Palram Canopia Essence 8x12
Rated for wind and snow, though you will not find either figure on a retailer product page.
Last checked 2026-08-29
What you should know before buying
From the manual cover: 'Wind Resistant 90 km/hr / 55 ml/hr'. NOT stated on the Greenhouse Megastore or Dive To Garden product pages — a buyer only sees this AFTER purchase, inside the box.
Stronger than a conditional rating — without anchoring the WARRANTY IS VOID. Not mentioned on either retailer product page.
From the manual cover: 'Snow Load 75 kg/m2 / 15 lbs/ft2'. NOT stated on either retailer product page. At 15 psf this is the weakest snow rating in our set by a wide margin — the Planta Sungrow 20 is 75 psf.
A formal CE Declaration of Performance — the most rigorous structural documentation we have found for ANY product in this comparison. Declared: maximum permitted wind zone 21 m/s (50-year return, 10 m height, 10-min average, terrain category II open landscape) and maximum permitted snow zone 0.50 kN/m2 (50-year return). Fire resistance Class A. Deformations and deflections: NPD (no performance determined).
Structure
| Width | 8 ft |
|---|---|
| Length | 12 ft |
| Ridge height | 7.5 ft |
| Floor area | 96 sq ft |
| Frame | aluminium |
| Glazing | 4mm clear twin-wall polycarbonate |
| Panel thickness | 4 mm |
| Panel retention | not published |
Wind, snow and anchoring
| Wind rating | 55 mph |
|---|---|
| Rating depends on anchoring | Anchoring is mandatory: 'Anchoring this product to the ground is essential to its stability and rigidity. It is required to complete this stage in order for your warranty to be valid.' |
| Snow load | 15 psf |
| Snow depth | not published |
| Engineering documentation | EN 1090-1:2009+A1:2011 Declaration of Performance No 0201 (2025), execution class EXC-1, System 2+ |
| Anchoring included | No |
| What ships for anchoring | none supplied — manufacturer anchoring kit sold separately, or ground screws/spikes (explicitly not supplied) |
| Foundation required | Stakes, treated 4x4s, concrete piers or slab |
Ventilation
| Roof vents | 2 |
|---|---|
| Side / end vents | 0 |
| Opening windows | not published |
| Powered fan included | No |
| Doors | 2 |
Ownership
| Warranty | 5 years |
|---|---|
| Warranty covers | 5 years, valid only if installed per Palram's written instructions; excludes force majeure including hail, storm and tornado |
| Crew recommended | 2 |
Where to buy
Advertised prices, checked daily. Shipping is extra unless the retailer states otherwise — on a greenhouse, freight can change which seller is actually cheapest.
Price alert
Climate notes
Our analysis of the published figures — not a manufacturer claim.
- Hot climates
- Two roof vents and zero side or end vents for 96 sq ft is minimal. Community reports describe 110-120F inside WITH powered fans, and this ships with none. For any hot climate, budget for an exhaust fan and shade cloth from day one.
- Cold climates
- 15 psf snow load is far below the Planta Sungrow 20's 75 psf — roughly a fivefold difference in stated snow capacity. Combined with 4mm twin-wall glazing, this is not a snow-country greenhouse.
- Exposed and windy sites
- 55 mph is the LOWEST wind rating in our set, and anchoring is mandatory for the warranty to remain valid while no anchoring hardware is supplied. On an exposed site this is a weak choice unless the separate anchoring kit is budgeted from the start.
What we don't know
Anything marked not published means the manufacturer does not state it. That is a fact about the product, not a gap on our side.
Figures are the manufacturer's own, taken from its documentation. We have not tested this greenhouse, and reporting a rating is not endorsing it. Wind, snow, permitting and foundation requirements vary by site — confirm anything that matters with the manufacturer and your local building authority before buying. Prices are what the retailer advertised when we last checked and exclude shipping unless stated.