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Re: Greenhouse: How to...

Square Foot Gardening List - http://myweb.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

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Here it is again.  
--- JoOhio1@aol.com wrote:
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> 
> Hi George...
> 
>    I must have missed some posts because I can't
> find anything with 
> descriptions of your greenhouse.  Since we are
> planning on installing 
> "something" this year to extend our harvest into
> four seasons (a real task 
> here in Ohio), can you explain further just how you
> built your structure?
> 
> Thank you,
> Joanne
> 
> 
>
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{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs20 Wow, first thanks for the interest everybody. I am flattered. \par \par I don't have any way of scanning photos, so I am just going to describe the process I used to build the greenhouse. I planned it to be very simple to build, take down and to store. I also planned to be easily improved over time and eventually to be installed permanently.\par \par The design is based on 6 equally sized frames. Each frame is 5'high and 8'long. There are two studs in each frame, and the studs are 32" apart. (If you do the math, 8'=96" and 96/3=32.) This makes a strong, light weight frame, and allows for 16" centers later on if needed. The frames are made from 1x3 and held together with building straps. Building straps are pieces of sheet metal with a lot of holes in them. They come in a wide variety of shapes and are inexpensive compared to cabinet hardware. The frames are held together with screws, not nails, for added strength. I recommend using straps on both sides of the joints. I tried the frames with straps on one side, and they were not strong enough. \par \par Make the 6 frames. Then cover all six frames with plastic sheeting. I used 1 mil (a mil is a measure of thickness) "painters plastic sheeting." I held it on with ductape. I had originally planned to staple the plastic thru the ductape for added strength, but that proved totally unnecessary. The plastic and the ductape have held up well in a wind storm and a fairly heavy snow fall. (The storm came up while I had the greenhouse about half finished.) \par \par When the frames are finished and covered with plastic, take a rag and rub all of the tape. The ductape has a tendency not to seal well if you don't pay attention. I taped all the outside edges and I ran a line of ductape where the plastic passed over the two studs for added strength. \par \par Congratulations, you're almost done! Now its time to start making your walls. Choose four frames. Working with two at a time, line up the 5' sides of your frames and put two hinges on them so that the hinges are on the opposite side of the frame from the plastic. This will take a total of 8 hinges. \par \par I found that the easiest way to hinge the frames was to lay them plastic side down on the drive way, and screw the hinges right to the three inch side of the 1x3. \par \par When you have two sets of flats with hinges on one side, things get a little tricky. Fold the two sets flats then push them together (watch the plastic) so that sides without hinges are touching. Line up everything nice, and then carefully raise the top frame just enough so that you can put your third set of hinges on the bottom frames. When its time to put the last set of hinges on the walls, unpin the third set of hinges, flip the two sets over and repeat the last process.\par \par Now, you can either pin everything back together and carry your wall to the site where you want your greenhouse , or unpin the fourth set of hinges and carry the frames two at a time to their new location. The frames are very light, but the wind can really get hold of them. I never carried more that two at a time, and I am a fairly strong man. When you get to your site, lay down a ground cloth; I used more of the plastic sheeting. Pin everything back to gether, and raise up the four frames. It should only take about 5 minutes to pull everything into a decently square shape.\par \par Once the walls are raised, its time to make the roof. Use three sets of hinges to screw the last two frames together on the 8' side. These two frames are going to make your roof. This is very important! Seal the roof before you put it up. To seal the roof, close the frame that you just made and run a couple of overlapping strips of ductape all the way down the hinged side. If you do this with the frame closed, you don't have to worry about the seal being too tight when the frames open for the roof. \par \par Installing the roof might be a two man job if you aren't used to this sort of thing. Open the frame, and put it hinge side down on top of the wall of the greenhouse. Be careful. This is the only time that I punctured my plastic. Line up one end of the roof frames with a wall attach the end of the roof to the top of the wall with three hinges. You should have noticed that you are now standing in a box 5' high and 8' square. This is not very comfortable for most of us, so go to the opposite wall and raise the last edge of your roof. At this point you may have to move the walls a little one way of the other to get everything approximately square. After the roof is secure, pick a corner and cut out your door (alternatively you can have Scotty beam you out, but this is a terrible drain on the dilithium crystals.)\par \par Cut all the plastic out of the corner that you choose for your door and seal the edges with (yep) ductape. You can make the door later. You will have notice that you still have two very large holes in your greenhouse. I considered making frames for these, but I got better. Break out the plastic sheeting; cut off about four feet; you should know by now that this will unfold to some thing like 10'x4'. Tape the center of one 4' edge to the peak of the roof (you'll need a ladder). From there you should be able to work out the details. \par \par When you make your door, make it the same size as the outer edge of the 1x3's that frame the opening. This will save you the trouble of building a sill. You can hold the door closed with a spring, or you can rig a little weight and pulley. I used the weights because I think they are cool. \par \par Finally, the four corners should have a long running opening where the hinges swing. Seal this with ductape. If there are any openings between the bottom of your frames and the ground, seal these from the outside with a couple of shovels full of dirt. Tamp nicely. \par \par You're done. Go and tell your significant other that they can look now. They should be impressed. Mine was. The sooner that you get some good dark mass in the greenhouse then the sooner it will start holding heat thru the night. Expect it to freeze the first night. It needs time to heat the ground under the ground cloth. \par \par If you have any questions write to me. I tried to make this clear, but the narrative is a poor form for building instructions. Pictures are very helpful. \par \par Supply list:\par 1) 36 - 8' sticks of 1x3 (walls and roof)\par 2) 3 - 8' sticks of 1x3 (door) \par 3) 105 flat building straps.\par 4) 1&1/2 lbs of 1/2 inch screws. Look around and find the best price you can on these. I paid $4/lb.\par 5) 1 roll of 1 mil plastic sheeting\par 6) 3 rolls of ductape\par 7) 19 - 3' hinges \par \par Tools:\par 1) reversible drill (to drive all those screws)\par 2) a square\par 3) a sharp knife\par 4) a good saw\par \par I think that's everything. \par \par Have fun, and God bless,\par George Christovich\par \par And the word became flesh and dwelt among us...\par \par \par \par \par \par \par \par \par }
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