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Greenhouse
- Thread starter lithopsman
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- greenhouse
Depending on where you live, what you plant to grow and if you have electricity a green house can be fairly inexpensive or very expensive. I built a pre-fab one last year, it is about 7'X8' and it was over $1,100.00. It has the double pane plastic pannels. If you don't have dogs or small kids who will rip the sides you can make one out of the heavy duty plastic that you can get at Home depot. You will have to replace the plastice every couple of years, but it will give you an idea of how a greenhouse works. Message me for more information.
A very cheap way to make a greenhouse it to buy 4x4 pieces of lumber and then holding them together at right angles with bolts . You could then put some poly film over the whole structure for insulation. I made a frame like this in my back yard (without the poly film insulation), and It's both simple to make and cheap. The materials cost a total of around $110 (which could be cheaper in other places) and my shadehouse is 5ft wide, by 11 ft long by 6.5 ft high. If I need more room, I could just build another one for the same price!
in either case, the cost doesn't get nearly as high as a prefabricated greenhouse. I'm actually thinking of making another frame since my current one is already starting to get crowded.
Joel
Joel
I have also heard of making a base using 2 x 4's. You simply level your ground, and bolt 2 x 4's together to make a border around it.
Then, you figure out how tall you want it, and erect 'center poles' down the length of the green house.
Your next step, is to take cattle fencing, and anchor one end of it (lengthwise) to one side of the base, and the other end to the other side, this makes a half circle, with the apex of the arch resting on center pole. Repeat this all the way down, binding each fence section with wire, and to the center pole.
When your done, you pull some heavy weight plastic over the surface, and then your shade cloth.
You can erect 'ends' (Dont forget to put a door in) by either plugging with wood, or making a frame much like you just did with the cattle fencing.
Then, you figure out how tall you want it, and erect 'center poles' down the length of the green house.
Your next step, is to take cattle fencing, and anchor one end of it (lengthwise) to one side of the base, and the other end to the other side, this makes a half circle, with the apex of the arch resting on center pole. Repeat this all the way down, binding each fence section with wire, and to the center pole.
When your done, you pull some heavy weight plastic over the surface, and then your shade cloth.
You can erect 'ends' (Dont forget to put a door in) by either plugging with wood, or making a frame much like you just did with the cattle fencing.
Lithopsman,
Patience please, I am sure some one will answer you question when they can think of an answer.
Since this looks to have become a general 'How-To' on greenhouse building then a lot of ideas are going to get thrown about by a lot of people. Just because you started it doesn't mean everyone who posts has to answer only your questions.
Your questions are good ones to bring up but give people the option to run their own thoughts too.
Pyro
Patience please, I am sure some one will answer you question when they can think of an answer.
Since this looks to have become a general 'How-To' on greenhouse building then a lot of ideas are going to get thrown about by a lot of people. Just because you started it doesn't mean everyone who posts has to answer only your questions.
Pyro
For my first greenhouse I sarted with a base of landscape timbers I used 3/4" pvc pipe to make a frame that looked like it would fit on a costagaa sp wagon. I took 1" pipe and cut it into 8-10" sections and drove them into the ground. I then placed the ends of the frame into them and drilled a hole through the pipes and into the landscape timbers. I covered the whole thing with plastic. Then my Husband came back from a camping trip and had a fit
He then made frames for the ends.
You can use cross venlation and shde cloths to help the heat down in the summer and water containers to help keep the heat in the winter. I think the water helps absorb the heat in the summer also. White floors also help to keep the temp. down. For extra heat retention in the winter you need two layers of plastic with an air pocket in between them. I have heard that you can also line them with bubble wrap.
You can use cross venlation and shde cloths to help the heat down in the summer and water containers to help keep the heat in the winter. I think the water helps absorb the heat in the summer also. White floors also help to keep the temp. down. For extra heat retention in the winter you need two layers of plastic with an air pocket in between them. I have heard that you can also line them with bubble wrap.
