What separates us from any other greenhouse is our design and concept.
Our design consist of an interior wood frame structure that is permanent and sits on an insulated concrete pad. It is covered with a renewable outer shell of double wall polycarbonate with reusable colored metal trim.
This design uses readily available and inexpensive materials for the structure and foundation. This allows for nearly any size or shape, while keeping the cost down and allowing DIY builds for this part of the greenhouse as an option. Additionally, using wood treated with an oil preservative creates a structure that is rugged, beautiful and practical (you can hang a pot anywhere).
The second part of our design and concept is enveloping the entire structure with tough weather proof glazing and painted metal. This creates a weather proof and low maintenance structure that will last for many years. Essentially, we are the only company that creates an endo skeleton structure while most kits commercially available are all exo skeleton structures. Look closely at the many kit greenhouses, they nearly all have that erector set design. These “erector set greenhouses” are designed not for their function but more for their ability to be put into a box and shipped.
Our greenhouses are unique in their combination of new technologies and Yankee craftsmanship that allow us to create a wide variety of designs. For instance, we have created inexpensive year round greenhouses that functions much like a conservatory.
Greenhouse features
- An insulated concrete floor. Key to our greenhouses being year round is having an insulated concrete floor. This allows for a strong foundation, a easy space to keep clean, and most importantly serves as a heat sink that traps the daytime heat which extends the thermal period.
- An interior wood frame. Typically, we use spruce and treat the wood with a natural 3 part oil for longevity.
- Polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is the rock star of the commercial greenhouse industry, yet is totally underutilized at the home owner level. The polycarbonate we use features selective light transmission™ resin technology that absorbs the sun’s harmful UV rays but transmits the beneficial wave lengths plants use and reflects some of the heat-giving infrared wavelengths. This makes for a high quality light with less stress-inducing heat from the sun. In a nut shell, polycarbonate makes for a fantastic environment for both plants and humans. Polycarbonate is far superior to plastic or glass yet is easy to work with and typically lasts at least 12-15 years.
- Self operating vents. At Vermont Victory Greenhouses we hand build our own vents that can fit directly between the framing. Unlike anything that can be bought, ours are designed to handle tough New England weather and support automatic solar openers. We simply could not find a good rugged vent that would work well with our greenhouses as they were all difficult to attach to our wood framed openings or ripped apart under strong winds. Our vents are made of PVC plastic, painted metal, stainless steel hinges, and polycarbonate. Although these vent openers have been around for some time, they seem like a novelty for many. Developed in Holland for use in their cold frames, they are a simple device that activates with wax heating up in a small cylinder.
- Hand bent metal trim and rubber gaskets. Our system of painted metal trim allows for a tight seal of the polycarbonate that is screwed or pressed into place. We use a heavy gauge metal and have designed all our own j-channel, corners, bases and ridge materials. Our metals are the same type and quality that commercial roofing would use with an 25 year warranty. Along with our own metal trim, our greenhouses have rubber gaskets throughout for give a very tight seal against air leaks.
- For circulation we use the Snap fan, which we consider the very best solar fan available. These fans, all of which are still going strong, give years of trouble free, greenhouse circulation. Whenever the sun comes out and your greenhouse begins to heat up our automatic vents and solar fans with give you peace of mind where no one has to remember to open a vent or turn on a fan.
- In keeping with our commitment for a simple, trouble-free greenhouse, we use a wonderful battery operated (one 9 volt battery you change once a year) drip irrigation system that is simple to use and with infinite ability to adjust to your plants needs.
- Our benches are sturdy and made to match the framing of the greenhouse. They have a wood bottom that is covered with waterproof roofing membrane and lined with capillary mats for easy watering. You simply place your pots in the bench , fill with some water in the top of the bench, and the plants will draw water from the bottom of their pots.