Greenhouse buying guide UK: how to choose for your garden
Mark the proposed greenhouse on the ground before choosing the frame. Leave space to open the door, carry a tray through and reach the outside for maintenance. This greenhouse buying guide for UK gardens takes that measured space through the choice of glazing and the budget, then compares our wooden and steel range. Use it to make a shortlist, then check the manuals before paying.
- Measure the site first, including the required base width and clearances.
- Compare complete quotations, with optional upgrades and your own work priced separately.
- Use our range table to make a shortlist, then check each model’s manual.
What should a greenhouse buying guide help you settle?
Decide what you want to grow, when you will use the greenhouse and how much accessible space the site offers. Set a total budget that includes the base and any paid help. Then compare models against those requirements, keeping optional upgrades separate from the standard kit and its starting price.
Write down the crops you want and how often you can visit. An allotment greenhouse you see occasionally needs a different operating plan from one outside the kitchen door. Include who will water or open it while you are away.
Choose what you can manage as well as what you can fit. A larger covered area leaves room for more plants, but you still need to reach the plants for watering. Cleaning also takes time. If you only want a few trays, consider whether a smaller growing structure would meet the need. Our small greenhouse guide covers that narrower decision.
Keep three measurements distinct in your notes: the greenhouse footprint, the prepared base and the clear space around it. They are not interchangeable. Ask for a drawing whenever a product description leaves unclear which one a dimension refers to.
Where will the greenhouse work in your garden?
Look for available sunlight and a position with shelter from cold winds, then check access and drainage. Walk the route from the delivery point to the site. Measure the space needed by the selected model’s base plan, including clearance for building and maintenance. Resolve an unsuitable site before ordering upgrades.
The RHS greenhouse choosing guide favours a sunny site with shelter from cold winds. Check shade cast by buildings or plants around the site at the time of year you intend to grow. A summer photograph cannot establish the winter light reaching the plot.
On an exposed site, ask about frame spacing, panel attachment and anchoring together. SteelRoot uses 1.00 m spacing as standard, with a 0.67 m option. More frame supports shorten the span between them, but that specification alone cannot establish how a greenhouse will perform on your site. Use the wind-resistance guide for the construction questions and greenhouse siting guide for the garden layout. If a location is unsuitable, a thicker sheet does not resolve every problem.
Check any property or allotment restrictions with the relevant authority or site manager before buying. Treat the model’s stated clearance as an assembly and access requirement, separate from any planning question. Do not assume that fitting under a fence line settles permission.
Do you need concrete, and how much room should you prepare?
A concrete slab is not automatically required. The supplied ground anchors can suit the specified firm, level soil installation, while other ground conditions may need a prepared base. Follow the selected model’s base plan and fixing instructions. Confirm the exact dimensions before paying for materials or asking someone to build it.
On SteelRoot, the product pages describe anchors at the corners with the remaining anchors along the length, supplied for the selected build. NORDIC pages likewise specify anchors for the configuration. Neither description means an anchor at every leg. Use the manual’s positions and the fixing method for your actual ground.
A hard base changes the fixing arrangement. Ask which brackets and fasteners are needed for concrete, paving or timber, and which are supplied. The Plot 3.14 page lists hard-base U-brackets among the items you arrange yourself. Do not order a base on the assumption that soil anchors do the same job on every surface.
For an example of dimensions, NORDIC 2.60 stands on a 2.60 m width, but its page specifies a base 2.8 m wide and the selected length plus 0.25 m. It also asks for 2 m clear of fences and buildings. Check the drawing for your chosen width; this example is not a base specification for another model.
The base preparation guide covers the next stage. Take the drawing to whoever will do the groundwork and ask them to include drainage and access in the quotation.
Should you choose galvanised steel or timber?
Compare the frame’s shape and maintenance requirements alongside its dimensions. Our steel range uses a galvanised closed profile; NORDIC uses pine with galvanised steel at the joints. Choose by the growing layout you can use and the care you are willing to carry out, then inspect the relevant assembly manual.
SteelRoot Plot 3.14 uses a 40 × 20 mm closed steel profile with ZAM coating. It measures 3.00 m on the ground and 3.14 m at the widest part of the arch. Mark both on your site sketch, then check where tall plants and staging will stand beneath the curve.
NORDIC 2.60 uses 45 × 45 mm FSC pine with 1.2 mm galvanised steel at the joints. Its upright walls offer a different arrangement around the edges. The timber needs ongoing care; read the warranty wording below and the wooden greenhouse guide before choosing it.
For a narrower timber footprint, compare NORDIC 2.15 and NORDIC 1.80. Their widths change what fits beside the path even when the length looks similar in a photograph.
Separate appearance from an engineering claim. You may prefer timber beside a planted border or the outline of a steel arch. That preference does not prove a temperature advantage, an expected service life or suitability for an exposed site. The wooden greenhouse grades guide gives more detail on what to inspect in a timber specification.
What changes between 4 mm and 6 mm panels?
Our greenhouse range starts with 4 mm twin-wall polycarbonate and offers a 6 mm upgrade. The thicker sheet is described on the product pages as stiffer and better at retaining heat. Choose it alongside the frame and ventilation arrangement. Panel thickness alone does not guarantee frost protection or a particular heating bill.
The 6 mm sheets are an upgrade in the build, and both thicknesses are screw-fixed. Read our 4 mm and 6 mm comparison, then record the chosen thickness in the order summary. Keep a copy so you can check the sheets delivered against the configuration you paid for.
Count openings separately from glazing thickness. NORDIC includes a front door and an opening rear window. SteelRoot includes a door at each end, with upper sections that open independently. Roof auto-vents on SteelRoot are optional extras in the build.
SmartVent is an optional NORDIC accessory. Its product page states: "SteelRoot compatibility is in development." Use the dedicated SteelRoot roof-vent option for that range rather than assuming the NORDIC accessory fits.
Automatic opening still needs an operating plan. The RHS ventilation guidance explains that wax mechanisms respond gradually and may need supplementary manual opening. Our greenhouse ventilation guide covers the wider arrangement. For winter use, read insulation and heating as separate decisions.
Which of our greenhouses fits the available space?
Start by excluding widths and base arrangements that will not fit. Among the remaining models, compare usable wall space and available lengths. The table gives product-page dimensions and starting configurations, followed by layout suggestions. Floor area includes the path and working space, so it is not the area available for crops.
The suggestions in the last column are ways to narrow a shortlist, not yield claims. For a detailed bed and path plan, use what size greenhouse do I need?. Leave room for your actual trays, watering can and movement through the doorway.
| Model | Width | Lengths | Floor area range | Layout to consider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORDIC 1.80 | 1.80 m | 2, 3, 4 m | 3.6–7.2 m² | A bed and staging in a narrow timber footprint |
| NORDIC 2.15 | 2.15 m | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 m | 4.3–12.9 m² | A longer bed with staging opposite |
| NORDIC 2.60 | 2.60 m | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 m | 5.2–15.6 m² | Two growing sides around a central path |
| Plot 3.14 | 3.00 m ground; 3.14 m widest | 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 m | 12–36 m² | Long beds beneath an arched frame |
| Climber 2.10 | 2.10 m | 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 m | 8.4–25.2 m² | A narrow steel footprint for tall crops |
| Garden Standard | 2.64 m | 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 m | 10.6–31.7 m² | Two growing sides with a central path |
| Garden Wide | 2.99 m | 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 m | 12–35.9 m² | More width for beds and access |
| Gable Standard | 2.77 m | 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 m | 11.1–33.2 m² | Straight side walls for use near the edges |
| Gable Wide | 2.99 m | 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 m | 12–35.9 m² | Wider straight-wall growing space |
| Grand 4.00 | 4.00 m | 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 m | 16–48 m² | A broad layout with room to plan several rows |
If two models survive the measurements, draw each interior at the same scale. Include a mature plant’s working space and the space needed to reach the far side of a bench. A bigger published floor area can still leave the wrong shape for the way you garden.
What should you check in a cheap greenhouse quotation?
A cheap greenhouse can meet a limited growing need. Check what the quoted price actually includes before deciding whether to spend more. Compare the frame and glazing first. Check the anchoring, then add groundworks, delivery charges and any paid help. A low price alone supplies no evidence that a structure will fail sooner.
Ask for the manual and a packing list for the exact configuration. Identify anything shown in photographs that is optional or supplied by the owner. Our checks before you buy a greenhouse online provide further questions; this guide makes no ranking of other sellers.
Build the configuration you actually need before comparing. On a Plot, for example, 6 mm sheets, closer arch spacing and roof auto-vents are each optional; the build adds them to the price as you choose them. Choose them to suit the site, then add any postcode delivery charge and the work you arrange yourself.
Compare that completed specification with another completed quotation. Keep the groundworks separate until both suppliers have confirmed the required base. A starting price and a fully prepared installation cost answer different questions.
If the total exceeds your budget, revisit the length, optional accessories and growing plan. Preserve the parts required for the site’s installation. Choosing a smaller structure that meets the requirements is more useful than leaving the anchoring or base unresolved.
What arrives, and what do you arrange yourself?
The greenhouse arrives as a kit for assembly. Check its packing list, arrange the base and plan how parts will move from the kerb to the garden. You, or someone you hire, build it from the manual. Waldenhaus does not provide an assembly service; obtain any labour quotation separately.
NORDIC’s kit includes the pine frame, sheets, door, opening rear window, ground anchors and screws. The Plot kit includes the steel frame, sheets, two doors plus the ground anchors and fixings, with edge tapes and plant-support wire. Plot roof vents, clear U-profile and arch straps are optional. You arrange the base and tools, along with any staging.
Allow for delivery in 1–4 weeks from order. The product pages describe kerbside delivery, free to most UK mainland postcodes, with postcode exceptions. Check the address and charge before ordering, then agree a practical route for carrying the parts onwards.
Read the manual before booking help. Show the builder the base plan and the chosen glazing. Make clear which preparation work you expect in their price, and arrange a place to check the delivered parts against the list.
What maintenance commitment comes with the frame?
Read the published terms for the selected range before paying, including the maintenance condition on timber. Keep the order details and assembly instructions together so you can identify parts later. A warranty describes particular cover and conditions; use the wording below without treating its duration as a prediction of service life.
NORDIC: "10-year anti-rot frame warranty (conditional on re-treating timber with any UK-purchased wood preservative every 2 years) + 2-year polycarbonate panel warranty (manufacturer defects)".
SteelRoot: "2-year manufacturing defect warranty on cellular polycarbonate panels + 10-year anti-corrosion warranty on the galvanised steel frame".
Read the full warranty terms. Plan access for care and cleaning at the buying stage; the RHS cleaning guide also explains why accessible glazing matters.
Which unanswered questions should hold up the purchase?
Pause the order if the base dimensions, fixing method or access remain unclear. Confirm the selected options and the full delivered price, then agree who will build the kit. Keep a copy of the configuration and manual. Those documents let you check the order against what arrives and resolve missing details.
Turn the shortlist into a build plan
Check each item against the exact model and configuration.
Start with the site and the growing job. Compare documented dimensions, fixing details and ventilation against those needs. There is no single model that fits every garden, and this page compares our own range rather than ranking the market.
Yes, if its layout fits what you intend to grow. Mark out the path and staging before deciding. Ask about any future alteration separately rather than assuming the frame can be widened or extended.
No, the models compared here are freestanding. If the only workable space needs a structure attached to a wall, this range does not meet that requirement.
They are optional. NORDIC has its front door and opening rear window; SteelRoot has two end doors with opening upper sections. Confirm any added automatic vents in the configuration before paying.
Match the drawing to your garden
Open the NORDIC sizes and base plan, then mark the selected footprint and access space on the ground before ordering.
What we checked for this guide
Written by the Waldenhaus team. The comparison covers our own range, using product pages checked on 10 November 2026, with RHS guidance for general siting and growing decisions. Layout suggestions are editorial recommendations, not crop-yield or weather-performance claims. Checked 10 November 2026.
- 01RHSChoosing a greenhouse
- 02RHSVentilation guidance
- 03RHSGreenhouse cleaning
Related guides
Written by the Waldenhaus team. We sell outdoor saunas and greenhouses and write these guides from manufacturer manuals, official guidance and our own product pages. Where your equipment manual says something different, follow the manual.