Building a greenhouse requires careful consideration of materials and tools to ensure a sturdy and functional structure. The right materials depend on the desired outcome and the conditions in your garden. To start, choose a sunny spot in your yard and follow steps 3 through 10. You can either purchase a greenhouse kit or source your own materials.
To construct a greenhouse from scratch, follow these steps: set the foundation, assemble framing and panels, and add finishing touches. Tools and materials include hacksaws, spare blades, sawzall, nut drivers and/or adjustable wrenches, drill bits and drill ledge, hammer, and masonry. Hardware tools such as power drills, hammers, nails, screws, and other tools are essential for building a greenhouse.
Top 10 greenhouse tools and equipment include hand trowel, spade, fork, secateurs, hoe, gardening gloves, rake, and shovel. A typical tool list includes tape measure, level (minimum 4′), caulking gun, ladder, utility knife, cordless drill and various drill bits, 2 Robertson and 2 Phillips, scissors, snips, and hand pruners.
Greenhouse gardeners should also have pruning shears, hand trowel, garden gloves, watering can, plant labels, seed trays, potting soil, and plant markers. Safety measures include pruning shears, hand trowel, garden gloves, watering can, plant labels, seed trays, potting soil, and plant markers.
In summary, building a greenhouse requires careful consideration of materials, tools, and safety measures.
📹 How to Build a Greenhouse | Post and Beam
Make your own Post & Beam Greenhouse with twin wall polycarbonate glazing and a poured concrete foundation. This timber …
How do greenhouses stay warm?
Greenhouses provide a sheltered environment for plants by using solar radiation to trap heat. This system of heating and circulating air creates an artificial environment that can sustain plants in cold or variable outdoor temperatures. Heat enters the greenhouse through glass or plastic, warming objects, soil, and plants inside. The warmed air near the soil rises and is replaced by cooler surrounding air, creating a warmer microclimate. In temperate climates, the sun may do all the heating, but in colder climates, artificial heat may be necessary.
Some greenhouses have access to central heat from the main building, while others rely on natural or bottled gas, heating coils, or fans. Other energy sources like solar batteries or animals are being explored as heat is a significant expense. The sun’s energy can easily travel through greenhouse glass, but the radiation emitted by plants and soil helps trap heat inside.
What not to grow in a greenhouse?
Greenhouses are ideal for gardeners as they provide controlled environments that extend growing seasons and protect plants from harsh weather. However, not all plants thrive in enclosed spaces. Some common mistakes to avoid include large trees and shrubs, which can outgrow containers and damage structures. Invasive plants, such as mint or certain ivy species, can quickly overtake other plants and become difficult to eradicate once established in a greenhouse.
To avoid these issues, it is recommended to reserve your greenhouse for compact or easily pruned plants. Additionally, plants with high temperature requirements, such as long-lived perennials, should be kept outside for easier control. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can save time, effort, and disappointment in your greenhouse gardening endeavors.
What is required in a greenhouse?
The greenhouse is a crucial part of any indoor growing adventure, and it’s essential to consider various aspects such as lighting, temperature and humidity control, watering, sanitation, and bench types. Some greenhouse hobbyists prefer using biodegradable pots and store them in water-tight containers. Growing mediums can be mixed in buckets with lids in small greenhouses or stored in large plastic tubs with lids in larger greenhouses. Benches are also essential for keeping plants off the ground and should be painted with semi-gloss paint to protect against mold.
Sanitation is vital in a greenhouse, as it prevents the growth of fungus, bacteria, or bugs. Bleach and disinfectant spray are essential, along with sinks and large washing tubs. Irrigation and drainage are also crucial, with benches designed with holes or slats to allow water to drip through. Ventilation is essential, with some greenhouses requiring vents to release built-up heat and humidity in the summer.
Artificial lighting is necessary for proper lighting, and fluorescent lights can be used if plants need longer days or are not naturally lit. Shades are also important for shade-loving plants, and shade cloths help keep the hottest rays out of the building.
Climate control is essential for greenhouses, with heaters and fans being cost-effective options for small spaces. It’s essential to use thermometers and hygrometers with a climate control system for precise control. By understanding these basic greenhouse necessities, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying the gardening season all year long.
Do greenhouses save money?
Growing from seed is a cost-effective alternative to buying established plants, and owning a greenhouse allows you to refresh your garden without spending hundreds of pounds. It also allows you to experiment with new varieties at a low cost, making propagating cuttings easier. Growing your own fruit and vegetables all year round is possible, as a greenhouse allows you to start crops earlier in the season and extend harvest time.
Some fruits and vegetables require glass protection to thrive, and you’ll soon discover the taste of your own greenhouse-nurtured tomatoes. You can also sell surplus produce at local farmer’s markets.
What materials are used to design a greenhouse?
Greenhouses are essential for plant growth and development, providing optimal environments that consider local outdoor conditions such as temperature, humidity, solar radiation, sky clarity, precipitation, and wind. The design of a greenhouse includes factors like location, orientation, site selection, drainage, structure, foundation, flooring, glazing, ventilation facilities, and equipment to control the climate inside the greenhouse. The location and orientation of a greenhouse determine the amount of light that enters it, making it crucial to choose the best location for erecting the greenhouse.
Greenhouses can be classified as freestanding or gutter-connected, with freestanding having a Quonset, Gothic, or gable roof shape, and gutter-connected having a series of bays connected at the gutter level. Structural members must be strong enough to prevent structural failure during adverse weather conditions but minimize shading and light transmission. Framing materials used in greenhouses include aluminum, galvanized steel, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or woods like redwood, cedar, or cypress.
Glass is a traditional glazing material, but plastic films, fiberglass, or polycarbonate are increasingly used. This chapter covers various topics related to greenhouse structures and design, including site selection, microclimate, water availability and quality, topography, windbreaks, room for expansion, labor availability, infrastructure, market accessibility, legal considerations, greenhouse orientation, angle of incidence, types of greenhouses, free-standing, quonset, Gothic, gable, A-frame, gutter-connected, open-root, flat-root, low-profile, rolling-root, and more.
How to build a greenhouse for cheap?
Building a low-cost greenhouse requires selecting budget-friendly materials such as PVC pipes or rebar for the frame and UV-resistant plastic sheeting for the covering. Utilize free or low-cost glazing options like recycled windows, clear shower curtains, or plastic soda bottles cut in half. Proper ventilation is crucial for a healthy growing environment, and can be sourced inexpensively from thrift stores or repurposed materials. By utilizing these materials, you can create a cost-effective greenhouse that promotes plant growth and maintains a healthy environment.
Which of the following do you need to build a greenhouse?
Greenhouse frames are typically constructed from a variety of materials, including lumber, PVC pipes, aluminum, and galvanized steel. However, high humidity and dampness can cause deterioration of the material, therefore it is recommended that moisture-resistant timber such as cedar or wood with a ground contact rating be used.
Does a DIY greenhouse need ventilation?
Good ventilation is crucial for a greenhouse’s optimal growing environment and overall efficiency. It is essential for temperature and humidity management, with passive roof ventilation being the most common method. It also helps in air circulation and replenishing carbon dioxide, which is crucial for plant growth. The greenhouse should have air movement between 0. 2 and 0. 7 meters per second to maintain carbon dioxide levels. Air exchange is also vital, with a greenhouse requiring at least 30 air changes per hour, but ideally 60 air changes per hour to manage the environment in hot, sunny Australian conditions.
How expensive is it to build a greenhouse?
A professionally built greenhouse costs around $11, 000, with most homeowners paying between $2, 000 and $25, 000. For smaller growing spaces, homeowners can install a smaller, prefabricated greenhouse, buy a greenhouse kit, or DIY it. There are several universal greenhouse elements that can help build the ideal greenhouse for your needs. Factors that affect cost include size, related services, pro cost vs. DIY cost, cost by location, and FAQ. By choosing the right option, homeowners can save money on greenhouse maintenance and installation costs.
What is needed to build a greenhouse?
This article provides step-by-step instructions for building a greenhouse, covering essential materials such as frame, covering, foundation, insulation, sealing, and fasteners and hardware. It is designed for gardening enthusiasts, homeowners, and those interested in sustainable living. Building a greenhouse offers numerous benefits, such as extending the growing season and protecting plants from harsh weather conditions. This article is suitable for those interested in a thriving greenhouse oasis.
📹 How to Build a Greenhouse
Here in the Upper Midwest, the gardening season is short, typically May through September. By building a greenhouse, we can …
As a contractor with over 40+ years of building experience myself, I must say, I am impressed with your build of this greenhouse. You’ve done an excellent job, and for a small greenhouse, it is not only very well built, it’s beautiful as well. Your use of lap joints, dado’s, handmade louvered vents, and all the other building methods used, including the use of stops and such, even the hand made forms for pouring the concrete foundation, would make anyone believe you were an experienced master builder. In this build, I see better building methods being utilized than in most of the homes today that people actually live in. End result is a gorgeous, functional greenhouse that will last for many years. Great job!
You’re easily my favorite builder! I love the detail in your workmanship with the post and beam building technique that is rarely utilized anymore and I love the detail you always provide us learners. This structure is gorgeous, strong and it’ll last decades if not a century or more. Question, I like the concrete surround with gravel interior, especially for the purpose of a green house. I live in sw KS, where it’s pretty much a cold desert in the winter. We do get below freezing but it’s only occasional, you mentioned your mild winters but I’m unsure if I could pull off the same base? For reference the last month it’s been cool to cold, usually it stays warm to hot till mid/late fall. Anyways it seems like a long lasting base, great work as always and so grateful you posted another build
1. I admire the detailed and descriptive way you do all the steps. And I will build it this winter just like you did. Robust greenhouses cost a lot – and I don’t earn enough for cheap hardware store goods. If you buy cheap, you buy twice. Great work, in all details. 2. Finally, a article in which the technical terms are explained in an understandable way. As a German, I had the pleasure of expanding my vocabulary. Thank you for this – subscription is done.
Unreal build. I can see you’ve thought of all possibilities to make this as good as it can be. The animation is fantastic and very clear to understand. Really impressed with your design and thought process with your projects in general. Can I just ask what programme you’re using to sketch all your projects up?
When you don’t use rafter ties (cathedral ceilings like this) the ridge board acts as a load bearing member and is referred to as a ridge beam instead of ridge board. The reason that is important: a ridge board is just a nailing surface that lets you attach the rafters, but the beam itself doesn’t experience load. If you don’t use rafter ties, then you need to factor in that the ridge beam is supporting about 1/3rd of the weight of the roof (and snow load). It supports this at both ends. So, you need to size the beam and end posts to accommodate that weight. The way you’ve designed this, the ridge beam has no end support and the connection in the middle is not adequate for load bearing. I’m sure this will be fine because of the short distances involved, but it’s not the right way to do it.
As a 70 yo ret. Gen. contractor this greenhouse could withstand a nuclear blast. I love how you built this small greenhouse and used the members (beams and Posts) for structural strength not depending on the fasteners. Well done. Fasteners only hold the structural members from moving and the structural members still take the load. Very nice I like it.
I have been preparing to build a greenhouse for more than half a year. I would like to start work in the spring. I have watched 100+ articles on how to do it. I’ve seen 200+ photos and descriptions on the internet of how someone built it. But… this is the best article I have seen. Standing ovation. Thank you for this material.
That’s amazing! A lot of work, but amazing! I’m disabled and 64 years old I’m sure mine will never look anything like yours, but I’m 20 miles from a grocery store and really need it! As weather is erratic and bugs are prevalent. My garden was a complete failure last year that can’t happen again. A lot of good information to take away from this and great craftsmanship. Thank you.
Thanks for the inspiration. I have a huge passion for gardening. When I’m outside working on the yard, it’s like my own personal church on Sunday. Your greenhouse turned out beautifully 😍. Because your article is so well done and the end result of the greenhouse is amazing, I have decided to copy you design and build a greenhouse of my own. Thank you again 🙏
You have many beautiful ideas and various and useful activities that you share with your followers for those who want to benefit from these ideas with very ordinary capabilities and tools available to any amateur who wants to work with the same enthusiasm. Thank you for your efforts to share with others to benefit
Thanks for sharing! It is always fun for me to learn more about gardening. It has been a year but I still consider myself as a novice. I developed an interest for gardening when I saw my neighbor’s glass greenhouse. IT WAS SO BEAUTIFULLLLL! I got to know that they bought it from Mulberry Greenhouses and bought myself a polycarbonate greenhouse for sale.
I really like your greenhouse design and the article was very well done. The animation, clear precise article footage and your narration tied it all together very well. I have been looking at greenhouse kits and many plans for a greenhouse in my backyard, however nothing caught my eye or looked like it would outlive me, and I’m 58. Your design will definitely look great and will probably still be standing once I’m gone. My biggest challenge to any construction is my location. I am in South Louisiana and we have been hit with some of the most severe hurricanes to date. I like the idea of the inexpensive polycarbonate, which could easily be replace once damaged by a hurricane. As opposed to glass or visqueen. The addition of your website, with complete plans, provides me a whole lotta confidence that I can take on this challenge. I’ll have to go watch your 4 part detailed build on this greenhouse.
great work … Im gonna copy a couple ideas … I will build a pole frame; (post in ground) then pour floor, use metal welded trusses, I like your mitered top plate beams, also a design I will copy for my 24X32X8 which will schill for a green house but will become my dwelling until the house is built. Your construction intelligence & attention to detail is obvious. Again Great Work.
First off, the green house looks beautiful and well crafted. Really great work. As a sound guy from LA I have to compliment you on the excellent production value of your article. I’m impressed that you took the time to record Voice Over that sounds pleasing. Even the sound effects were nice. The camera work and CGI was also great; simple and no flashy edits. While this project is more than I can handle I am inspired to continue learning how to do stuff like this on my own one day. Thank You!
I’m not building a greenhouse, but I am using recycled antique windows and doors to build a glass house in my garden, a ladies’ retreat. I am grateful for the many instructions in your article on woodworking. They will most definitely help me with my building. I need to have a knee wall, about 24″ high. You wouldn’t happen to have any plans for that process, would you? Also, how did you create the animation for the plans?
Well Done, I think a “SHED” the size of a one and a half car garage made with treated pine would be just the ticket for My Daughter to do her crafts in. She likes to make and sell crafts at different venues. The polycarbonate would be great to let in light and have the outdoorsy feeling instead of inside away from the surroundings! I will suggest it to her and see what she thinks, Thanks!
Wow! This is a mansion in impoverished third wold countries. I’ve seen newly constructed houses here in US that were poorly built compared to how they used to build housed back then-with a sense of pride and rightfully so. The footprint is perfect for most gardeners, nothing worse than a building with no elbow room. Imagine a greenhouse that after it is constructed you are out of room after the first seed tray lol. This was well done and probably will outlast much pricier builds that are around. Thank you.
Your wood joints look fantastic and absolutely nothing wrong with using the construction cement on them, wonderful job and article, I really enjoyed it …. After a year now, are you still happy with the polycarbonate panels or do you have any inclination to try glass or something else? Im also considering the polycarbonate, but have some hesitations. Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful. I have a question about your roofing choice. Those polycarb panels are rated to 120 degrees. I see many people using them as walls and not roofs for that reason. Corrugated polycarbonate panels like tufftex are rated to 220 degrees. How are your panels holding up so far? Also, you left allowances for expansionon on the polycarbonate wall panels however when you built the door you decided to not have that feature and you caulked in the door panels. So what is your preference here? Thanks. You did a great job.
I’ve never seen that plunge jig you were using for the screws, I’ll have to seek that out. I didn’t quite get how you were able to attach the blocking in the roof, as all the blocks are in a line so I don’t see how you could screw them from the ends. I’ll look for that part of your “four part series” in case you give the secret away there!
This was educational and a lovely greenhouse. I’m sure the homeowner was over the moon with this nice clean build. For myself, if I’m going to build something this elaborate and expensive, I want to use it for more than seedlings in the spring. I would want to be able to grow things at ground level, in the winter, even if just in pots. So, I would opt for wire shelving that can fold out of the way or be moved when not being used for seedlings. I don’t get why anyone would need grow lights for 24/7 light… nothing in nature has that. Otherwise, I loved everything else about the project.
One of the most rugged and well constructed greenhouses I’ve ever seen! Great tutorial that will enable any DIY’er with moderate building skills and standard tool kits, exactly what they need to build a very long lasting and satisfying greenhouse! Now, if I can only keep my wife from seeing this article!😬
I built greenhouses for a commercial wholesale greenhouse operation. The legs of the flower beds should be concrete block. The wood on the flower beds should be cedar or better yet redwood as the 1×4 you used will quickly rot with the watering. Watering tubes between pots and Stuppy Green House Supply can provide the watering tubes for the flower pots not to mention the watering caps to go into the flower pots. You need spaces between the boards on the flow benches. You may need a convection tube in the top of the greenhouse.
Well, the heartache of it all is that you can buy a kits for cheaper than if you go down to the home store, select your lumber & fasteners and plexi & build your own BECAUSE we have to pay retail while the factory which makes the kits buy a trainload of materials at a timer and pay wholesale. Even with their markup, their kit will be cheaper. !
Very nice ! I live in nw WI though, and my main uses for it won’t be in June/July, when the sun is directly overhead or even a little north. So, my plan has been to have one with a vertical north side ( preferably banked with am earthen berm, but at least insulated &/or a wall of haybales stacked against, held from possible falling by posts, which I then use as mulch and have to replace again in fall). Have a slanted south side to a degree best for maximum winter sun, and have that north-side berm if have one, curve around slightly to protect from wind on each end, or at least the west end ( prevailing wind) ( leaving room to walk out, and let decent light in). Preferably have it in-ground a bit too, whatever is workable without having potential flooding issues inside, and either way, have cold-sinks, under grates or something to walk on, in/ under the walkway. I’d like to also have a sunroom on the south side of a house (am currently renting), I read that that’s the best way to have an attached greenhouse but without moisture issues on the wall of your home or whatever. IDK if simply having a plenty of door &/or window opening into it, for air flow and exchange, is all that matters, I’m not very knowledgeable or intelligent on that stuff.
While the battens look fresh and nice now, I can imagine they’ll turn into a nasty shade of grey in just a couple of seasons of UV and rain exposure. Exposed wood on a roof just doesn’t make any sense. Why not use roofing screws with washers and neoprene sleeves and screw the polycarbonate panels directly onto the rafters? Hope you at least apply a couple of coats of sealant every two years, which is going to be a major pain now and later if you do.
Oof, that’s a lot of expensive western red cedar. I bet if you did this with doug fir, it would still last at least 15 years in cooler climates. Leave that cedar for use in houses. Yes, it’s renewable, but it’s not a predominant species out here in the PNW and now it’s mostly young trees being harvested, which don’t make for the best lumber. I learned from this article though. The table template was a great idea!
I need a green house i think people who have money can build one of these in their back yards and grow fruits and vegetables. With global warming and pandemics going on we can survive on the food grown in green houses. Also with inflation if there are extra fruits and veggies they can give it to the community.
Does the sheathing at the bottom provide enough lateral torsion strength to keep the structure from falling over? Modern houses are super strong because of the sheathing but obviously with a greenhouse you cant cover the whole thing. I’m asking because I will be building a greenhouse next spring and I want it to last forever.
What’s up with pressure treated lumber contaminating garden soil? The framing square isn’t making the so called foundation/ retaining wall square. It needs to be done with a measuring tape.the anchor system up said goes 3 inches into the dirt, you are using loose gravel. Hardware clothe under the wall keeps animals from digging under the wall. I cant watch anymore your not doing anything good for your customer your not an insured bonded contractor, your a wood butcher.
Try building something like that in Germany. 🤨 Building permit, acceptance, gender-correct address, climate and sustainability check, star constellation agreement regulation, application for a building for non-residential purposes for the service of a non-profit-oriented extension for the private use of a group of maximum 10 persons, waste water disposal regulations, floor space development regulation, fire protection… Oh, and the wood is so expensive in our country that no normal wage earner can afford it. Nice article 😉