The best greenhouses use glass because of its high light transmission, but it is very expensive and prone to breakage, especially if there are kids playing in the area. Greenhouse panels offer a cheap and durable alternative. They are made from various plastics, making them flexible and incredibly durable, no stray baseball will hurt them and if somehow it does they are much cheaper than glass to replace.
Greenhouse panels have one main disadvantage, they only allow about 70% of light in. Most are double walled so they insulate well and let excess condensation run off and won’t absorb any water which can cause mold and mildew problems. They also spread the light very effectively, even in direct sun they will disperse light throughout the greenhouse.
Since greenhouse panels are flexible they are very easy to install onto a wide variety of frames. Curved and semi-circular greenhouses can easily be constructed with wood, PVC, or metal frames. PVC is a cheap frame building material, but is light and will be susceptible to strong winds. Wood and metal frames are more durable but also more permanent installations.
