Author Topic: Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?  (Read 1757 times)

Offline Leah613

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Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?
« on: September 02, 2020, 01:40:35 AM »
Hi! Last yr i was so tempted to get panel sukkah but was so expensive.  (The sukkah depot ones with like doors or windows and snap in place) We got a guy to build us a great wooden sukkah for half the price last yr after years of canvas. However its stored really awkwardly in our converted garage now serving as an entranceway to our rental house and he made really thick brackets so I dont know what to do with it as it takes up so much room. Husband not so handy...cant build storage unit big enough. Trying to decide if I should convince him to sell it and get the panels again. Got offered a good deal with them thru sukkah depot (they can go down in price) I know what ur going to say lol its elul it's my husband's decision! How much do u love ur sukkah panel sukkah? Or not worth the extra $1000+?

Offline yos9694

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Re: Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2020, 09:32:02 AM »
Not a fan of the panel succahs-
1. Storing the panels takes up a lot of space too, and its inconvenient that they have to be stored on their side and that nothing can be put on top of them
2. Fiberglass walls act like a greenhouse - my neighbor's wood succah is always much cooler during the day
3. Wildly expensive
4. Not customizable - no DIY changes
5. No flexibility in shape - gotta be rectangle, gotta be all 4 walls
6. Not forgiving to different terrains - sloping or bumpy ground is problematic

About the only positive thing I see in them is they're quicker to put up and down (not the first time, but after you get the hang of it). Appearance is nice, but not better than wood.

Offline Mikes@Micro

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Re: Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?
« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2020, 11:01:12 AM »
Are the panels so much thinner?

The sleek look is cool but honestly I appreciate the homey wood look more.

Quote
4

Difficult but not impossible to customize if you are willing to spend + very handy + house wall or other support system to work with.


If you decide to go for it I reccomend the 7ft. Besides for being cheaper it is so much easier to assemble.

The solid cross breeze windows are great if your willing to pay for em.
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Offline yos9694

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Re: Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?
« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2020, 11:16:31 AM »
Are the panels so much thinner?

1.5" thickness instead of 2.5" thickness of a 2x3 frame


Difficult but not impossible to customize if you are willing to spend + very handy + house wall or other support system to work with.

I consider myself very handy but I am never going to cut through fiberglass and deal with that dust or do the riveting. Any change such as a bump out, groove, corner, etc is going to cost serious money and the hassle of schlepping panels to and from the store/factory.

It's certainly possible to do a 3 wall succah and anchor to a house or such - but it's more complicated than doing the same thing with a wood succah.


The solid cross breeze windows are great if your willing to pay for em.

That's the name of the game when it comes to panel succahs. You spend thousands on the panels upfront and then later need to make changes or mods, which cost hundreds for any little thing. The cross breeze windows are excellent - make sure they're priced in to the original configuration.

Offline grodnoking

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Re: Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?
« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2020, 11:23:58 AM »
Fiberglass panels last forever. Mines going on 30 years. Definitely easier to put up than wood IMHO. No need to worry to much about humidity or moisture when storing.
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Offline Euclid

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Re: Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2020, 11:26:00 AM »
Sukkah depot aren't fiberglass. They're a thin wood panel covered with an artificial veneer.

Offline lcm

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Re: Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?
« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2020, 11:44:16 AM »
If you do want to build your own, easiest and nicest is (in short),
Build 2x8 foot frames, and use opaque corrugated plastic as the panel.
Connect with hinges that have easy to remove hinge pins, 2 on each side of each frame

Offline Chapshnell

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Re: Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?
« Reply #7 on: September 02, 2020, 04:03:39 PM »
Sukkah depot aren't fiberglass. They're a thin wood panel covered with an artificial veneer.

so who sells fiberglass?

Offline Mikes@Micro

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Re: Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?
« Reply #8 on: September 02, 2020, 05:42:28 PM »
If you do want to build your own, easiest and nicest is (in short),
Build 2x8 foot frames, and use opaque corrugated plastic as the panel.
Connect with hinges that have easy to remove hinge pins, 2 on each side of each frame
Can you link or post a pic of the plastic?
Ime it gets cloudy and dirty.
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Offline grodnoking

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Re: Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?
« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2020, 06:34:32 PM »
so who sells fiberglass?
Letters sells both
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Offline lcm

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Re: Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?
« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2020, 07:36:02 PM »
Can you link or post a pic of the plastic?
Ime it gets cloudy and dirty.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Coroplast-48-in-x-96-in-x-0-157-in-White-Corrugated-Plastic-Sheet-CP4896S/205351385

I've seen them used not on frames, and they looked fine.
I've used frames with wood paneling, but they warp.
Next revamp, the plan is to put this stuff on frames.

Offline Netster

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Re: Panel.sukkahs, worth the expense?
« Reply #11 on: September 06, 2020, 07:01:19 PM »
Awesome affordable DIY Sukkah option - https://www.diysukkah.welearntogether.org/