Multi-span film greenhouse
A gutter-connected film house: the economy of plastic with the working height, ventilation and equipment space of a commercial structure.
Multi-span film houses connect several bays under one gutter line, which raises the roof, opens the working area and lets you put in screens, heating or a climate computer without rebuilding. Film is still the cover, so capital cost stays well below glass.
This is the structure most growers choose when they want a commercial house but cannot carry glasshouse capital: vegetables at scale, herbs, cut flowers in mild climates, and nursery production.
Configurations
Semi-closed film
Roof vents and side curtains with a controller; the mid-tech workhorse.
Double-layer inflated
Two films with an air gap between them, for cold nights and condensation control.
With screens
Aluminised shade or thermal screen under the gutter, for heat and light management.
Structure and covering specification
| Spans | 8 m / 9.6 m / 12 m, gutter connected |
| Gutter height | 3.0 m – 5.0 m |
| Cover | 150 μm single film or 150/150 μm double fixed film |
| Frame | Q235B profiles, hot-dip galvanised |
| Ventilation | Roof vents per bay, side vents, optional forced ventilation |
| Equipment | Screens, heating, irrigation, climate control can be added |
Values are the standard range. Final dimensions, loads and covering are fixed per project against the site's climate data.
Questions buyers ask about this family
Is film or glass the better investment?
Film wins on capital cost per square metre and on speed; glass wins on light transmission, service life and the ability to hold a tight climate. Compare them on cost per kg of crop over ten years, not on cost per square metre. Our comparison page sets out the calculation.
Can we run heating in a film house?
Yes, with a thermal screen and a properly sized system. Without a screen most of the heat goes to the roof, so the two should be specified together.
Other families and next reads
Put this family against your site
Send the country, the area and the crop. We reply with a configuration, a preliminary layout and the questions that change the price.