Greenhouse

This information is being supplied without warranty of any kind, it contains all the steps I went thru to get my greenhouse up and running, and all the changes that I had to make to make it practical. I have been growing trees for a few years and selling them on the net. Someone gave me the idea that I should have a greenhouse to grow my own trees earlier in the season to have them ready by Spring time. I purchased some plans for $6 on Ebay. Probably those plans are still there. The main claim was "Build a greenhouse for less than $100". They did not lie. I got it up with less than $100, but that was only the beginning. I have been asked, would you do it the same again? No way. To start, you need to have a flat level piece of ground. Think floor. This is the first thing that should go in. A concrete slab would be what I would go with. The instructions call for 2 12X10X2 and 2 14X10X2 pieces of treated lumber. These boards would make up the perimeter of the greenhouse, and you would nail these to 4 4X4 pieces of wood buried in the ground about 3 ft deep. Since you start with the slab first, once it is cured (about 2 weeks) you attach the 12X10X2 and the 14X10X2 to the concrete with bolts. Attach them so they are flush with the top of the slab. The width of the greenhouse must be 12 ft. but the length can be any length you want up to 100 ft. My greenhouse is 12X14. The material you will buy to cover it comes in 100 ft. rolls. The body - You will need the following: 3/4" PVC pipe 10 ft. long 18 pieces. 3.4" Crosses 6 of them. You find these only in specialized PVC distributor. They are not expensive, only hard to find. I also found a place on the Internet that sells furniture grade PVC and they have those fittings. 3/4" Tees 2 (these are for the ends.) All pvc parts to be schedule 40. Steel Cable clamps to hold the 3/4" pipe ends in place, 40 each. The greenhouse will have then 8 ribs, of PVC which is attached to a main beam of also 3/4" PVC. One important detail, put 1/2" galvanized steel inside this main beam. without it, the beam will tend to bend and distort. Make sure you have enough galvanized pipe to go from one end of the greenhouse to the other. Get the kind of pipe that can be extended. The segments of PVC pipe that make up the beam, are about 21 1/4" long. when you fit the last segment, measure the whole thing and make sure it adds up to 14 ft. before you start using glue. The film used to cover this greenhouse was purchased from the Hummert catalog- (800) 325-3055. There are several choices, look for one that will last at least 4 years, 6 mils thick, and 24 ft. wide. Also, this greenhouse film has to be UV protected. This will continue... if you have questions, send me email Look for the answers to your emails in this page. Front Page