After tearing down the hoop houses and building several myself I have come to what I think is the best easy quick greenhouse for the hobby gardner!
Using only 2by 4's and flake board you can make something really nice for less than $400!
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First you need to realize that the plastic you can use comes in rolls of 6 mil for 20 by 100 feet clear for $72 at lowes! We will try to build something that will work well with the 20 foot wide plastic!.
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This will be a small A frame setting on a 2 foot high rectanglar frame! Using 2 by 4 by 8' we will make a a rectangle 16 feet long and 10 feet wide. Now we make 2 frames using 8 foot 2 by 4;s. I like making them 8 foot long then putting them up. You need 4 of these 8 footers.. You now form the A frame bring both sided together making a equallateral tringle. The center will be about 8 feet from the ground..
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Now that you have the frame made here are the tips you need to make it better! Paint all the board white before you put them up and is easy with a roller!
Face the south side toward the noon sun! Cover the north side with flake board and insulate as you wish! Put 6- 50 gallon of black barrels filled with water on the north side. Cover the fiished frame completely with the 6 mill plastic even over the flake board. The 20 foot width of the plastic will run on the 16 foot length giving a two foot over hang to drop over part of the side triangle wall! Put a layer of plastic inside the greenhouse on the south wall only so as to have a double layer seperated by 4 inches the distance of the 2 by 4's! Insulate the north wall with a shiny alum coated foam 1/2 in min. Put a door on one or both sides of the A! Use treated 2 by 4's where the fram meets the ground!
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Options are many but here are a few. On the north flake board wall run a gutter slightly angled to one side of the A with a drain pipe into one of the 50 gallon drums for useable water and you will get plenty! Place the gutter at least 3 feet from ground level! To make you greenhouse higher with more head room make the boarder frame 3 feet high but the two foot works great! Run some screens along the 2 foot south wall so you can take the plastic off the two foot frame in march or warmer seasons for cool air and to keep animals out!!
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You will have enough plastic to cover it the following year with some to spare. This is a very sturdy greenhouse that will last for many years and extend your season maybe all winter depending what area you liv. As the weather warms take the inside layer off! I works for me all winter with temp above 30 without any extra heat except for the barrels of water! I hope this helps some who wants to stay under $400 and have a nice size building for a greenhouse and even storage! GOOD LUCK!
Double plastic makes a big difference but it must have a air space btween the layers not more than 6 inches!. If the two layers come together you loose you extra insulation. I also like to put the 6 mill on the ouside and a 3 o 4 mill on the inside of the greenhouse because it leaves more ight into the plants! In the spring I remove the inside layer so the inside does not get over a 100 degrees!
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I mentioned that I put a pipe painted black extending out of the 50 gallon drums. I found a 6 foot 6 inch steel beam that I will also use coming out of one of the open barrels!. Any other idea to collect heat for the night?
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I mentioned that I put a pipe painted black extending out of the 50 gallon drums. I found a 6 foot 6 inch steel beam that I will also use coming out of one of the open barrels!. Any other idea to collect heat for the night?
I think some pictures would help a lot with these instructions ;3 Though I'm curious at the temp difference is inside vs outside using the 6 mil plastic? I am covering my caged garden with it, since the temp has dropped in my area and started to damage some of my plants.
As for heating in mine, being near my house, I am using a regular heat lamp and extension cord. Once I get the garden enclosed, I'm hoping that it'll get fairly warm inside, at least enough to keep it from damaging my plants.
As for heating in mine, being near my house, I am using a regular heat lamp and extension cord. Once I get the garden enclosed, I'm hoping that it'll get fairly warm inside, at least enough to keep it from damaging my plants.
Make sure you get some heat storage material like the 50 gallon drums or even a small brick pile! A few old radiators filled with water will also give some heat at night! I am also thinking of placing some block in a 50 gallon open metal drum and set a small radiator so it is exposed to the sun about half the rest under water. Should warm up the barrel faster and give back the heat at night!
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Gary350
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 7414
- Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
- Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.
The main disadvantages I have found with roll plastic is, when the wind blows the plastic moves back and forth. The plastic movement acts like a bellows it pumps the warm air out then sucks in cold air.
Other disadvantage is, after a year of UV light exposure the plastic gets brittle and falls apart.
Other disadvantage is, after a year of UV light exposure the plastic gets brittle and falls apart.
The hoop house moves the plastic also and are not insulated on the north side! The plastic for the hoop house cost 5 times that of a home made greenhouse. A 12 by 16 regular greenhouse cost way more that a self built one. Mine works great with no expensive heat added! A hoop house cost a ton to heat in the winter. I put long screens in the middle of the plastic outside which stops the wind movement a good bit!. Air movement helps with less mlld due and fungus!