Quick Answer: The best Exaco greenhouse for most buyers is the Junior Victorian J-VIC 23 — 79 square feet of 4mm tempered glass on a black tubular-aluminum frame, priced at $8,799 suggested retail on Exaco’s own site and as low as $7,449 at Home Depot. Step up to the J-VIC 24 (96 sq ft, $9,599) if 79 square feet feels tight, or the Belgian-built Royal Victorian VI34 (150 sq ft, from $9,799) if you want real growing-and-gathering space with taller sidewalls. All three use real tempered glass rather than polycarbonate, which is the entire reason they cost several times what a Palram kit does.
Exaco is the odd brand out on this site — everything else we cover is polycarbonate, and Exaco’s Victorian line is glass. Exaco has imported the Janssens-built Victorian range from Belgium since 1988, and the appeal is straightforward: a real glasshouse, the kind you’d see leaning against a Victorian kitchen garden wall, sold as a kit a homeowner can actually assemble. Here’s what separates the sizes, and whether the jump from a Palram kit is worth it for you.
Exaco greenhouses by the numbers:
- 4mm tempered glass, every model — unlike the polycarbonate that dominates this category, Exaco’s entire Victorian range glazes with real tempered glass, per Exaco’s own product specifications. Glass outlasts polycarbonate’s UV-yellowing lifespan but is heavier and less impact-tolerant.
- $7,449 to $10,249 — the spread across Exaco’s own 2026 published pricing for the three Junior Victorian sizes and the entry Royal Victorian, before options. That’s roughly 4-12x a comparable-footprint Palram Hybrid or Mythos.
- 79 to 150+ square feet — the range from the smallest Junior Victorian (J-VIC 23) to the Royal Victorian VI34, with larger Royal Victorian sizes (VI36, VI46) going well past that.
- 17-gauge tubular aluminum — the frame gauge Exaco specifies for the Junior Victorian line, heavier-duty than the thin extruded aluminum channel most budget polycarbonate kits use to hold glazing panels.
Exaco greenhouses at a glance
| Model | Best for | Size | Glazing | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Victorian J-VIC 23 | Best overall / entry | 10'2" x 7'9" — 79 sq ft | 4mm tempered glass | $7,449–$8,799 |
| Junior Victorian J-VIC 24 | Best mid-size | 12'6" x 7'9" — 96 sq ft | 4mm tempered glass | ~$9,599 |
| Royal Victorian VI34 | Best large / splurge | 10'2" x 15' — 150 sq ft | 4mm tempered glass | From ~$9,799 |
1. Exaco Junior Victorian J-VIC 23 — Best Overall
Exaco Junior Victorian J-VIC 23 Greenhouse
- 79 square feet — 10'2" long x 7'9" wide, with an 8'2" peak height and 5'2" sidewalls.
- 4mm tempered glass panes throughout, on a black 17-gauge tubular-aluminum frame.
- Suggested retail $8,799 direct from Exaco; Home Depot has carried it as low as $7,449.
- Built-in gutters with downspouts for rainwater management.
- The smallest entry point into Exaco's glass range, still large enough for full-size benching down one side.
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The J-VIC 23 is the size most first-time glass-greenhouse buyers land on, and for good reason: 79 square feet is real growing space — enough for a bench down one long wall and an aisle down the other — without the price or footprint of the larger sizes. The tempered glass is the whole story here. Where a Palram Harmony gives you roughly 90% light transmission through polycarbonate that will slowly yellow over the years, tempered glass stays optically clear for decades and doesn’t diffuse light the way twin-wall panels do.
That clarity comes with real tradeoffs. Glass is heavier to install, less forgiving of a slightly out-of-square base, and — unlike polycarbonate — it can shatter rather than flex if something hits it hard. Budget time (or a second pair of hands) for assembly, and don’t skip a proper foundation.
2. Exaco Junior Victorian J-VIC 24 — Best Mid-Size
Exaco Junior Victorian J-VIC 24 Greenhouse
- 96 square feet — 12'6" long x 7'9" wide, same 8'2" peak height and 5'2" sidewalls as the J-VIC 23.
- Same 4mm tempered glass and black tubular-aluminum frame as the rest of the Junior Victorian line.
- Suggested retail $9,599 per Exaco's 2026 pricing — about $800 more than the J-VIC 23 for 17 extra square feet.
- The extra length is enough for a proper potting bench at one end without crowding the growing area.
The J-VIC 24 is the same greenhouse as the J-VIC 23, stretched two and a half feet longer. If your list already includes a potting bench or shelving that needs its own dedicated end of the structure, the extra length buys that room without adding width you’d have to find yard space for. It’s a narrower upgrade decision than jumping to the Royal Victorian — same width, same height, same glazing, just longer.
3. Exaco Royal Victorian VI34 — Best Large / Splurge
Exaco Royal Victorian VI34 Greenhouse
- 150 square feet — 10'2" wide x 15' long x 9' high, with taller 6-foot-plus sidewalls than the Junior line.
- Built in Belgium by Janssens; Exaco has been the exclusive North American importer since 1988.
- 4mm tempered glass on a rectangular, customizable footprint — Exaco markets it as suited to entertaining as well as growing.
- Three roof windows plus a louvered window for ventilation, per manufacturer specifications.
- Pricing starts around $9,799 and climbs with the larger VI36 and VI46 sizes.
The Royal Victorian is a different proposition than either Junior Victorian size — not just bigger, but built to double as a garden room. The taller sidewalls mean you can stand a full-height shelving unit or a small seating area against the glass without ducking under a sloped roof, and the rectangular footprint scales up through the VI36 and VI46 for buyers who want a genuinely large structure. It’s the size to consider if the greenhouse needs to work as living space part of the year, not just a growing chamber.
At this price, though, it’s worth being honest about what you’re paying for. The jump from a J-VIC 24 to a VI34 is roughly $200 for 54 extra square feet — reasonable — but the jump from any Palram kit to any Exaco model is paying primarily for glass over polycarbonate and Belgian manufacturing over an injection-molded panel system. If light transmission and looks matter more than budget, that’s a fair trade. If you mainly need growing space, our best greenhouse kit roundup covers structures that do the job for a fraction of the cost.
How to choose an Exaco greenhouse
- Decide if glass is worth it to you. Tempered glass looks better, stays clearer for longer, and doesn’t yellow — but it’s heavier, less impact-tolerant, and the entire reason Exaco costs 4-12x a comparable Palram. If you just need reliable growing space, a polycarbonate kit does the job for far less.
- Then pick size by what else has to fit. 79 square feet (J-VIC 23) suits a bench and an aisle. 96 (J-VIC 24) adds room for a dedicated potting station. 150+ (Royal Victorian) starts working as part-time living space.
- Budget for the foundation. Glass doesn’t forgive an out-of-square base the way flexible polycarbonate panels do — plan on a level concrete or paver pad, not compacted gravel. See our greenhouse foundation guide.
- Plan for heat and ventilation from day one. Clear glass transmits essentially all available light, which means summer heat management matters even more than on a Palram Harmony. A circulation fan and an automatic vent opener aren’t optional extras on a structure this size.
Not ready for a five-figure structure? Our best Palram greenhouse roundup covers the polycarbonate range that most growers actually buy, and our best greenhouse kit picks span the full budget spectrum. Growing through real winter cold either way? Our best greenhouse for winter picks weigh structure types against each other for cold-climate performance. Want the wind and snow rating of a heavy-duty frame without the jump to glass? Our best Riga greenhouse picks cover Exaco’s own German-engineered polycarbonate line — same importer, sturdier frame, roughly a third of the price. Want twin-wall polycarbonate from a different brand entirely? Our best ClimaPod greenhouse picks cover the Spirit and Virtue series, a lower-priced alternative in the same 6mm-panel class.