This aluminium frame steel pipe greenhouse pairs a light aluminium glazing system with a steel pipe structure, which keeps the frame stiff where it carries load and light where it holds the cover. The cover is PO or PEP film with UV resistant coating, passing 90 to 95 per cent of daylight. Spans run 8 m to 12 m, gutter height 3 m to 4.5 m and top height 6 m to 8 m, with roof vents, side vents or automated ventilation to hold the air moving that orchid crops need. It suits orchid nurseries, flower production and young plant raising.
Two decisions shape a growing house: what carries the load and what holds the cover. Mixing them usually gives a structure that is heavier than it needs to be in some places and weaker than it should be in others. This aluminium frame steel pipe greenhouse separates the two, and it is laid out for orchid growing where airflow and stable light matter more than sheer insulation.
The steel pipe does the structural work: arches, purlins and columns carry the wind and snow load and the weight of the cover and crop. Aluminium is used for the glazing bars and trim, where its light weight and its resistance to corrosion matter more than stiffness. Combined, the frame keeps the span clear of posts, which is what a bench or trolley layout needs, and it resists the humid air of a working house without relying on repainting. Spans run 8 m to 12 m, gutter height 3 m to 4.5 m and top height 6 m to 8 m.
The cover is a PO or PEP film with UV resistant coating, passing 90 to 95 per cent of daylight. High transmission matters for orchids in a different way than for vegetables: the crop is grown for foliage and flower quality rather than bulk, and it is the consistency of the light rather than the peak that keeps the leaves clean. The film is supplied in rolls and replaced over the existing frame, so a cover reaching the end of its life does not disturb the crop below.
| Structure material | Galvanized steel pipe with aluminium glazing system |
| Covering material | PO or PEP film with UV resistant coating |
| Roof shape | Arch roof, multi span on gutters |
| Span | 8m / 9m / 10m / 11m / 12m |
| Gutter height | 3m to 4.5m |
| Top height | 6m to 8m |
| Light transmission | 90% to 95% |
| Ventilation | Roof vents, side vents or automated system |
| Service life | 15 to 20 years for the frame under normal growing conditions |
Orchids want high humidity that moves. Stagnant air under a film cover is what starts the foliage problems that cost a nursery its crop, so the ventilation is set up to keep air exchanging rather than merely to lower temperature: side openings bring fresh air in low down and roof openings let the humid layer leave at the top. Because the frame is a multi span gutter system, the house can also be shaded or screened over part of its area without affecting the rest. Research from Cornell University covers greenhouse climate and crop response in protected cultivation.
The house ships as a kit of steel pipe members, aluminium glazing bars, film rolls and fittings. Work follows a fixed order: set the foundation, raise the columns and gutters, arches and purlins, then benches and services, then tension the film. Our engineers can travel to site to guide installation when required.
Routine work is limited. Check film tension at the start of each season and look for any split at the fixings, wash the cover so transmission is not lost to dust or algae, service vent drives, and inspect pipe joints and braces after storm season. Film is the consumable part of the house and is replaced on a three to five year cycle.
The house suits orchid nurseries, flower production and young plant raising, and it is at its most useful where climate stability over a long crop cycle matters more than a short peak. Controlled environment reporting on VerticalFarmDaily follows how commercial protected production is planned. Compare the multi-span greenhouse range, or look at the structure greenhouse and the multi span greenhouse for agricultural use for other options on the same frame system.
The steel pipe carries the structural load where stiffness matters, and aluminium is used for the glazing bars and trim where low weight and corrosion resistance matter more. It keeps the frame efficient rather than uniformly heavy.
Side openings bring fresh air in low down and roof openings let the humid layer leave at the top, so the air exchanges rather than standing still. Roof vents, side vents or an automated system can be specified.
The galvanized steel pipe frame is rated for 15 to 20 years under normal growing conditions. The film cover is replaced on a three to five year cycle.
We provide a 10 year structural warranty and a 5 year anti-corrosion warranty on the galvanized frame. Details are set out in the contract for each project.
Send your site dimensions, the crops and bench layout you plan to use and your local wind and snow loads. We reply with a layout drawing and a full quotation.
