This Venlo multi span glass greenhouse uses the classic ridge and gutter roof on a galvanized steel frame, covered in 5 mm hollow tempered glass. Span runs 8 m to 12 m, gutter height 3 m to 4.5 m and top height 6 m to 8 m, so the house carries a tall crop and holds a large volume of air that steadies the temperature through the day. Light transmission is 90 to 95 per cent. Roof vents, side vents and automated ventilation can be fitted, with heating optional. It suits commercial vegetable, fruit and cut flower production.
The Venlo roof has been the standard shape for commercial glass for a century, and the reason is practical: small glass panes in a repeating ridge, a gutter every few metres, and a frame that can be extended bay by bay. This Venlo multi span glass greenhouse follows that pattern with 5 mm hollow tempered glazing on a galvanized steel frame, scaled from a single block up to an estate.
Roof and walls are set out as repeating bays on gutters, with a ridge at the centre of each bay. That layout keeps glass panes short, which is what makes venlo glazing strong and economical to replace, and it puts a gutter line under every roof valley so rainwater is collected and carried away instead of running down the walls. Span runs 8 m to 12 m, and because the bays repeat, a house can be built to the block on the ground and widened later without redesigning the structure.
The cover is 5 mm hollow tempered glass. Tempering means a broken pane breaks into small blunt pieces rather than long shards over a crop, and the hollow section adds an insulating air gap that holds heat better than a single pane. Light transmission sits between 90 and 95 per cent, and glass keeps that figure for many years, which is the point of using it where light is the limiting factor. Gutter height of 3 m to 4.5 m and top height of 6 m to 8 m give the volume of air that steadies temperature through a hot afternoon and the headroom a tall trained crop needs.
| Structure material | Galvanized steel or aluminium alloy |
| Covering material | 5mm hollow tempered glass |
| Roof shape | Venlo ridge and gutter, multi-span |
| Span | 8m / 9m / 10m / 11m / 12m |
| Length | To client demand |
| Gutter height | 3m to 4.5m |
| Top height | 6m to 8m |
| Light transmission | 90% to 95% |
| Ventilation | Roof vents, side vents, automated systems optional |
| Heating | Optional, boiler or radiant heating |
| Service life | 15 to 20 years for the frame under normal growing conditions |
Ventilation is handled at two levels. Roof vents along the ridges let warm air leave at the highest point, and side vents bring cooler air in low down, so the two work together as a stack. Where the house is automated, vents, screens, fans and heating run from one controller set against the crop band rather than a fixed clock. Extension work from UF/IFAS covers greenhouse climate management and crop response in protected cultivation.
The house ships as a kit of galvanized members, glazing bars and glass, with foundation drawings issued against the site survey. Installation runs in a fixed order: foundation, columns and gutters, roof, glazing, then vents and fit out. Our engineers can travel to site to guide installation when required.
Upkeep is limited. Wash the glass before the light season so transmission is not lost to dust, check glazing clips and seals after storm season, service vent motors and screen drives, and inspect gutter outlets so roof water leaves freely. Glass is not a consumable in the way film is, and a damaged pane is replaced on its own.
The house suits commercial vegetable growing, fruit crops and cut flower production, and it is used for research and trial blocks where a steady climate matters more than a short peak. Market reporting on Krishijagran follows how protected production is planned at commercial scale. Compare the glass greenhouse range, or look at the Venlo glass house and the polycarbonate sheet greenhouse for other options in the same family.
The repeating ridge and gutter keeps panes short, which makes the glazing strong and economical to replace, and puts a gutter under every roof valley. It also allows the house to be extended bay by bay.
It is tempered glass with an insulating cavity. Tempering means a broken pane breaks into small blunt pieces, and the hollow section holds heat better than a single pane.
The galvanized steel frame is rated for 15 to 20 years under normal growing conditions. Glass keeps its light transmission for many years and panes are replaced individually.
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 you plan to grow, the ventilation and heating you need and your local wind and snow loads. We reply with a layout drawing and a full quotation.
