If you have ever opened your greenhouse door on a bright July afternoon and been hit by a wall of heat, you already know why shading matters. On a sunny UK summer day the temperature inside an unshaded greenhouse can climb well past 40°C — hot enough to scorch tomato leaves, bolt your lettuces and cook tender seedlings before lunchtime. Good ventilation helps, but once the sun is beating down through the glass, shading is the single most effective way to keep things cool.
The good news is that shading a greenhouse does not have to be expensive or complicated. From a £10 tin of shading paint to a proper external shade net, there is an option to suit every budget and every size of greenhouse. In this guide we compare the best greenhouse shading products available in the UK for 2026, explain the difference between netting, paint and blinds, and help you pick the right one for your growing setup.
Our top greenhouse shading picks at a glance
Best overall: a good-quality 50% HDPE knitted shade net gives you the best balance of cooling, light and flexibility. Best budget option: greenhouse shading paint, which costs a few pounds and lasts the whole season. Best for aluminium greenhouses: a made-to-measure internal netting kit with greenhouse clips. Best premium choice: an external roller blind or reflective shade net for serious temperature control. We cover all of these below.
Netting, paint or blinds — which type of shading is best?
Before we get to specific products, it helps to understand the three main approaches, because they behave very differently.
Shade netting
Shade netting (also called shade cloth) is a knitted or woven mesh, usually made from UV-stabilised high-density polyethylene (HDPE). It is sold by shade percentage — typically 30%, 40%, 50% or higher — which tells you roughly how much light it blocks. For most UK greenhouses growing tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and general summer crops, 40–50% is the sweet spot. Netting is brilliant because it is flexible: you can drape it over the outside, clip it inside, or take it off entirely on a cloudy day. Fitted on the outside it is by far the most effective option, because it stops the sun before it hits the glass.
Shading paint
Shading paint is a white or clear-ish liquid you brush, roll or spray onto the outside of the glass in late spring, then scrub off in autumn. It is easily the cheapest option and requires no clips or framework, which makes it popular for older timber and glass greenhouses. The downside is that it is not adjustable — once it is on, it shades on dull days as well as bright ones. Some modern products (such as Coolglass) become more transparent when wet, letting more light through on rainy days, which softens that drawback.
Blinds and roller shades
Roller blinds and roll-down external shades give you the most control of all — pull them down when the sun is strong, roll them up when it is not. They are the most expensive route and usually need fixing to the greenhouse frame, but for a smart, permanent solution on a nice greenhouse they are hard to beat.
The best greenhouse shading products for 2026
1. Greenhouse shading paint (Coolglass / similar) — best budget option
If you want the cheapest possible way to keep your greenhouse cool, shading paint is it. A single tin costs around £8–12 and, diluted with water, covers a typical 6x8ft greenhouse for the whole summer. You simply brush or sponge it onto the outside of the glass once the weather warms up, usually from May, and wash it off in September.
Coolglass is the best-known name and has a useful trick: the coating turns more translucent when it rains, so your plants get more light on dull, wet days and full shading when it is dry and bright. It is honest, no-frills and effective. The catch is the effort — applying and later scrubbing off the paint is a fiddly job, and it only really suits glass or rigid glazing rather than polycarbonate you would rather not scratch.
Pros: extremely cheap, no fixings needed, lasts all season. Cons: messy to apply and remove, not adjustable day to day, best on glass only. Around £8–12.
2. HDPE knitted shade net, 50% (LATERN, vensovo and similar) — best overall value
For most gardeners, a roll of good-quality 50% HDPE shade netting is the smartest buy. These knitted nets come in handy sizes such as 2m x 3m or 2m x 10m, have lock-stitched edges and reinforced corners so they do not fray, and are UV-stabilised to survive several summers outdoors. Prices are very reasonable — expect around £12–25 depending on size.
The real advantage is versatility. Throw the net over the outside of the greenhouse and weight or tie it down for maximum cooling, or fix it inside if wind is a concern. Because it is fabric, you can fold it away completely once the season ends and reuse it year after year. A 50% net blocks enough sun to prevent scorch while still letting your tomatoes ripen properly. If you garden somewhere especially sunny or grow shade-lovers like ferns, step up to 60%; for a cooler, cloudier plot, 40% is plenty.
Pros: flexible, reusable, great cooling when fitted externally, cheap. Cons: needs tying or clipping down securely; loose nets can flap in the wind. Around £12–25.
3. Internal shade netting kit with greenhouse clips — best for aluminium greenhouses
If you have a modern aluminium-framed greenhouse, a made-to-measure internal shading kit takes all the guesswork out. Suppliers such as Two Wests & Elliott and Greenhouse Stores sell netting cut to common greenhouse sizes together with the special spring clips that slot into the aluminium glazing bars. The net simply clips to the underside of the roof and sides, giving a tidy, secure fit with no drilling.
Internal netting is not quite as effective at cooling as external netting — the heat has already passed through the glass — but it is far tidier, never blows away, and is much easier to put up and take down. For anyone who wants a neat, hassle-free solution and does not want netting flapping around outside, this is the one. Expect to pay around £20–40 for a kit including clips, depending on greenhouse size.
Pros: neat and secure, easy to fit and remove, no wind worries. Cons: less cooling than external shading, priced per greenhouse size. Around £20–40.
4. vensovo / winemana sunblock shade cloth with grommets — best for larger plots
For allotment-sized greenhouses, polytunnels or gardeners who want to shade several structures, a larger sunblock shade cloth with pre-punched grommets (eyelets) is excellent value. These 40–50% density cloths come in generous sizes and the metal grommets every metre or so make them easy to tie down with cord or bungees. The woven or knitted HDPE is tough enough to double up as shading for a patio, chicken run or cold frame when it is not on the greenhouse.
The grommets are the key selling point — they make fixing quick and stop the fabric tearing at the fixing points, which is where cheaper nets fail. It is a genuinely multi-purpose bit of kit. Around £15–30 depending on size.
Pros: strong grommets, large sizes, multi-purpose, good value. Cons: heavier and bulkier to store; can be overkill for a small greenhouse. Around £15–30.
5. External roller blind / roll-down shade — best premium choice
At the top end, an external roller blind or roll-down shade gives you push-button-simple control over how much sun reaches your plants. Fitted above the greenhouse roof or on the sunny side, you pull it down when the sun is fierce and roll it up when the sky clouds over — no clips, no scrubbing, no compromise. Because it sits outside the glass it also offers the best cooling of any adjustable option.
The trade-offs are price and installation. Quality roller shades typically cost £40–70 or more and need fixing securely to the frame, so they suit gardeners who want a permanent, good-looking solution on a greenhouse they are proud of. For a prized greenhouse used every summer, the convenience is well worth it.
Pros: fully adjustable, excellent cooling, tidy and permanent. Cons: most expensive option, needs proper fixing. Around £40–70+.
6. Reflective aluminet-style shade net — best for extreme heat
If your greenhouse sits in full, baking sun all day, a reflective knitted net (often sold as aluminet or reflective shade cloth) is worth considering. Instead of simply absorbing sunlight like a dark net, the metallic-look threads reflect a portion of it away, which can keep the interior noticeably cooler while still diffusing light evenly across your plants. It is a favourite for propagating and for heat-sensitive crops.
Reflective nets cost a little more than plain HDPE — usually around £20–35 for a greenhouse-sized piece — and are best fitted externally. If ordinary netting is not keeping the temperature down on your hottest days, this is the upgrade to reach for.
Pros: reflects heat for cooler interiors, diffuses light well. Cons: dearer than standard netting, best fitted outside. Around £20–35.
Greenhouse shading comparison table
| Product type | Best for | Cooling | Adjustable? | Rough price |
| Shading paint (Coolglass) | Budget / glass greenhouses | Good | No | £8–12 |
| 50% HDPE shade net | Most gardeners (best value) | Very good (external) | Yes | £12–25 |
| Internal netting + clips kit | Aluminium greenhouses | Moderate | Yes | £20–40 |
| Sunblock cloth with grommets | Larger / multiple structures | Very good | Yes | £15–30 |
| External roller blind | Premium, permanent setup | Excellent | Yes (easily) | £40–70+ |
| Reflective (aluminet) net | Extreme heat / full sun | Excellent | Yes | £20–35 |
How to choose the right greenhouse shading
Start with your greenhouse type. If you have a traditional glass or timber greenhouse and want the cheapest fix, shading paint is hard to argue with. If you have an aluminium-framed greenhouse, an internal netting kit with matching clips will be the neatest, most secure option. For everyone else — and for the best cooling — a roll of external shade net is the flexible, reusable all-rounder we would reach for first.
Next, think about shade percentage. For general summer crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, 40–50% is ideal: enough to stop scorch without starving your plants of the light they need to fruit. Choose 30% for a cooler, cloudier location, and 50–60% if you grow ferns, orchids or other shade-lovers, or garden somewhere that gets full sun all day.
Finally, decide between internal and external fitting. External shading is roughly 20–30% more effective because it blocks the sun before it heats the glass — netting fitted outside can keep a greenhouse several degrees cooler than the same net fitted inside. The trade-off is that external netting needs securing well against the wind, so weight it down or tie it firmly.
When should you put greenhouse shading up in the UK?
As a rule of thumb, shading goes up in late spring and comes down in early autumn. In most of the UK that means fitting it from mid-to-late May, once the sun is high and strong, and removing it in September as light levels drop and you want to give ripening crops every bit of sun they can get. In a warm spring you may want it up a little earlier; in the far north you can often leave it a couple of weeks later. Keep an eye on your greenhouse thermometer — if daytime temperatures are regularly pushing past the high 20s°C, it is time to shade.
Remember that shading works best alongside good ventilation and watering. Open your roof vents and door on hot days, damp down the floor to raise humidity and cool the air, and consider an automatic vent opener so the greenhouse looks after itself while you are at work. Shading is one part of keeping summer temperatures under control, not the whole answer.
Greenhouse shading FAQs
What percentage shade net is best for a greenhouse?
For most UK greenhouses growing tomatoes and general summer crops, a 40–50% shade net is ideal. It blocks enough sun to prevent leaf scorch and overheating while still letting plenty of light through for healthy growth and ripening. Go higher (50–60%) only if you grow shade-loving plants or garden in full, all-day sun.
Is it better to shade a greenhouse inside or outside?
Outside, if you can. External shading blocks the sun before it passes through the glass and can keep a greenhouse several degrees cooler than the same netting fitted inside. Internal netting is tidier and never blows away, so it is a fair trade-off if you value convenience over maximum cooling.
Can I use shade netting on a polycarbonate greenhouse?
Yes. Shade netting works on glass and polycarbonate alike, and it is often the better choice for polycarbonate because shading paint can be awkward to scrub off plastic glazing without scratching it. Clip or tie the net in place rather than using anything adhesive.
How long does greenhouse shade netting last?
A good UV-stabilised HDPE net will typically last several summers if you fold it away and store it dry over winter. Cheaper nets without reinforced edges or grommets tend to fray and tear at the fixing points first, which is why it is worth paying a little more for lock-stitched edges.
Our verdict
For most UK gardeners, a good 50% HDPE shade net is the option we would choose first — it is cheap, flexible, reusable and does the best job of keeping a greenhouse cool when fitted on the outside. If budget is tight, shading paint remains an unbeatable few-pounds fix, while aluminium greenhouse owners will love the tidiness of a clip-in internal kit. Spend a little more on a roller blind or reflective net if you have a prized greenhouse or a plot that bakes all day.
Whichever you choose, getting some shade up before the first real heatwave will save your seedlings, keep your tomatoes happy and make your greenhouse a far more pleasant place to potter about in this summer. Pair it with good ventilation — see our guides to automatic greenhouse vent openers and greenhouse thermometers — and you will have summer temperatures well under control.
