large windage area; strong winds can tear the soft polycarbonate out of the guides, making it difficult to insert back. When polycarbonate moves up and down, the protective layer from ultraviolet radiation on the lower sheets can be worn off due to friction, which will lead to its rapid deterioration. When condensation forms on the inner surface of the greenhouse, the wide sheets of SPC stick, and the sides will not rise until the top dries. The rising sides are quite heavy for older people. Difficult to assemble.

Treatment of polycarbonate greenhouses in spring and autumn from pests and diseases

In a humid and warm climate, favorable conditions are created inside the greenhouse for the development of pathogenic fungi and bacteria, as well as the proliferation of harmful insects. Therefore, the greenhouse frame and soil should be disinfected. It is advisable to carry out such treatment in the fall, after harvesting, and in the spring, before planting new seedlings.

Autumn work includes:

• cleaning of all plant debris, supports and garters;
• processing of the frame and coating: wash the internal and external surfaces with warm water and laundry soap or liquid detergent, using a soft brush, sponge or cloth, then rinse with clean cold water; Do not use hard materials or abrasives;
• soil treatment: uncontaminated soil can simply be dug up and fertilized, contaminated soil must be treated with preparations containing copper, and in case of severe contamination, the top layer of soil must be removed and replaced with new fertilized soil.

In the event of a disease outbreak in a greenhouse, the soil and equipment should also be treated with special chemical or biological agents. In the spring, all stages of autumn treatment are repeated, but the use of chemicals should be avoided.

Greenhouse "Helper-Gardener"

Manufactured by "World of Greenhouses", Yaroslavl. In 2022, the plant stopped making this greenhouse. The roof and sides extend. Installed on the foundation. Profile 20 mm. Price in 2022 – frame 6 meters = 32,200 rubles. + timber foundation 2500 + lugs (1 piece – 200 rub.)

Pros: Opening top.

Disadvantages: The disadvantages of the Helper Gardener greenhouse are the same as those of the Tulip greenhouse. Large windage, loose polycarbonate sheets are torn out of the guides by strong winds, and in winter they are also squeezed out by snow. There are no rubber seals around the gaps through which heat escapes. “Crab system” for attaching pipes (it becomes loose over time). The guides are made of plastic; they can begin to crumble after a few years under the influence of the environment, and replacing them is a problem, expensive and time-consuming. Difficult to install. Bulky, inconvenient to transport in a car.

Greenhouse "Sesame"

Manufactured by Rosteplitsa, Dedovsk. The greenhouse is no longer produced. The tops of the sides move apart. Installed on the foundation. Profile 20 mm. A frame of 6 meters costs 32,200 rubles. + timber foundation 3500 + lugs 1 piece – 200 rub. (at least 1 piece is required every 2 meters).

Pros: Sliding top.

Disadvantages: The Sesame greenhouse is similar to all greenhouses with an opening roof and sides and therefore has the same disadvantages. The 2-meter expanding polycarbonate sheets have a large windage and can easily be torn out by a strong wind. Heat loss due to the lack of rubber gap seals and the “Crab system” becomes loose. Replacing broken guides is expensive. Difficult to install. Bulky, impossible to bring in a car.

Greenhouse "Present"

, Dubna. In 2022, the plant stopped producing this model. No foundation required. Profile 33x33 mm. The frame costs 37,800 rubles.

Advantages: Polycarbonate 4 mm with a density of 0.7. The frame has a 1st class metal anti-corrosion coating on the outside and inside - 275 g of zinc per square meter. Anti-corrosion guarantee 15 years! Rubber seals included. The width of the sliding part is 1 meter.

Disadvantages: Highest price. Complex and longer to assemble than all other greenhouses with an opening roof.

Assembly and installation

Orion should be installed in an open area, at a distance of at least 2 m from buildings and trees. This is necessary so that in winter large snowdrifts do not fall from the roof of the house and the crowns of trees onto the greenhouse and damage it.

Important! Press washers are used to attach polycarbonate to metal so as not to damage the fragile material. Do not tighten the screws too tightly to allow room for thermal expansion.

The assembly of the greenhouse structure must be carried out strictly according to the instructions, which are provided by the manufacturer complete with all the parts.

According to the manufacturer's manual, assembly is carried out in stages:

1. Assembly of arched ends, the design of which includes door frames and base profiles. All pipes are connected using special screws and fasteners.
2. The central arcs are assembled.
3. The arcs and ends are connected by purlins 2, 2-1.
4. T-shaped pegs are attached to the base.
5. The diagonals of the finished frame are measured, and if necessary, the greenhouse is leveled.
6. The pegs are buried in the ground to the ground.
7. Doors and windows are assembled and hinges are attached to them.
8. Polycarbonate sheets are cut into the required pieces and inserted into frames and screwed. Open honeycombs are sealed with tape. A door seal is also attached, which eliminates the risk of drafts.
9. Door leaves (top and bottom) with screwed handles are attached to the frames.
10. For printed sheets, the open honeycombs are immediately sealed with tape.
11. The uncut material is applied to the end frame, screwed to the pipes, and then the excess part is carefully cut off with a sharp knife.
12. The sliding roof panels are assembled. Pieces of polycarbonate are cut off, and the sections with open honeycombs are sealed with tape. Special metal corners are attached to the upper and lower edges of the polycarbonate, to which handles are pre-attached.
13. The walls of the greenhouse are covered with polycarbonate as usual.
14. Special H-shaped profiles are attached to the arches on top, along which the roof sashes will move. Prepared roof panels are inserted into these profiles. They should move freely in both directions all the way to the ground.
15. The corners of the ends are sewn up with a special rubber seal.

Video: assembly and installation of a greenhouse with a sliding roof “Orion”

Greenhouse “Nurse-Clever – Standard”

Manufactured by Metal Service, Novosibirsk. – the plant closed in 2019. Profile 20 mm. The roof can be opened with a winch. Foundation required, not included. Frame price from 19,400 rubles. + the cost of your foundation + lugs 1 pc. – 250 rub. (for reliable fastening of a frame 6 meters long, a minimum of 8 hooks are required)

Pros: The roof opens and closes quickly. Galvanized.

Disadvantages: Requires the purchase of a foundation. There are no dealers in the regions; frames are sent throughout Russia by a transport company. Difficult self-assembly. It is impossible to open part of the roof, for example, in the middle or along the edges, you can only open the entire roof at once. The winch may break.