.

HOW TO BUILD A GREENHOUSE

DIY Greenhouse building plans

PHILIP CASTAGNETO

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Table Of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: What Greenhouse Suits Me?

What is a Greenhouse?

What Greenhouse Will Suit You?

Freestanding or Attached?

Cold Houses

Cool Houses

Warm Houses

Hot Houses

Conservatories

Time Needed for a Project

The Budget

Size Matters

Tools and Materials

For the Cover

For the Frame

Eco-Friendly Building

The Pros and Cons of Building Your Own Greenhouse

DIY or Pay Someone Else?

What About the Foundation?

Wood Frame With Gravel

Concrete Slab

Chapter 2: A Brief History of Greenhouses

Greenhouses of the Past

Why We Use Greenhouses Today

Chapter 3: Greenhouse Maintenance

What is Greenhouse Maintenance?

Why You Need to Maintain Your Greenhouse

Advantages of Maintaining Your Greenhouse

Chapter 4: Greenhouse Orientation

Orientation is Important

Climate Types and Orientation

Desert Climates

Mediterranean Climates

Humid Tropical Climates

Temperate Climates

Cold Climates

Average Temperature for a Greenhouse

Heating Your Greenhouse

Cooling Your Greenhouse

Chapter 5:  The 12ft by 6ft A-Frame

The Pros and Cons of an A-Frame

Project Greenhouse: A 72 Square Foot A-Frame

Tools Required for the Job

Materials Needed

Step-By-Step Guide on How to Build Your A-Frame

Wrap Up

Chapter 6: Hoop House

The Pros and Cons of a Hoop House

Project Greenhouse: A 12ft x 32ft Hoop House

Tools Required for the Job

Materials Needed

Step-By-Step Guide on How to Build Your Hoop House

Wrap Up

Chapter 7: Geodesic Dome

The Pros and Cons of a Geodesic Dome

Project Greenhouse: a 8-foot 7’ Geodesic Dome

Calculating the Struts

Tools Required for the Job

Materials Needed

Step-By-Step Guide on How to Build Your Geodesic Dome

Wrap Up

Chapter 8: Benefits of Greenhouses

What You Get From the End Product

The Advantages of a Greenhouse:

The Disadvantages of a Greenhouse:

Conclusion

Glossary

References

Introduction

“Nature is a totally efficient, self-regenerating system. If we discover the laws that govern this system and live synergistically within them, sustainability will follow and humankind will be a success.”

- R. Buckminster Fuller

I have written this book to provide you step-by-step instructions and help you to build your own greenhouse. Whether you are a keen gardener who is eager to extend the growing season, a beginner lured by the idea to start your journey in greenhouse gardening, or a vegetable lover who wants to grow healthy and fresh vegetables, I understand your wishes.

I have never forgotten the wasted time and effort to build my first greenhouse, so, in writing this book, I had tried constantly to keep my eye on the goal which was not only to explain in detail how to build your own greenhouse, but also try to keep the building processes as simple as possible. I hope I succeeded.

The first part of the book focuses on aspects which should be taken into consideration before starting building - such as types of greenhouses, time and budget required, foundation, maintenance, climate types and orientation - because they have an impact on the building process. The second part focuses entirely on the diy building plans.

I chose three types of greenhouses (A-Frame, Hoop House, and Geodesic Dome) that cover different difficulty levels: the first and the second are particularly suited for beginners; on the contrary, the geodesic Dome greenhouse plan is recommended for intermediate and advanced level builders.

Needless to say, you can use these plans as models in case you want to have your greenhouse built by a builder.

Before diving into reading, you can download a free and useful guide about growing greenhouse tomatoes, which can come in handy as soon as the construction of your greenhouse is completed. Follow the link below and get your free copy:

https://forms.aweber.com/form/16/1580681816.htm

Having a greenhouse has given to me not only the opportunity to grow healthy homegrown food, but also a feeling of being one with Nature which has grown stronger and stronger over the years.

This is such a priceless feeling and I hope you feel the same way.

Philip Castagneto

Chapter 1: What Greenhouse Suits Me?

So you have taken the leap and decided that it’s time to construct that greenhouse you have been thinking and talking about for ages. Good on you! Greenhouse gardening is a fun and rewarding activity, and obviously wouldn’t be possible if you didn’t build or buy yourself a greenhouse. For those of you that are completely new to the world of greenhouses, the thought of having to construct your own one can be daunting. So much so that it’s the very reason you haven’t gone out and bought the materials yet. While I understand your worries, building yourself a beautiful greenhouse doesn’t have to be as scary as you think. Take the time now to think about why you want to build a greenhouse and if you have the space for one.

Once you realize that you don’t need to be a master builder to build your dream greenhouse, the next part should be much easier for you. You’ll need to decide what greenhouse suits you and your needs. Besides the actual building, the other important thing to consider is why you are building a greenhouse. The answer will help you determine which greenhouse suits you best. We’ll dive into those considerations before making a trip to the hardware store.

What is a Greenhouse?

A greenhouse is a controlled environment for growing plants year-round. It provides sufficient sunlight, heat and humidity. The heat that most DIY greenhouses receive comes directly from the sun and therefore, orientation is important, which will be covered in chapter four. Some greenhouses offer more favorable conditions when heating, cooling and venting is added. There are varying types of greenhouses, each one with its own advantages and disadvantages. The most special aspect of a greenhouse is the fact that you are the one in control. You can choose what plants you want, there are no weeds or pests you need to fight off, and if you install heating and irrigation, you control those too.

A greenhouse structure reduces the rate at which thermal energy escapes by preventing heat that has been trapped from escaping, this occurs through convection. How this happens is, the UV rays penetrate the glazing of the structure and begin to heat the floor of the greenhouse, as the ground becomes warmer, hot air rises and heats the inside of the structure (ProFlowers, 2016). This is why ventilation is needed, we will be discussing the importance of ventilating in chapter four.

What Greenhouse Will Suit You?

By now you’ve noticed that the question “why” is important when it comes to finding the most suitable greenhouse for your needs. Ask yourself why are you wanting to build a greenhouse? Is it because you want to become more eco-friendly, or perhaps you want to study plants that aren’t accustomed to the climate type you live in? Whatever your reason, identify it so that you are able to choose the right type of greenhouse for your future garden’s plants. Once you’ve identified your reasoning you can begin to ask yourself the other important questions regarding time, budget, size, tools, materials and whether you will tackle the building head-on, or hire someone to help or build it for you.

There are many greenhouse designs to choose from; as people get more creative we see new shapes and sizes all the time. For this book we will focus on three varying styles: the A-Frame, Hoop House, and Geodesic Dome. Each one is a different shape and requires different materials and building plans, but the type of plants you will be planting is extremely important because it will determine the type of greenhouse you will build. I’m sure you’re wondering what the difference between style and type are in this instance? The style of greenhouse is the aesthetic part of your greenhouse: how nice it will look and what shape it will take. Greenhouse type refers to the temperature of your greenhouse. Each plant requires different heat inputs to grow, which is covered in my previous book, Greenhouse Gardening: A complete Guide to Build a Greenhouse and Grow Your Own Herbs, Fruit and Vegetables.

The types of greenhouses one gets are cold houses, cool houses, warm houses, hot houses, and conservatories. Each of these greenhouses provides you with a different range of plants to grow. That’s why it is so important for you to decide exactly what plants you want to grow, because a greenhouse is meant to allow you to grow plants in places that they are not endemic to. In other words, you can grow tropical plants in a cold region successfully. If you choose the incorrect type of greenhouse for your plants, you may find that they don’t survive and you become disheartened by the idea of ever successfully being a greenhouse gardener. Let us look at what each of these types of greenhouses can do and how they work.

Freestanding or Attached?

When you decide to build your greenhouse the first thing you should note is that a greenhouse does not need to be built on existing structures. Meaning, if you want to build your greenhouse in your back garden, you can. This is what is meant by a freestanding greenhouse. An attached greenhouse is a good option for anyone with the building know-how, and who wants to be able to walk right into their greenhouse from their home. You can easily heat this type of greenhouse directly from your home, which means you won’t need to add any extensions to heat or cool a freestanding greenhouse. The issue with an attached greenhouse is it needs to be built onto an existing structure, which may obstruct views or doorways, depending on where you place it. Luckily you can build an attached greenhouse to any size you want it to be, because the existing structure it’s attached to will be able to handle the pressure put on it by the new greenhouse. An attached greenhouse is a permanent structure, so if you decide to build one, make sure you are allowed to. Freestanding greenhouses are sometimes not as secure as a greenhouse attached to another structure and they also require more insulation. Another issue people may face with an attached greenhouse is bugs being attracted to the area, so you’ll need to protect your home from those pesky invaders!

Cold Houses

A cold frame greenhouse is a structure that does not use extra heating or cooling besides vents. It uses solar energy only as a means to heat the greenhouse. It is insulated well to keep the solar radiation inside, and provides a shelter for your plants from harsh weather. Cold frames are only slightly warmer inside than the outside temperature, and are used to prolong the growing season. Many DIY greenhouses without extra heating sources are considered cold frames, but in gardening jargon, a cold frame is usually a small structure and not a large greenhouse. Orientation of a cold frame is extremely important because of the lack of extra heating. The best kinds of plants to grow in this kind of greenhouse are cool-season plants.

Cool Houses

A cool house is slightly warmer than a cold house. Unlike a cold house, this type of greenhouse will keep your plants safe in climates that dip below freezing. This means that your plants will not get frostbite. A cool house is made slightly warmer by using glazing that absorbs the sun’s UV rays better, and insulates well. Plants that can be planted in a cold house will do just as well in a cool house, perhaps better because frost won’t be such an issue.

Warm Houses

A warm house is warmer than a cool house, and allows for plants that are more tropical. Warm houses are often found in warmer climates, but the same can be achieved by adding a heating source such as a space heater.

Hot Houses

A hot house is exactly what it says it is. A very humid greenhouse that is designed to house tropical plants. This type of greenhouse will require electrical heating and cooling. It is possible to achieve a hot house in very hot climates without the use of electricity, but when nighttime temperatures drop, it will lose much of its heat.

Conservatories

A conservatory is designed to display plants, and is often built very large to house many different types of plants from all over the world. Almost all conservatories are made from glass because they are meant to be attractive.

Time Needed for a Project

Building takes time, whether you build something yourself or a contractor does, it’s going to need time and patience. Each style and type of greenhouse varies in how long it will take to build. If you are new to doing it yourself (DIY), then you can expect the project to take a bit longer as you get used to using tools that are foreign to you. Should you feel uncomfortable using a particular tool or material, there are many tutorials online these days. You can also ask a friend or family member to help you.

Those that are DIY savvy will be able to use the various tools and materials needed for the project quite easily because of their experience. Therefore, some styles may take them half the time to finish their greenhouse project. Skills, material availability and lifestyle all need to be considered when taking on a greenhouse project. If you have a busy lifestyle it may take a bit longer than you’d expect because you can only dedicate a few days a month to building your greenhouse. Having a look at the estimated time to build a particular greenhouse style is also very important when you are thinking about building one.

There are other options should you not be able to build your own greenhouse. (Note, if you are too busy to build it, then you may also be too busy to manage it, and greenhouses will require maintenance.) You can hire contractors to build it and people to maintain it, but that’s never as much fun as doing it yourself.

The Budget

Things cost money, from the tools and materials to the plants you’ll be planting after you’re done building your greenhouse. Allocating a budget is important because the type, shape, and size of the greenhouse will determine what materials you will need; and if you don’t have the time to DIY, you will need to pay someone else to help you construct your greenhouse. All of these factors need to be taken into consideration before you can proceed to building your greenhouse.

Break your budget down into exactly what you need by deciding what plants you’ll be planting so you know the type of greenhouse you want to build. For instance, hot houses will require you to factor in an extra heating system and fans to distribute the heat. If you choose a simpler, starter greenhouse, like a cold or cool house, your costs will ultimately be lower than if you needed an extra heating system.

Your budgeting will require you to make a list of all the materials you’ll need, the various tools if you don’t have them already, and any other costs such as labor. Your budget relies on what you can afford to build. You may want to build a greenhouse that requires a lot of money to build because it has all sorts of fancy systems and connections, but building a greenhouse can be done sustainably. You can easily build a fancy greenhouse with recycled or second-hand materials if you do your research well, and use alternatives that do the job just as well.

Size Matters

Size matters for more than one reason. Firstly, you need to make sure that there is enough space in your garden or yard for the greenhouse. Imagine trying to put a 16 ft greenhouse in a nine foot garden, it’s impossible. Measure your garden before deciding on the size of the greenhouse. You want to have enough space for your greenhouse, and you may want to reserve some space for an outdoor garden. Those who don’t have much garden space can build a greenhouse against their house, called a lean-to greenhouse, as I explain in my previous book.

The size of your greenhouse will determine how many flowers, vegetables or fruits you can grow. You will only be able to tell how big of a greenhouse you can build, and what shape you can build that will take up the least space, but yield the most crop once you have gone around the area and measured. A smaller greenhouse holds more warm air, while big greenhouses allow more air to flow, which makes them a lot cooler. Big greenhouses will require extra heating for colder climates. So go get your measuring tape, a pen and paper, and maybe even a friend to help, and measure your space so we can begin this exciting adventure!

Tools and Materials

Once you’ve measured every corner of your greenhouse’s soon-to-be home, you can begin to work out how much of everything you are going to need, what you’re going to use to build your greenhouse, and what tools will be needed. Some materials will be more expensive, less eco-friendly or dangerous to use. Finding out the exact materials needed for the project is the next step. For those of you that are new to DIY, and are feeling a bit nervous to take on this challenge, your local hardware store can help you out, should you not know what the best brand to use, or which power tool will offer the most precise cut. Each plan provided in this book offers advice on the right tools and materials to use.

You will also need to decide on the types of materials you want to use. Some people prefer to keep it eco-friendly, others don’t mind as long as it will do the job. Deciding where you will get the materials from will also determine the quality and the price of the materials. Scrap yards have valuable resources that you could make use of if you are on a tight budget. Items that can be found in scrap yards include metal, piping, wood scraps, glass, frames, and other scrap metals that could be useful to your project. The possibilities are endless, so if you want to build on a budget go down to your local scrap yard and see what you can find.

Not all materials are made equal. Some do better in a certain climate zone than others. It is important to be aware of what material will last in your particular zone or you run the risk of using the wrong materials and your greenhouse falling to pieces after one rainy day. Let us have a look at some of the most commonly used materials and which climate they are better used in.

For the Cover

Plastics

Covering a greenhouse in plastic is one of the most common insulating methods. From commercial growers to hobbyists, plastic is easy to source, and depending on the type of plastic, can be cheap.

Plastic can get very hot when used with an added heat source, and is therefore great for a tropical greenhouse or greenhouses in colder climates. Plastic, however, can lose heat, so greenhouses in colder climates that use plastic will need extra heating to keep from getting cold. Here are some common types of plastics you can use:

✓      Polycarbonate is considered one of the best kinds of plastics for greenhouse covering. It’s flexible and it also comes in varying thicknesses, and will work great in cold climates because it retains heat and humidity well. It is relatively inexpensive, although covering a large greenhouse will cost you a lot at the end. Polycarbonate also lasts a long time if maintained well, about five years or more.

✓      Polyethylene is light, flexible, and can be purchased in two different strengths recommended for building greenhouses. In the construction of large greenhouses and greenhouses in cold climates, it is best to use commercial grade because it is thicker and stronger. If you are going to build a small greenhouse in a moderate or warm climate, then using the utility-grade polyethylene is a better option. Polyethylene is much cheaper than most plastics and can be found at any gardening supply store. It can wear and eventually tear if exposed to rough edges. Luckily there are poly repair kits on the market so maintaining this type of covering is easy. It is one of the most used coverings for greenhouses because it is easy to find and does the job well. You will find it in rolls at your local hardware store or online.

✓      Polyvinyl Plastic or Polyvinyl Chloride is a thicker and more expensive plastic than polyethylene. It can be flexible or rigid. Often, rigid PVC is seen in plumbing, but can also be used for building a hoop house. The extra thickness acts as a good insulator. If you stay in a cold climate, then polyvinyl is a great option for covering your greenhouse, however to cover a large greenhouse will cost you a lot. Not to mention that you will need to add in a heating system for overcast days, and nights that drop below zero. As easy as it heats up, it can just as easily cool down. It is durable and will last a long time if you maintain it well.

✓      Copolymer is slightly better than polyethylene because it is much stronger and so lasts longer. It is not flexible, but semi-flexible variants can be purchased. Warmer and temperate climates will benefit from this type of plastic in regards to the growth of plants. However, regularly maintaining the copolymer covering will offer longer usage. To maintain copolymer you should inspect the greenhouse at least every six months. Copolymer can become brittle after three years from exposure to the sun or extreme cold (Harris, 2018). There have been reports of this type of covering becoming brittle which means it could break easily and allow air to escape when it shouldn’t. There is a type of copolymer plastic that looks just like glass because it is clear, however, this type of copolymer is much more expensive and won’t be worth it if it cracks on you.

✓      Acrylic or Plexiglass as it’s known, looks a lot like glass. It is very good for building greenhouses and is resistant to heat and cold, but not flexible. Not only that, but it is lightweight which makes it easier to work with. It’s not as expensive as you may think. A better alternative to glass because it does not shatter, and is cheaper than polycarbonate. For these reasons it is great for all climate types and will offer your plants all the light and heat they need. Plexiglass is easy to maintain and is a highly recommended covering material.

✓      Fiberglass is much cheaper than glass and polycarbonate. It is, however, more expensive than polyethylene as are most thicker materials. Fiberglass is very durable, rigid, and therefore lasts longer than other materials. It holds up well during bad weather, which means that it will do well in climates that experience heavy rains or snow. Fiberglass gets broken down by the ultra violet rays of the sun, causing cracks, which means that it will not do well in very hot climates.

Glass

Glass is a beautiful covering for your greenhouse, but it can be dangerous as it is prone to shatter or crack. If it shatters in your greenhouse you could cut yourself, and your plants will become exposed to the outside elements. Glass is also very heavy, and not as easy to work with as plastic. Your structure will need to be well reinforced to hold the weight of the glass. Cold climates can crack the glass if temperatures rise too quickly so it is best to use glass in warmer climates for growing tropical plants. Glass is good for letting the Sunlight through, and keeping the heat in. To cover an entire greenhouse in glass will cost you a lot of money, even more if your greenhouse is particularly large.

For the Frame

Wood

Wood is used by many people to build an array of things. It is cheap, readily available, and relatively easy to work with. Some types of wood can be a little trickier to work with because they may be more susceptible to splintering or they may snap easily. The issue with using wood is that it will rot over time. Choosing a good rot resistant wood, or pressure-treated wood can delay this process. Steer clear of using wood for greenhouse frames in climate zones that experience a lot of rain or humidity. This doesn’t mean you can’t use wood, it just means that you will need to treat the wood and take better care of it than someone in a warmer climate zone. Let us take a look at the types of wood that are rot resistant:

✓      Black Locust wood ranges in color from dark brown to light yellow. As this wood ages it can go reddish-brown, and is often confused with Osage Orange, which we will learn about later. It has a straight grain, which refers to how the wood fibres run along a longitudinal path. The texture of Black Locust wood is medium: it’s not rough but not entirely smooth either. Black Locust has obvious growth rings which can make the wood weaker. This wood is also extremely durable and resistant to rot (Wengert, 2012). It is because of these characteristics that this wood is often used for outside projects. Working with Black Locust wood is easy to work with if you have worked with it before, but if it’s your first time working with it you will struggle because it is quite a hard wood that is difficult to cut. However, this wood responds great to the outside elements and is easy to keep in place.

✓      Red Mulberry is also simply known as Mulberry wood. It comes from the Mulberry tree that has those delicious little Mulberries everyone likes to pick off and eat. The wood is a slight orange and will darken. It is a heavy wood and has a straight grain with a coarse texture and can be prone to splitting, especially at its ends; it therefore needs to be treated. A durable wood that is resistant to rot but not very strong. Unfortunately Mulberry wood should not be used for building heavy structures as it will not do well bearing large amounts of weight. A good wood to use in more humid climates because it does not swell much. (Wengert, 2020)

✓      Osage Orange , also known as Horse Apple, is a golden yellow colored wood that will darken when exposed to ultraviolet rays. It has a straight grain and smooth texture similar to Black Locust; its growth rings are quite distinct, which can cause weaknesses when cutting or using this wood for structures. It’s best to look for wood with little to no growth rings. A very durable wood that, like all of the woods listed here, is naturally rot resistant. In fact it is one of the most resistant woods to decay that you could use. Osage Orange is extremely hard and dense, and therefore can be difficult to work with. You will find Osage Orange in boards relatively cheaply, and without too much difficulty (it’s not usually used for building because of how knotty it is). It is quite elastic and therefore would be great for building a Gothic Arch greenhouse. It’s good for using outside, and will not swell (Wengert, 2016.

✓      Pacific Yew. The newer formed sapwood is a light yellow, and the older, more sturdy heartwood is a darker brown that becomes darker with age. This wood also has a straight grain and a very soft texture. Knots are many in Pacific Yew, and it is a long lasting, rot resistant wood. An added benefit is that it is also naturally resistant to pests. It is an easy wood to work with, but is weak around the knots. This wood is not commonly found, making it difficult to source and difficult to find the exact sizes you want for your greenhouse. It also makes it more expensive because it is not local. Pacific Yew works well for a gothic arch, since the wood is fairly elastic and bends easily without snapping (Kaiser, 2011).

Steel

Steel is a very commonly used material to build greenhouse frames. Many people may opt for using wood over steel because steel is not the most appealing looking material to use. However, it is a very strong material to build your greenhouse from, and does well in all climates, but especially well in climates that have heavy winds because its weight will keep it grounded. Steel is not necessarily expensive, but is a lot more expensive than using wood or PVC piping to build a frame. If you decide to build a large greenhouse the costs will add up since you will need a lot of steel for the job. You can find steel anywhere so it is a common material, but it is rather difficult to work with. It is very hard and you may find trying to drill holes or add screws to be an issue. Doing certain tasks with steel, such as grinding, can be dangerous if you don’t wear protective goggles as pieces can fly off into your eyes and cause blindness. Building with steel may also take longer because of how difficult it is to work with. Steel is prone to rusting if you do not treat it, unlike wood or aluminum. Regardless of its weaknesses, steel is very strong and can be used if you decide to use glass as your covering since it will be strong enough to carry the weight of glass.

Aluminum

Aluminum is a great material to use for building a greenhouse frame. It is lightweight, sturdy, and super easy to work with. It is a lot easier to use than steel and is able to hold up well under pressure. If you choose to use aluminium for your frame it does not matter what climate zone you are in since it is a good conductor and will not be destroyed in heavy winds, rain or snow. If you live in a warm climate, aluminium conducts heat and that may add to your greenhouse’s inner temperature. Another great advantage of aluminum is that it does not rot, therefore you don’t have to treat it before you use it. No matter the size of your greenhouse, aluminium can do the job. Materials other than wood or plastic can be expensive. Both steel and aluminum are heavy, and made from materials that are expensive to extract which increases their price. If you live in a climate that experiences harsh weather or even earthquakes, it is better to use a stronger material in case of an event. Because aluminium is rust free, it is a structure that will last very long. If you want to build a glass greenhouse, aluminum is strong enough to support its weight. Aluminium can be painted so you can get creative and paint your frame the color you like.

Eco-Friendly Building

Some individuals are extremely eco-conscious, and for very good reasons. Since climate change is a big issue we are currently facing, you may feel better using materials or tools locally sourced and that are easy on the environment. For starters, even though this isn’t part of the actual building process, using chemical fertilizers and pesticides is not only bad for the environment, but also for your health (OH & S Occupational Health and Safety, 2018), and the integrity of your greenhouse if it should seep into the material. So think about how you’ll keep your plants nourished if you are going the eco-friendly route. Another option for building a more eco-friendly greenhouse is to add a water tank to catch rain. The water it catches can be used to water your plants.

Another issue people face is the lack of commercial materials that are eco-friendly. Many of the materials we use to cover a greenhouse aren't good for the environment because of the way they were extracted or the chemicals that go into production. However, the truth is that just because a material’s production isn’t friendly to the environment, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use it. For example, if you are struggling to keep your greenhouse warm in winter and don’t want to add extra heating systems because of the electricity bill, you can insulate the inside of your greenhouse with bubble wrap, which keeps the heat in well.

Talking of plastic, did you know that you can make your greenhouse entirely out of plastic bottles? Plastic may not be eco-friendly, but reusing it is. The only downfall to using plastic bottles as covering material is that you are going to need a lot of them. Collecting the amount of bottles you need will also take a lot of time. The bigger your greenhouse, the more bottles you are going to need. A downfall to using plastic bottles as your covering is the fact that they don’t stack air-tight. This means that air and rain can get into your greenhouse. However, the inside of the greenhouse will still be warmer than the outside temperature. Using this method is great for individuals that like to recycle, remember all those bottles you are using won’t be harming the environment anymore because you’ve made better use of them.

If plastic bottles aren’t your thing, then your next eco-friendly option is to build your greenhouse entirely out of old windows. You’ll still need to build a frame for the windows to be attached to, but using old windows is great for the environment because you aren’t purchasing new materials that will eventually add extra waste to the environment. Take a look around your neighborhood or local scrap yard for discarded windows. While you may be thinking that windows aren’t exactly eco-friendly, it’s the fact that you are reusing goods to build your greenhouse that makes it eco-friendly.

For those of you that want to build a big greenhouse, you will have to add a heating system to it, which can use a lot of energy, which, depending on the source, can be bad for the environment. To combat this, you could add solar panels to your greenhouse to run your heating or cooling systems. While this option is expensive, it is also a lot better than using electricity from burning coal. Using eco-friendly materials is good for the planet and may even be better for your pocket if you choose to use recycled materials.

The Pros and Cons of Building Your Own Greenhouse

Every greenhouse has its pros and cons. Some may be more difficult to build, others may not be suitable for a particular climate zone. When deciding on the type of greenhouse you want to build, it is important that you weigh the pros and cons against each other. A greenhouse may be easier to build, but perhaps you will need a lot of material and that will cost you more. You may even go over your original budget. The pros and cons for each greenhouse in the book are the basic ones. As you begin on your building adventure you may find some of your own pros and cons. If your heart is set on a certain greenhouse already, use a pen and paper to jot down the pros and cons of it. Even if it isn’t for one of the greenhouses mentioned in this book. This way you can start answering the other questions in this book since they would apply to any greenhouse you want.

DIY or Pay Someone Else?

The true objective of this book is to encourage you to build your own greenhouse based on the instructions given. However, sometimes you really want something, but don’t feel like you could take on such a project, or maybe you feel like you don’t have the DIY skills. There are still options, like hiring someone to help you, hiring a contractor to build the entire greenhouse, or you can ask a friend or family member to help you. Just keep in mind that hiring someone will cost you extra and will take away from the idea of it being a DIY project. When deciding on whether to take on the project or hire someone to help, you need to remember to take in factors such as budget and time.

If you are well-versed in the world of DIY, then this is your time to shine. Doing it yourself will cut costs needed to hire someone, and also allows you to buy your own materials and tools, which personally assures you that you are getting the right material. You also eliminate the possibility of being unhappy with the final product because you are part of every step in the building process. Whatever you decide, make sure you can afford the help or the time needed to build your greenhouse. The best option would be to ask a friend to help you. Most greenhouses will require an extra pair of hands for lifting or holding in place, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to build alone. Using support beams and a few screws should prove useful.

What About the Foundation?

The foundation of your greenhouse is very important for a number of reasons. First, a well built foundation will allow for optimal drainage. A greenhouse that doesn’t drain is going to be a disaster. Second, the type of foundation you choose depends on if you want to be able to move your greenhouse or not. A permanent foundation made with concrete allows the greenhouse to stay in place during very bad weather. Less permanent foundations that are held to the ground with materials such as rebars or anchors, can easily be removed by pulling them out of the ground.

A greenhouse can be built without a floor/deck, you can build the main structure of your chosen greenhouse so that later on if you choose to, you can attach it to a foundation you have built. Since it doesn’t need to have a floor made from wooden planks or other flooring material, you can simply secure the greenhouse frame to the natural ground (soil) using an anchoring system to prevent the structure from being swept away. A perk if you decide not to build a foundation, is that it lessens the building time, and also saves money. You won’t have to purchase extra materials for a foundation. Another perk of not building a foundation is that you can use the natural ground to plant your greens. You would need to prepare the area before planting, but this can also save you money by not having to buy a whole lot of planting pots.

Size is important, before you begin planning your greenhouse you need to know how big you are going to build it, so that you can build the appropriate sized foundation. Rough sketch your desired greenhouse so you have an idea of what you want the end product to look like. Remember to write down the dimensions for every part of your greenhouse so you can easily go out and get the materials.

The most popular materials for building a foundation are wood, concrete, and cement bricks to build a small perimeter wall. Wood is relatively inexpensive, making it the best for tight budgets. It is also easy to work with and can be adjusted if you want to expand your greenhouse. Concrete is a lot more expensive than wood, and as I mentioned, will be permanent. The bigger your greenhouse, the more concrete you will need. The greenhouse plans in this book are open for you to choose which style of foundation you want by following the simple steps I will provide to build a wood and gravel foundation, as well as a concrete slab. Simply adjust the measurements of the length and width of the instructions to suit the size of greenhouse you want. Since most non-commercial greenhouse structures are rather light, building a concrete foundation is not absolutely necessary unless you are using glass as your covering.

A foundation needs to be built on a flat surface. Even if you decide to use the natural ground as the base of your greenhouse, you need to level it. Issues like doors not fitting properly, or the whole house toppling can occur if you haven’t flattened the ground where your greenhouse will go. In order to give you an idea of the two types of foundations that can be used for all of the greenhouses used in this book, here are some easy instructions to follow for building each type of foundation:

Wood Frame With Gravel

Pros:

It’s great for any size greenhouse.

It can last a long time.

It’s easy to build.

It has good drainage.

It’s easy to maintain.

Cons:

It insulates poorly.

Pressure treated wood is always better for building foundations because it won’t rot as fast. To build a wooden foundation, the best sized timbers to use are 4” x 4” or 4” x 6” for small greenhouses. If you are going to build a particularly large greenhouse, bigger than 20 square feet, then you should use 6” x 6” or 8” x 8” timbers as these sizes are good at holding heavy greenhouses.

What You Need

Four stakes

Shovel

Four 4” x 6” pressure treated wood, enough to build a wooden base frame that will be lowered into the ground.

Enough string for the entire perimeter to be marked out.

Gravel, enough to fill six inches deep.

Measuring tape

Level tool

One plank (any size) to be used along with the level tool to determine if the topsoil you remove is level.

Four rebars to hold each corner of the base in place.

Ground cover, enough to cover the inside and sides of the hole that will be filled with gravel.

Lag screws, enough to join each corner of the wooden base.

Drill

Tamper

Hammer

Step-by-Step

1.     Mark out the area of your greenhouse with the four stakes by placing a stake where each corner of your greenhouse should go.

2.     Use the measuring tape to ensure each side of the greenhouse is the correct length; adjust the stakes if necessary.

3.      Mark the perimeter with string connected along each stake.

4.     Use the measuring tape to ensure the foundation area is square. Measuring diagonally from corner to corner, and compare the two diagonal measurements. If the two measurements are the same then your area is square.

5.     After deciding on the length and breadth of your greenhouse foundation, dig a six inch hole in the entire inside perimeter of where you marked it with the string and stakes. Remove any stones or sticks in the hole that may prevent the future base from laying flat. Tamper the ground to make it flat and use a spirit level to determine if it is level.

6.     Fill the hole with three inches of the topsoil you removed and flatten with a tamper or plank, using a spirit level to determine where the ground is level and adjusting it with a tamper or plank until the bubble of the level tool is between the two vertical markers.

7.     Once the ground is levelled, place the ground cover (with holes punched through) inside the hole, covering the entire area inside and along the edges to prevent weeds.

8.     Use and cut the 4” x 6” timbers to the chosen length and breadth of your base frame. You will need two long pieces for the length and two shorter cut pieces for the breadth of your greenhouse. The 4” x 6” pieces for the length of the foundation are butted to the shorter 4” x 6” breadth pieces to create a rectangular base securing the corners together with one lag screw at each corner. It will later be lowered into the hole you dug in the ground.

9.     Lower the base into the hole in correspondence with the shape of hole. Meaning place the length of the base against the length edge of the hole.

10. Cut any excess ground cover that may be sticking out from the sides of the base.

11. Drill a hole vertically through each corner of the foundation, big enough to fit your chosen size of rebars.

12. Hammer one rebar into each hole, penetrating deep into the ground.

13. Trim the top of the rebar that is sticking out of the top of the hole to be level with the base.

14. Fill the inside area of the base with your choice of filler. Gravel and sand are good options because they drain well. Rake your chosen filler to even it out.

Concrete Slab

Building a concrete slab for your greenhouse foundation is fairly simple and can be built by one person.

What You Need

Four stakes

Shovel

String

Measuring tape

One drainage pipe(optional)

About 29 pounds of concrete (to fill a 140 cubic foot hole)

Concrete mixer (to mix concrete)

Spirit level tool

Plank (any size)

16 square feet of ground cover

Tamper

Step-by-Step

1.     Mark the area of the greenhouse the same way as for the wood and gravel foundation with stakes. Placing a stake where each corner of your greenhouse will go.

2.     Use the measuring tape to ensure each side of the greenhouse is the correct length; adjust the stakes if necessary.

3.      Mark the perimeter with string connected to each stake.

4.     Use the measuring tape to ensure the foundation area is square. Measuring diagonally from corner to corner, and compare the two diagonal measurements. If the two measurements are the same, then your area is square.

5.     To level the ground at the area of where you marked with string and the four stakes, follow the instructions in the wood and gravel foundation guide.

6.     Dig a six inch hole in the entire inside perimeter of where you marked it with string and stakes.

7.     Refill the hole with three inches of the topsoil you removed. Tamper the ground to flatten it, and use the spirit level to determine if it is level.

8.     If you are going to add the drainage pipe, dig a round, three inch deep hole to the size of the drainage pipe, right in the middle of the topsoil of the hole you are going to fill with concrete.

9.     Cut the drainage pipe to fit a depth of three inches and fit snugly in the round hole you made.

10. Lay the ground cover the same way as instructed in the wood and gravel foundation guide. For adding a drainage pipe, cut a hole in the middle of the ground cover to correspond with the dimensions of the round hole you dug for the drainage pipe.

11. Mix your concrete. To mix the concrete in the concrete mixer, measure the recommended amount of water for the amount of concrete you will be mixing, this instruction calls for mixing 29 pounds. Pour half of the measured water into the mixer and, then slowly add the dry mix. Mix for a minute and then add more water as needed. The concrete should be mixed for three to five minutes until the desired consistency is achieved. The concrete resembles a thick oatmeal texture that holds shape when squeezed (The Quikrete Companies, n.d.).

12. Pour the concrete into the hole, fill till it reaches the brim of the hole.

13. Use a stick and pound into the concrete to release air bubbles.

14. Smooth the concrete by tampering it with the tamper following the length of the filled hole.

15. Allow the slab to fully cure.

Chapter 2: A Brief History of Greenhouses

In my previous book, Greenhouse Gardening, I give a quick history behind the idea of the greenhouse, and what the Roman civilization did to grow foods that is closely based on the greenhouse concept. They came up with a way to grow cucumbers for their Emperor, Tiberius, even during times that weren’t growing season (Crumpacker, 2019). This is the sole purpose of a greenhouse, but the Romans weren’t the first civilization to build greenhouses. As advanced as they were back in 14 CE, it wasn’t until the 16th century that the very first contemporary greenhouse was constructed (Crumpacker, 2019). At that time, the use of greenhouses was mostly for displaying beautiful, exotic botanics that travelers had brought home from their voyages. These greenhouses were known as giardini botanici, which translates to botanical gardens, from Italian.

The idea of botanical gardens or greenhouses spread throughout Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries as universities adopted them for studies in Botany for medicinal purposes. Many European countries had botanical gardens that you could visit to see exquisite tropical plants and flowers that had been brought many miles across oceans from foreign places. However, these forefathers of the modern greenhouses didn’t perform too well all the time, since they relied solely on the inputs of the sun for heating. There were no fancy electric heating systems that could keep the winter cold from freezing their beautiful plants if the temperature dipped below freezing. You’d find some winters where the entire greenhouse got frostbite or plants died from the low temperatures (Hodgson, 2016). We understood the system of the greenhouse, but had little technology that would be as beneficial as the tech we have today.

If you’d like to see these original botanical gardens, you can. In the northern parts of Italy the botanical gardens of the Renaissance universities are still visited by tourists today. Botanical gardens such as the Orto Botanico di Pisa and the Orto Botanico di Padova are some of the oldest academic botanical gardens still standing at their original positions in northern Italy. These gardens are filled with a rich history of the doctors that once held lectures in the gardens on the various medicinal uses for all the exotic plants the greenhouse held. Greenhouses held value to the lives of our ancestors, but have been immensely underappreciated for what they have allowed many scientists of the ages to do. Contributing not only science, but feeding the poor and providing better and safer conditions for growing foods and herbs used for medicine, these plant wonderlands are truly magnificent.

Greenhouses of the Past

Greenhouses in the past, as I mentioned, were not used in the ways they are today but for university students of the Renaissance period to study medicine and botany. So if that’s what they were used for, then what did they look like? Doctors held lectures in these greenhouses so you can only imagine how big they were. Some of the very first botanical gardens consisted of many smaller greenhouses, open gardens and herb-drying areas, so that researchers of the time could conduct experiments throughout the year. The greenhouses would have been attached to a main building that was used as an office area for students and lecturers; you could walk into the greenhouse from the building. They were also known as conservatories, which refers to the fact that they preserved and created a perfect environment for the foreign plants being studied (Bruno, 2012).

Greenhouses became popular in Europe among the well-to-do because a greenhouse allowed them to grow all the exotic fruits and vegetables that they began to enjoy. A greenhouse was a status symbol among the wealthy and it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution, in the 19th century, that middle-class citizens could afford their own greenhouses. The Industrial Revolution brought about new and cheaper materials and technologies that made it affordable for more people. Slowly, small DIY greenhouses began to appear in the gardens of many 19th century Europeans (Bruno, 2012). Not to say that there were no greenhouses anywhere else in the world, quite the contrary, places in the Americas and the Tropics began developing greenhouses to grow food. As the centuries went on, we began seeing the positive impacts greenhouses could have, and so new technologies and materials for building and using greenhouses developed.

Why We Use Greenhouses Today

While the large conservatories of the past are still part of our present day, we use them less so for medicine and science, and more for tourist attractions. People travel from all over the world to spend some time in the botanical gardens from the past. Nowadays we use greenhouses for growing large amounts of food for the population; for hobbies; for botany; and for growing crops for animal feed and materials (ProFlowers, 2016). Advancements in technology and materials have allowed most people to afford to build their own greenhouse right in their backyard. Those that live in extreme poverty are able to find scrap materials to makeshift a greenhouse to alleviate hunger and the need to rely on the seasons to grow food for their family.

Were it not for greenhouses, or the concept of greenhouses adapted from the ancient Romans, we would not have been able to study plants in such depth for medicinal research or be able to survive the harsh climates that lead to mass famine in many countries prior to greenhouse development. Greenhouses are truly an advancement in science and should be given much more credit than they are given. Thousands of people have used greenhouses in various ways for the past five centuries and the future of greenhouse gardening as a way to feed the masses looks promising. After building your greenhouse, you’ll be part of the new generation of sustainable gardeners that want to take full advantage of the marvelous abilities of the greenhouse.

Chapter 3: Greenhouse Maintenance

When you build your greenhouse the work won’t end there. You can build the biggest, most beautiful greenhouse, but you will need to maintain its structural integrity, otherwise your greenhouse will deteriorate and all your hard work would have been for nothing. Not only that, but your plants are in danger if you don’t maintain the structure and glazing (the covering) of your greenhouse. Cracks, broken glass, and worn wood are all disasters for your greenhouse. Worn or broken glazing can let in pests and uncontrolled air from outside that will damage your plants. It will cost you more to have to fix up your greenhouse in the long-run, so keeping up the maintenance will save you money and time.

What is Greenhouse Maintenance?

Greenhouse maintenance is both the maintenance of your plants and the greenhouse itself. If your greenhouse is damaged then you won’t be able to maintain your plants and that would be a disaster. Maintaining your greenhouse requires a few things because you’ll be fixing all the little kinks and dings yourself. Depending on what types of materials you use to build your greenhouse, you will need to keep spares in the shed for when DIY maintenance calls. If you use wood for your frame, then you need to purchase pre-treated wood, or treat the wood yourself. One example of wood treatment is creosote, a tar based wood preservative, it helps prevent insects, fungi, and moisture, and it protects against UV. Keep an eye for any weak areas that may have started to rot. Replacing broken or rotten struts before your structure collapses is better than having to start all over again.

Make sure to do a survey of the condition of your greenhouse at least once a month. Just a quick inspection of the interior and exterior can be done once a month, and a full inspection of the structure, screws, glazing and equipment once every six months. It may sound like a lot of work, but it will depend on the size of your greenhouse and the materials used. Some materials are hardier than others and will require less maintenance, but that comes down to your budget. If you used recycled material you may have to work a bit harder on the upkeep because preloved goods have been through years of wear already. The size of your greenhouse will determine how long it will take to survey the area, and that may or may not delay the intervals between inspecting your greenhouse, because if an inspection takes longer that means you’ll need to set aside precious time that you may feel you don’t have. Regardless, you will need to take time to maintain your greenhouse because it will benefit you in the long-term.

Why You Need to Maintain Your Greenhouse

I’m sure by now you understand how important greenhouse maintenance is. The reason you need to make sure that your greenhouse is in the best shape is because you will invite pests, disease, and even death to the plants you’re trying to grow if you don’t maintain the greenhouse. Beginners may skip maintenance because it doesn’t come to mind when you’re excited about building your first greenhouse. But it’s important if you don’t want to waste your time, money and energy on something that only works for a year. Get the most value out of your greenhouse for the longest time by performing needed maintenance.

Advantages of Maintaining Your Greenhouse

Think about this, when you get into bed at night, is there a roof over your head? Are the windows and doors able to open and close as you need them to? Does your alarm system work to prevent home invaders? If you answered yes to these questions, then you understand the advantages of maintaining your greenhouse. I know, you’re wondering how it’s the same thing? Well, think of the walls, windows, doors and roof of your house that protect you from the elements, criminals, and other unwanted things. Your greenhouse is exactly what its name implies, a house for greens. As I’ve mentioned before, if you don’t maintain your plants home then your plants will be exposed to diseases that can destroy your hard work, and to temperatures that aren’t suitable for the greens you’ve planted.

The Advantages of keeping up with maintenance are:

better plant growth,

disease protection,

ideal temperature control,

lower costs,

saving unnecessary time spent on big maintenance jobs,

pest protection.

The disadvantages of neglecting maintenance are:

irregular temperatures that may destroy plants,

disease,

pests,

having to rebuild your greenhouse if it falls apart.

Maintenance is important to the choice of greenhouse you choose to build because some greenhouses are bigger, require you to get into smaller grooves and crevices, and because of their odd shape, require more time for the job. Make sure you know how to maintain the specific materials you will be using to build your greenhouse from the beginning of the building process. When purchasing your greenhouse building materials, find out if they come with maintenance instructions, if not there are many how-to guides one can look up online, or even at the library if you want a simple, easy-to-follow manual. This section has only been slightly touched on to bring to your attention that aftercare is also important if you wish to build yourself a greenhouse.

Chapter 4: Greenhouse Orientation

In my previous book, I discuss different greenhouse temperatures, and the best temperature range for the plants you’ll be planting. This book, however, is all about building your greenhouse therefore this chapter is going to take a look at the perfect orientation for your greenhouse based on the climate type in your region. Back in the 16th century, greenhouses relied solely on the solar radiation inputs, and that meant that the orientation of the greenhouse to the sun was vitally important. There were no heaters and fans that could be used like there are today, but some individuals want to cut costs and build a greenhouse that relies mostly on heat from the sun.

Orientation is not only about the direction your greenhouse faces, but also where in the garden or area you’ll be placing it, and any obstructions that would hamper the heating of your greenhouse. People immediately assume that because they have a small garden, they won’t be able to have the greenhouse experience; that simply isn’t the case. Greenhouses come in all shapes and sizes and can even be attached to part of your home. You’ll need to make sure that wherever you situate it, there is an adequate amount of sunlight needed for your garden to flourish.

Orientation is Important

The orientation of your greenhouse to the sun is vitally important because, as you know, energy from the sun is needed to heat the greenhouse. Different areas of the world have varying climates; we will take a look into the varying climates later. Some places experience extreme heat, and other’s dip below freezing. To combat these variations in climate, you need to have the equipment, and correct orientation to the sun to adjust the temperature of your greenhouse. Climate is the first reason why orientation is important, plant growth is the second. If you don’t place your greenhouse in a place that will allow maximum sunlight absorption, then your plants are at risk of not germinating or growing efficiently. It is recommended that you position the front face of your greenhouse facing the sun at a North or South position (Farmer, n.d.). The direction will depend on the hemisphere you live in, here in the Northern hemisphere it is recommended to have your greenhouse facing South for maximum sunlight exposure, the opposite will apply to those in the Southern hemisphere (Xaxx, 2011). This will allow your greenhouse to catch the early morning sun, and also allow it to warm up the quickest.

Secondly, you want your greenhouse to fit in with your garden theme. Randomly placing a greenhouse can be a bit of an eyesore if you’re into order in your garden. Make sure that you incorporate your greenhouse into your garden, don’t just place it at random. Whatever your reason for wanting one, they add value to our lives. Spending time in your greenhouse can improve your mood, as nature has been proven to increase mood and energize people (OLT, 2016). You want your greenhouse to be your zen garden, a place that you can witness what you have built from scratch, come alive!

Climate Types and Orientation

The world has different climates, and with each climate a different type of greenhouse is recommended for optimal plant growth. If you don’t do enough research into the right type of greenhouse for your country’s climate, you will either not get the results you were expecting, or you’ll need to buy expensive technologies that could have been avoided if you had chosen the right type. To help you figure out the best greenhouse for your climate type, we are going to take a look at the most common climates, and which greenhouse will thrive in the climate’s conditions.

Desert Climates

A desert climate has very little moisture, and often they experience hot, dry winds that can destroy crops, and even infect them with disease that they carry along. There is an abundance of sun and heat, but not all plants can handle such extreme heat (National Geographic Society, 2012). For this reason, an A-Frame or Hoop House is the best option for this climate type. A greenhouse in this climate will require fans to keep the structure at the right temperature. The fans will distribute the heat equally, and push excess heat out of the vents you add to your greenhouse. Remember to build a well ventilated greenhouse for this type of climate, otherwise you’ll end up with roasted vegetables.

Mediterranean Climates

This climate is not very common, and is found between the 30 and 45 degree latitudes. It includes countries like Italy, Spain and Morocco (Britannica, 2019). The winters are cold and wet, thereby lowering the overnight temperatures of a greenhouse. Heavy rains or storms could destroy a greenhouse’s structural integrity if it’s not built correctly. This can be dangerous for plants that require a more tropical climate for growth. To make sure you get the most out of your greenhouse in a Mediterranean climate, the best kind of greenhouse to build would be the Geodesic Dome. This greenhouse provides solid insulation and you need really good insulation for those winter days and cold nights. Summer gets very warm and dry, causing condensation to occur in your greenhouse if not it’s not well ventilated and fanned. A heater will be needed for the winter; a simple heater fan that can rotate is ideal for smaller greenhouses.

Humid Tropical Climates

Tropical climates experience large amounts of evaporation and precipitation due to high inputs of solar energy. This climate type is found at the equator and is brimming with plant and animal life. Hot year round, you won’t need to worry about the cold getting to your plants (London, 2018). Because of the humidity, the air can get very moist and that can cause condensation in your greenhouse. Water isn’t bad for plants, obviously, but too much moisture with just the right temperature is a breeding ground for disease and fungus. For this type of climate you would want a well ventilated greenhouse that can conduct heat without compromising the health of your plants. The best style of greenhouse would be the A-Frame or Geodesic Dome. The A-Frame is a good shape for ventilation as the hot air can only go up, where it can be vented out. Despite its flatter shape, tropical plants grow well in a well-ventilated dome because the circular shape allows heat to spread evenly around the greenhouse.

Temperate Climates

Found in the middle latitudes between the tropics and the two polar regions, temperate climates experience four distinct seasons and moderate rainfall throughout the year or parts of the year (toppr, 2019). This region is perfect for a greenhouse, and most agriculture because of the distinct seasons and rainfall patterns. It is for this reason that any one of the greenhouses mentioned in this book can be built in temperate climates. However, days can get quite hot in summer and this means you will need to add a fan and good ventilation to keep your plants from wilting and dying. You will also need to make sure your greenhouse is big enough, as smaller sized greenhouses restrict airflow, and that would heat your greenhouse to extreme temperatures not fit for your plants or the materials you have used to build it.

Farmers in these regions use huge industrial fans to circulate the heat and keep the inside at an appropriate temperature in order to grow crops throughout the year (Rabbi, B., Chen, Z.-H., & Sethuvenkatraman, S. 2019). Night can get quite cold in this region in winter so make sure your greenhouse is well insulated and faces the sun at a south or southeast position. This will make sure it gets enough sun throughout the day, and most importantly, gets the early morning sun. Temperature control is very important when building your greenhouse, so make sure that you get extra heating and cooling for summer and winter.

Cold Climates

Colder climates are found mainly in the Northern Hemisphere at latitudes above 45 degrees. Weather is extreme here: the winter is very long, cold, and dark (Wielgolaski & Inouye, 2003), while the summer lasts for three months from June to September (Seasons in the Northern Hemisphere - Summer, n.d.) because the Northern Hemisphere is so cold for most of the year, the growing season for outside plants (in nature, not lucky enough to be in a greenhouse) is slightly shorter than say a temperate climate because it takes more energy to melt the frozen ground. Summer days are long, receiving 12 hours of sunlight, and some countries even experience 24 hours (Seasons in the Northern Hemisphere - Summer, n.d.). Snowfall and snow storms cause havoc and damage property. In a climatic region like this, a Geodesic Dome, or A-Frame would do well because of their shapes. You need a greenhouse that will be able to withstand the icy weather and the hazards that come with it, such as heavy snow falls destroying your greenhouse. Dome shapes allow snow to slide off because there is no flat surface for it to accumulate. The A-Frame’s steep shape means snow has no place to settle, and so will slide off each side. Make sure that you use very strong materials to build your greenhouse in this climate region. Steel frames are better for the extreme weather, but will conduct cold. There is no way of only using natural sun radiation for heating in this climate type. You will have to add in extra heaters and fans to distribute the heat. Extra insulation will be required too, if heat escapes and the snow gets in, your plants are in great danger. Glass is a great glazing for greenhouses, but glass can crack under the pressure of snow if a large amount falls on it. The best material for covering in such a climate would be triple-walled polycarbonate. Strong, durable and very good for insulating in extremely cold climates, it is great for growing year-round and is highly recommended for this climate.

Average Temperature for a Greenhouse

Most plants survive in a greenhouse with a temperature of between 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (Volente, 2019). Anything above that is harmful to your plants. In order to get the temperature required for optimal growing you may have to invest in heaters before building your greenhouse. Now that you understand the importance of identifying your climate type, you can begin to make a decision on what greenhouse you want to build and what materials you’re going to need for it to be successful. Cold climates need extra insulation, protection, and heating for those winter nights that dip well below freezing, and can destroy your greenhouse, not just the plants in it. Areas with extreme weather patterns are at high risk of being destroyed by the elements. Fast winds, falling snow, and heavy rains can demolish your greenhouse structure and mess with the inside temperature.

The average temperature for your greenhouse will vary. Your choice of plants, materials, budget and climate type will determine the average temperature of your greenhouse. That said, there are various methods of regulating these temperatures yourself in more specific temperature scenarios, two of which include using quality heaters, that are safe for your plants in colder regions; or ceiling fans for warmer ones. Maintaining your greenhouse's average temperature is very important to your plants. Should you be using fans, the size of your fans and their blades should be considered, as well as the volume of your greenhouse as fans move a certain amount of air per cubic foot. Colder climates will need more heat since you’re making up for what the climate lacks, so heaters are a good choice. Since these values will vary depending on all of the prerequisites, I would recommend consulting with a local supplier of the fans or heaters, as they usually have size guides, relating to square footage, to get the best temperature results. Dome shapes allow for more circular airflow and are a popular greenhouse choice for maintaining a good average temperature. Remember, to maintain the temperature of your greenhouse, you will always need to keep an eye on the weather so you can either add a heat source or a cooling mechanism should it become too cold or too hot. Next we will discuss more options for regulating these temperatures and why.

Heating Your Greenhouse

Greenhouses need sunlight and heat for growing crops. Though, should it become too hot in a greenhouse, the plants will start to wilt. Some plants may require high temperatures, but there is always a threshold you need to be aware of. When building your greenhouse you will need to consider how you will control the heat inside your greenhouse, always taking into consideration what plants you will be growing. Many DIY greenhouse builds are cold frames, which means they only use the heat of the sun to warm the greenhouse and have small built-in windows or vents for air circulation. This may not always be ideal for people who live in very cold climates because of temperatures that dip below freezing. To combat the extreme cold one can, if needed, once again, depending on your types of plants, choose to install a heating system. A heating system does not need to be an expensive heater designed specifically for greenhouses. No, you can use an ordinary space heater with an extension cord running from your house to your greenhouse. The size and amount of the heaters needed, depends on the size of your greenhouse and the materials you use to build it with. Materials that conduct heat like metal will increase the temperature of your greenhouse beyond what the heater does. So before you add any heating systems to your greenhouse, take size and materials into consideration. It is also a good idea to know what types of heaters you can use in your greenhouse, as some may be toxic to your plants. Let us have a look at what types of heating systems you can install.

Space Heaters

Small greenhouses—any greenhouse that is less than 20 square feet—tend to heat up quickly because of their size. There is not much space for air to move around so for this sized greenhouse you can easily use a space heater for heat, and a fan to distribute it. Some space heaters require some sort of fuel like oil. If this is the case you will need to have a clean air source coming in so the fumes don’t build up in your greenhouse and destroy your plants. You will need to install a thermostat or thermometer to keep track of the temperature in your greenhouse.

Forced-air Heating

Forced-air heaters are another great system for heating a small greenhouse. Using a gas furnace to heat a greenhouse will ensure that the greenhouse is evenly heated and there will be no cold spots. A thermostat should be installed to control the temperature with this kind of system. Again this type of system will need a vent to prevent the buildup of oxygen from the plants—which can be harmful to them—and carbon dioxide from the system—which can be harmful to you.

Steam Heater

Steam heating systems heat water with gas or oil and turn it into steam. The steam travels through a pipe to a convector that radiates heat to warm the greenhouse. A hot water heater does the same thing, however, it is the water that heats the convector directly. To use this type of heating system, you need to first calculate the BTU required, BTU stands for British Thermal Unit is defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one degree Fahrenheit (Designer Radiators Direct, 2017). Calculating the necessary BTU is done by multiplying the area of your greenhouse by the average coldest night in your climate zone. There are also calculators online that you can refer to should you not want to calculate the average temperature or area of your greenhouse (Waterworth, 2014).

Electric Heater

Using an electric heater will run up your electricity bill, but can be adapted in many ways to suit the needs of your greenhouse. Mostly recommended for small greenhouses because of its use of electricity, and much like the space heater, you will need to add some fans to help distribute the heat. This is a manual way of heating a greenhouse, so you will need to keep track of how hot the greenhouse gets by installing a thermometer.

Shopping for a Greenhouse Heater

Before you buy a greenhouse heater, you need to know what kind you want and how many you are going to need. Taking the size of your greenhouse into account and what climate zone you are in will help you decide on how many heaters you will need. It is suggested that if you are in a cold climate zone you have a heater for every 175 square feet. Since warmer climates do not need as much heating as colder climates, it is suggested that you place a heater for the colder days one per 200 square feet (White, n.d.). The other thing you will need to take into account is how much electricity the heaters will use, if they will use any at all. Running a greenhouse does not need to be expensive, so choose the best heater for your needs.

Cooling Your Greenhouse

Keeping your greenhouse cool and vented is just as important as heating it. Greenhouses in climates that receive a lot of sun and heat will need some sort of cooling system to keep the temperature in the greenhouse at optimal levels. Your options for these types of systems are many, from manual, to fully automatic, regulated by a thermostat. The issue with some systems is they can use a lot of energy. So it is best to plant in the season your plants are meant to be planted in, if you want to save on your electricity bill.

Ventilation

Greenhouses can get extremely hot. When sunlight enters the greenhouse, the radiation bounces or reflects off of the surfaces in your greenhouse and this is how heat gets trapped. Small amounts of radiation is lost as it escapes through the roof. If you do not ventilate your greenhouse too much heat, oxygen, and fumes created by your plants will build up, and can begin to cause harm to plants because the air becomes stale. You may think that vents are only for hot days, but days that are cold still allow enough sunlight to penetrate the greenhouse. Adding vents to your greenhouse as you see, is very important. Vents provide circulation of the air inside your greenhouse and also push out the built up oxygen and fumes your plants have created. Remember plants need carbon dioxide for growth, not oxygen.

Evaporative Cooling

An evaporative cooler, also called a swamp cooler or desert cooler, cools the air by evaporating water; it is a different system to an air conditioner. Dry air temperatures inside the greenhouse can be dropped very low when using evaporation. Another perk of using evaporative cooling is that it adds significant humidity to the greenhouse atmosphere (Newair, 2018). Humidity is important for your plants, but too much can also harm your plants which is why you will have to monitor your greenhouse carefully when using this type of cooling.

Shading Your Greenhouse

Greenhouse shading is a form of cooling for your greenhouse using a type of shade cloth you can find at any gardening store. Shading comes in many forms: it can be installed over the top of your structure, inside the greenhouse, or above individual plants. To choose the correct kind of shading technique for your greenhouse, you need to consider what your greenhouse is made of and what you decide to use as the glazing. The types of plants in the greenhouse will also determine what shading you will need. Shade cloth is a type of shading made from woven fabric and is used to defer a small or large amount of sunlight reaching your plants. There are different thicknesses to choose from, each one allows more or less sunlight to reach your plants. It is also easy to install outside or in a greenhouse so there isn’t much skill needed to work with it.

When you build your greenhouse you should consider if you will be adding a shading or not. It does not need to be installed while you are building, but it will make it a lot easier because you can plan your floor space according to where you place the shading. You can easily install it after you have finished your greenhouse if you are not sure where everything will go just yet. Consider the types of plants that will be in your greenhouse after building it. Some shades can cut the light to your plants by up to 50%. When installing shading after you have built your greenhouse, depending on where you install it, there are some things you'll need to do first. If you are installing a vinyl plastic type of shading on the inside against your glazing, you will need to wash the greenhouse glazing with a sponge and water to make sure there isn’t any dirt that would prevent the shading from staying in place.

Installing shading is not difficult at all. Even if you have never used it for gardening before, it usually comes ready to install. Shading that can be purchased at any gardening supply store will come with grommets around its edges for tying a line. You can simply untie one side to remove the shade cloth when you want to allow more sunlight to reach your plants.

There are other ways to provide shading. Let’s look at some:

✓      Internal Blinds are fixed to the inside of your greenhouse and are not as good at cooling as using external blinds. Sunlight still passes through the glazing into the greenhouse and generates heat. Internal blinds can easily be made fully automatic, or you can use them manually. They are made in a variety of materials and thicknesses, and there are variations which allow more or less air flow. Internal blinds can be ordered online or purchased at your local gardening supply store.

✓      External Blinds are exactly the same as the internal blinds, only they are placed on the outside of the greenhouse, and cool the greenhouse a lot better than internal blinds. You can get both internal and external blinds in roll up forms but these are a lot more expensive.

✓      Polyethylene Mesh is placed on the inside of a greenhouse and can be attached with clips. Fitting the mesh over your greenhouse is a better option because the UV rays won’t be able to penetrate and heat the greenhouse, but it is more complicated to try to install on the outside. It is a cheaper option for anyone on a tight budget, and is easy to source from your local garden supply store. Polyethylene mesh will deteriorate over time but is inexpensive to replace.

✓      Shading Paints are diluted in water and applied to the outside of your greenhouse glazing. It is recommended to apply it in Spring, when things start to heat up. As the seasons progress and it gets hotter, you can add more shading paint to block out the harsher UV rays. The paint should be removed as it starts to get colder, or there won’t be enough sunlight for optimal plant growth. You can use this technique on any glazing but it is not recommended for acrylic or polycarbonate because it can be difficult to remove the shading paint from these types of glazings.

We covered a lot in chapter four, so much that it may be difficult to remember all of this information, but luckily you have this book to refer back to whenever you feel stuck. This chapter covered the importance of knowing your climate type and determining the orientation of your greenhouse in relation to which hemisphere you live in, how to keep your greenhouse cool in hot climate zones, and hot in cold ones to protect your plants from the varying elements. I also covered ventilation that is vital for keeping the air in your greenhouse fresh for optimal plant growth; I offered some affordable heating and cooling system options that you can install in your greenhouse depending on your needs. All of these factors are important to consider before building your greenhouse because they play a vital role in the time and money you will spend constructing it.

Are you enjoying this book? If so, I 'be really happy if you could leave a short review on Amazon. Thank you.

Chapter 5:
The 12ft by 6ft A-Frame

So why is it called an A-Frame greenhouse? Think of the letter A, what shape could you relate it to? The A-Frame greenhouse is a basic triangular shape that is quite simple to build and requires relatively little DIY skill. A-Frames are nice for small greenhouses, and can be extended to keep many different kinds of plants. The A-Frame has air coming in and out through vents in the top. It’s height allows hot air to rise to the top, where it can be blown through the vents.

This greenhouse is so simple that it doesn’t take a lot of time to build. Those that want a quick setup with minimal effort should consider this style of greenhouse. It also doesn’t take up a lot of garden space as it is higher than it is wide; it’s perfect for anyone with a small garden, although there is limited headspace in a small A-Frame.

Budget wise, the most expensive part of building this greenhouse would be the technology you choose to use inside of it for temperature control. Since there is limited airflow in this style, you will have to invest in cooling equipment should you live in a climate that is very hot. The rest of the materials are very straightforward and can be purchased on a tight budget. The triangle is one of the strongest shapes found in nature. Using it for the structure of your greenhouse is wise because it can withstand a lot of pressure, and requires few struts, rafters, and beams to keep it in place.

The Pros and Cons of an A-Frame

Pros:

Simple design that requires very little material to make.

Can be made quite small, so great for smaller gardens.

Can get very warm, which is great for growing tropical plants.

Strong structural integrity.

Cheap to build.

Cons:

The slanted walls may be problematic when it comes to storage space.

Would need to be built very high if you are a tall person.

Air circulation can be a problem because of the shape.

Project Greenhouse: A 72 Square Foot A-Frame

This basic plan, for a 12’ x 6’ A-frame greenhouse, uses wood for the structure, and flat polycarbonate sheeting for the glazing. You are welcome to use the material you feel is best for your needs, depending on your budget and the climate you are in. You may want to use metal or plastic piping instead of wood, or one of the other glazing materials that I discussed earlier. This plan will use pressure treated wood of varying lengths. The plan will have a deck as the floor, which will be lowered into a three inch hole. Even though an A-Frame is a fairly simple structure, your materials will determine the outcome of your growing.

Tools Required for the Job

The tools for the job are very important. You won’t be able to build the plans properly if you don’t have all the tools required. Of course you can always improvise, but when it comes to building, safety should be your number one priority. If you are new to building, then I suggest that you don’t try to improvise tools or try techniques you’ve never heard of. Get someone to help you do the things you’re not too certain about. The A-frame is a simple build, and therefore requires few fancy, unknown tools.

Let’s take a look at the tools needed to build our project A-frame greenhouse:

C-clamp, to keep timber in place.

Drill and corresponding drill bits.

Builders Square, to measure rafter angles.

Level, to make sure the area for your foundation is flat.

Jigsaw for cutting wood.

Pencil.

Ladder (depending on how high you want your A-Frame to be).

Hammer.

Circular saw for cutting thick wood.

Protective eyewear.

Hearing protection.

Drive steel (for earth anchors).

Radial arm saw to mitre cut angles.

Workspace.

Measuring tape.

Materials Needed

Let’s take a look at the materials needed to build our project A-frame greenhouse:

About 300 square feet of flat polycarbonate sheeting for insulation. This amount will allow room for offcuts. The thickness will depend on your climate type and the types of plants you want to grow, the thicker the polycarbonate sheeting, the hotter the greenhouse will get.

12-foot length of galvanized ridge capping.

14, 11’ x 2” x 4” pressure treated wood to form the five A-frame’s rafters. Four of these will be secured as reinforcing beams. It’s your choice which type of wood you want to use. However, it is suggested that you use wood that is resistant to rot, like cedar, redwood, or mulberry. These options are more expensive than pressure treated wood, but are also more eco-friendly.

Three, nine-foot, 2” x 4” for temporary support braces when erecting the A-frame ridge beam.

Three, 12-foot, 2” x 4” pressure treated wood for the length of the foundation baseframe.

Five, six-foot, 2” x 4” pressure treated wood for the breadth and inner baseframe supports for the baseboards

One, 12-foot, 2” x 4” pressure treated wood for the ridge board which is the top support for the rafters that form the A-frame.

Five, six-foot, 1” x 2” pressure treated wood that will be cut to make up the frames for the door and window.

Eight, 12-foot, 2” x 2” pressure treated wood for the purlins that serve to reinforce the A-frame structure.

24, six-foot, 6” x 5/4” deck boards allowing for wastage.

About two boxes of 4” wood screws.

One box of 6” nails.

80 square feet of ground cover with holes poked in for drainage.

Six earth anchors: three for each length of your greenhouse.

14 2” x 4-6” joist hangers for each joist of your foundation.

20 2" x 4-6" steel light sloped and skewed joist hangers to secure the rafters to the ridge board and base.

40 purlin clips to secure the purlins

Two window hinges.

Two door hinges.

Door handle.

Two latches of your choice.

1 Gallon of Creosote (depending on the type of wood you’ve chosen to use).

Step-By-Step Guide on How to Build Your A-Frame

Step One

The very first thing you’ll need to do before you can begin, is to use your Level and make sure that the area you are building on is completely flat. An A-frame may be simple, but a skewed greenhouse isn’t going to last very long.

1.     Mark all the corners of the foundation with a stake.

2.     Make a loop at the loose end of the string, and place the loop over a stake; run the string to the next stake, opposite the first one.

3.     Make another loop around the stake and run it to the next stake opposite it; using the same method, connect a line of string for all the remaining stakes.

4.     Loop the last stake, cut the string and tie it.

5.     Place the level on the top of your stake and determine the high point.

6.     Use a tape measure to measure diagonally from one corner stake to another; if the measurements are the same, then the layout is square.

7.     Begin to dig a six-inch-deep hole for your foundation with your shovel inside the area you have marked.

8.     Neatly remove all the topsoil inside the layout, leaving the ground as flat as possible.

9.     Place a small plank, narrowest edge down, flush on top of the topsoil in the six inch deep hole you dug, and use it as a guide to “shimmy” the plank from one end, going in a left to right motion. Apply pressure by pushing downwards until the ground is perfectly flat or level.

10. Lay a plank flush to the ground in the hole with a spirit level on top to determine if the ground is level.

11. If the ground is level you can begin to fill the hole with the topsoil you removed by three inches.

12. Rake the topsoil to be even, removing any large rocks that interfere.

13. Smooth the three inches of topsoil with the ground tamper, making sure not to apply too much pressure to neaten the three inches of topsoil.

14. Place a plank flush to the three inches of topsoil you added, and put the spirit level on it. Continue this process across your foundation's entire area, checking the levels and where needed, filling back soil, removing soil, clearing any rocks and raking as you go.

15. Lay 12’ x 6’ of ground cover. Punch holes into the ground cover roughly every square foot. The ground cover goes under the base of your A-frame foundation to allow for insulation, and to prevent weeds (Aarons Creek Farms Inc, n.d.).

16. You will only add the earth anchors after you have finished creating the base of your greenhouse.

Once this has been set up you may begin to build your A-frame on the area you have levelled, now that you know your greenhouse isn’t going to topple over.

Step Two

1.     Create a rectangle on the ground with the two 12’ 2” x 4” for the length and two 6’ 2” x 4” lengths of wood for the breadth .

2.      Your wood should have the two-inch edge facing up.

3.     Butt-join each corner at 90-degrees placing the 6ft timbers between the 12ft lengths .

4.      Check that the frame is square, adjust accordingly.

5.     Using the wood glue, glue each butt-joint of the 2” x 4”s to each other, clamp together and allow it to dry, then reinforce the butt-joints with nails.

6.     Measure out and mark the half-way point of the breadth of the frame and fasten a joist hanger at this mark and follow the same process for the opposite side.

7.     Place the pre-cut 11’ x 8” bridge board into the joist hangers and secure with nails.

8.     Measure and mark at three feet intervals along each of the 12’ base lengths , and the bridge board. Secure one joist hanger at each marking you have made on their inner facing sides of the wood.

9.     Now fit the pre-cut 5’ x 11” joists into the joist hangers and secure with nails. These pieces will form a joist bridge. It is called a bridge because it connects all the joists together and adds extra support to lay your flooring on.

10. Cover the top of the base with the 22 6’ x 6” x 5/4” deck boards, securing them half an inch apart to allow for any swelling. Hammer all the planks down using wood nails as these are flat and won’t cause you to trip when you use the greenhouse.

11. Secure five sloped and skewed joist hangers using nails to the decking along the 12 foot length lining them up directly above each floor joist. Later we will insert the bottom of the rafters of the A-frame into these joists.

12. This is a good time to lower the base into the plastic lined foundation you dug earlier.

Step Three

Your greenhouse frame hasn’t been fully attached to the ground yet. To prevent the wind from carrying your greenhouse away you will need to anchor it to the ground using the earth anchors.

1.     Place the earth anchors about five or six inches away from the foundation on each corner of the frame.

2.     Drive each earth anchor into the ground where you have placed them, using the driver steel and a hammer, or anything that will apply enough force to drive the anchors deep into the ground.

3.     Make sure that the driver steel goes through the hoop of the earth anchor so that you don’t lose the anchor while you’re hammering it into the ground.

4.     You should be left with a length of cable that barely reaches the greenhouse foundation.

5.     Using the drive steel that is still through the hoop of the earth anchor, pull the anchor out of the ground by about two inches. This will enforce the anchor in the ground and allow you to attach the cable to the greenhouse.

6.     Put a lag bolt through the cable’s hoop as a grip, and add a washer.

7.     It should be secured in a way that the cable is resting between the wood of the base and the washer you added. Secure the bolt and washer tightly.

8.      Do this for all four corners of your greenhouse.

Step Four

Now comes the fun part: creating the skeleton of your greenhouse.

1.     For your reference, mark the tops and bottoms of each of the 10- 11’ x 2” x 4”s, and then, using a mitre cut of 15-degrees, cut off a foot off the bottom. Repeat this for each rafter.

2.     Make a mark every two and a half feet on the log top edge of the rafter. Cut four 2” x 2” inch dado cuts at these marks on the rafter. Repeat for each rafter.

3.     Concentrating on the ridge beam, make a mark at three foot intervals at each side of the ridge beam. Fix the sloped and skewed joist hangers at these marks with nails, there should be five joists on each side of the ridge beam. These will be used to secure the tops of the A-frame rafters.

4.     Now use the three 9’ 6” x 2” x 4”s temporary support braces to hold the 12-foot ridge beam at the correct height above the deck. Make sure to line up the ridge board to the center of the base frame. Use a few temporary nails to keep the support beams in place if necessary.

5.     Fit the A-frame rafters, with the mitred side at the bottom into the joist hangers that are on the base and ridge beam.

6.     There should be a total of five A’s joined to the ridge beam and base.

7.     With the A-frame structure secured in place, start adding the eight 12-foot, 2” x 2” purlins to the dado cutouts in the rafters. Four on each side. This will add strength to the skeleton and serve as extra anchor points for the polycarbonate.

8.     Remove the three support braces that were holding the ridge beam up.

Step Five

Before adding a window and a door we need to create the frames for them in the front and back of the greenhouse. The door that will be made to fit into the frame measures 6' x 2' x 6"

1.     On a workbench or level work surface, butt-join the edge of a 6' x 2" x 4" wood to the 2' 6" x 2" x 4" at a 90-degree angle to assemble an L shape. Repeat this to make the other side of the door frame. Secure these two sides together at the edges. Your frame will resemble a rectangle.

2.     Attach this frame to the outside frame of your greenhouse. Secure the top corners directly to the rafters with the 6-inch nails, and secure the bottom of the frame to the deck.

3.     You can adapt the techniques used in this step to build and install the greenhouse window on the opposite side of the greenhouse, the only thing that will differ is the measurements of the dimensions of your window, as this A-frame calls for a 2'3" x 2'5" window.

Step Six

It’s time to add a door so you can get in and out of your greenhouse. These instructions are adapted from David Laferney how-to guide from The Door Garden online blog (Laferney, 2008).

1.     You will need 1"×2" pressure treated wood to make the door–two pieces to make the sides, and three pieces to make the top, bottom, and middle brace.

2.     The dimensions of these pieces will be determined by the size of the door that you are making to fit your greenhouse. The two sides of the door need to be the same length as the finished height of the door you want to build. The top, bottom, and brace need to be a half-inch less than the width of the finished door.

3.     Use a drill bit a size smaller than the screws you will be using to pre-drill pilot holes in the edges where the corners of the frame are butted together, before screwing the frame together.

4.     3″ washer headed, self-drilling screws will be needed to secure the frame of the door when assembling it. If there’s a gap between the parts after you screw them together – back out the screw and re-drive it.

5.     On a workbench or level work surface, butt-join the edge of the 6' x 1" x 2" wood to the 2' 6" x 1" x 2" wood at a 90-degree angle to assemble an L shape. Repeat this to make the other side of the door frame. Secure these two sides together at the edges that you pre-drilled earlier. Secure the middle brace. Your frame will resemble a rectangle.

6.     Now drill a hole in each corner of the frame which you will thread brace wires through.

7.     Thread a loop of galvanized electric fence wire diagonally to all four corners and secure the ends by twisting them together, and then twisting the overlapping tags back around the main wire.

8.     Clip the ends off and bend them neatly so that they won’t stick out and snag on clothes, or the glazing.

9.     Use scraps of wood to hand tension the wires. You want the wires to be slightly tight, taking out any slack. This will pull all of the joints together so that they aren’t likely to come apart or sag. Check for square again to make sure you haven’t torqued everything out of alignment.

10. Check that your frame is square by measuring diagonally across the corners with a measuring tape. If they aren’t about the same, then tweak the frame a bit to get it pretty close to square, at least within a quarter of an inch is good.

11. I would recommend planning a half inch off of each edge of the outer frame of the door to prevent the door from sticking.

12. Use 4" x 4" right angled triangle shaped, 1/2" plywood for gussets. Glue these 6 triangles gussets at each corner of the frame intersections and the sides of the middle brace. Use a water proof glue such as Titebond 3, and secure the connection with three 1" screws.

13. To add the plastic, fold the overlapping plastic around the inside edges of the frame and staple the plastic flush on the door frame. Don't secure the bottom of the door in this manner as rainwater accumulates in the fold, simply staple it flush to the frame.

14. Attach two loose pin interior door hinges to the edge of the door frame that will be connected to the greenhouse. Install them the right side up so that the pins don’t function loosely or fall out. Secure the hinges 6" from the top and bottom of the door.

15. Attach a handle at a height that is desirable.

16. Now mark the door frame of your greenhouse where the hinges need to be placed. Do this by holding the door against the frame, while resting the door on a 1/2-inch thick piece of scrap wood at the bottom to raise it off the decking. Pre-drill the holes for the hinges where they lineup against the greenhouse. To hang the door, loosely fasten only one screw in each hinge on the greenhouse door frame for now. Remove the 1/2-inch spacer and test if the door opens and closes without jamming. Adjust accordingly until you are happy that the door won't stick. Secure any remaining screws for the hinges.

17. You can adapt the techniques used in these instructions to build and install the greenhouse window, the only thing that will differ is the measurements of the dimensions of your window, the hinge locations and the size of the spacer you will place, as this A-frame calls for a 2'3" x 2'5" top hung window.

Step Seven

You’re almost done! Now comes the easiest part: covering your structure with polycarbonate sheeting.

1.     Cut four 10’ x 6’ rectangle pieces of flat polycarbonate sheets that will cover the side rafters.

2.     Attach the sheets next to each other and flush on the frame on both sides of the A-frame.

3.     Fasten the sheets to the frame by driving screws every inch along the horizontal purlins and to the rafters.

4.     Make sure that there are no gaps anywhere that the sheets meet.

5.     To cover the front and back walls of the A-frame, hold a piece of polycarbonate to the front of the structure and trace the outline of the triangle and the door frame that you will use as a guide to cut. Do the same for the back; remember to outline the window.

6.     Cut the two pieces following along the guides you marked.

7.     Secure these cut pieces to the front and back rafters, nailing along the edges of the polycarbonate against the frame.

8.     Time to add the ridge cap. Secure the 12-foot ridge cap by lining it up on the ridge beam and making sure it overlaps the polycarbonate sheeting, then secure in place with nails along the length of the cap.

Finally you are done with your simple A-frame greenhouse build.

1.     Inspect the greenhouse for any beams sticking out, and clean up any pieces that are sticking out where they shouldn’t be.

2.      Check that there are no major air leaks.

3.     Backfill any topsoil around the base frame that was inserted into the foundation of the greenhouse.

4.      You can begin to add your favorite vegetables!

Wrap Up

Now that you have seen how easy it is to make an A-frame greenhouse, you can see how adaptable the construction really is. You can build the frame out of whatever you can get your hands on, just follow the principles laid out here: frames with rafters and purlins, repeated and anchored into the ground or foundation. Brace the frames, add a front and back, and cover with whatever you can find. The flat walls of this greenhouse make it perfect for rigid or flexible glazing. A-frame greenhouses are also easy to extend in length, and this design could be stretched out by adding more frames.

Chapter 6: Hoop House

The Hoop House is a simple greenhouse project that anyone can follow. It is considered a slightly easier style to build than an A-frame, and it gives you a lot of opportunity to expand. It’s very good for both southern and northern climates because it holds and circulates heat well, and snow slides down the sides easier. Some people ventilate their hoop house by simply rolling up the greenhouse plastic from the bottom. You can get creative with the hoop house by making small ones to protect outside plants. This style of greenhouse can be scaled to massive sizes, and is the most common style of greenhouse for commercial farming. This means that you can build your own massive vegetable garden. It’s a great frame for anyone just starting out that wants something easy to construct. It’s not a very stylish looking greenhouse, but does the job well. We’re going to take a look at how to build a simple one right in your backyard.

The Pros and Cons of a Hoop House

Pros:

Very easy to build

Can be built in a variety of sizes

Inexpensive to build

Easy to maintain

Light rain and snow runoff easily

Cons:

Not as sturdy as other greenhouses, which may lead to heavy winds dragging it away or rains destroying it

Heavy snow can accumulate on the top and weigh the hoops down

Project Greenhouse: A 12ft x 32ft Hoop House

Here is a simple step-by step to make a large PVC hoop greenhouse that is functional, simple, and relatively inexpensive. This is a plan by Alberta Home Gardening which has been used to build this 12’ x 32’ hoop-style greenhouse that has two end brace walls and is secured to the ground at the foundation with 10mm x 10’ rebars at either length of the baseframe to create a total of 17 hoops (Alberta Home Gardening, 2008). A hoop house greenhouse can be adjusted to any size. A small hoop house can be anywhere from 4’ x 10’ to a larger design like 10’ x 42’ (Schalau, 2009).

There are two ways to create your hoops, this plan is a simple one because it uses the rebars to anchor the PVC hoops. Another way to create the hoops is to use a tee connector and four-way PVC connectors to run the spine and join the hoops.

Tools Required for the Job

The tools needed to build a hoop house are few because of how simple this greenhouse is to build. Most of your budget will be for the materials you are going to use, which are also very few, the largest part of this greenhouse being its hoops. Please refer to the end of the glossary for terms used that you perhaps do not understand.

Circular saw

Hammer

Tape measure

Drill

Level

Protective eyewear for cutting wood

Hearing Protection

Pencil

Materials Needed

Four, 16-foot, 2” × 6” pressure treated wood for the foundation (both lengths of the base will be made by laying down two 16’ 2” x 6”s to make up 32’)

Two, 12-foot, 2” × 6”

14, 12-foot, 2” × 4”

19 20’ x ¾” white pvc pipe

Nine 10mm x 10’ rebars

One 20’ x 50’ roll of 6mm plastic

One Bundle of 50, 4’ wood lathe (or optional staples)

Two bags of 6-inch zip ties

Two boxes of 2.5-inch nails

34 pipe clamps

Two Door hinges and a handle

Step-By-Step Guide on How to Build Your Hoop House

Step One

Level the ground where your greenhouse base frame will sit. This plan calls for a 12’ x 32’ base frame. See chapter five, step one for a detailed description on how to level the ground.

Step Two

You can optionally build a foundation such as the concrete slab, or wood and gravel in chapter one. This plan does not call for a foundation to be built, only a base frame.

1.     If you want to build a foundation, follow the instructions in chapter one to your desired size. This plan calls for you to use the four 16’ 2” × 6” (butt-join two together to create 32ft) and the two 12’ 2” x 6” (for the breadth of the base) to build a base frame.

2.     To build the base frame, lay down and join two 16’ 2" x 6" pressure treated wood with their thinnest edge facing up to make the length of the base frame. Do the same for the opposite length of the base and add the two breadth 12’ x 2" x 6" pressure-treated wood between the two lengths at the front and back of the base.

3.     Ensure that the frame is square by measuring with a measuring tape from each corner diagonally.

4.     Once you are certain it is square you can continue on to step three.

Step Three

1.     Cut each 10ft piece of rebar into four 30” pieces of rebar. This should give you thirty-four individual pieces.

2.     Pound the rebar into the ground 15” deep along the outside of your base placing them apart at two-foot intervals. There will be 15” sticking up out of the ground. Use as many rebars as you need if you have adapted these instructions for a different sized greenhouse. The longer your greenhouse, the more rebars you will need.

Step Four

To create the hoops

1.     Slide both ends of your PVC pipe over the 15" of rebar that is sticking out of the ground to make a hoop across the breadth of your greenhouse.

2.      Repeat this to create the other 16 hoops.

3.      You’ve just created your hoops, well done!

Step Five

Secure the hoops to the inside of the length of the base, the 2" x 6" x 16ft pressure-treated wood, with the pipe clamps and 2-½” nails.

Do this for every pipe and rebar connection. The same will apply if you choose to use the four-way joint method.

Step Six

You will need to build the end wall frames for the front and back of the greenhouse. To assemble the end walls. I will explain as best I can on how to build end walls, however, I suggest taking a look at this online how-to source called Buildmyowngreenhouse.com it has a wonderful article with a diagram on how to construct a wall frame to your chosen dimensions, called, End Wall Framing (Build My Own Greenhouse, n.d.). The end wall is constructed from varying sized rectangles made from the wood dimensions mentioned below. This plan calls for two end walls made from 12' 2" x 4" cut into the following sizes (Alberta Home Gardening, 2008):

Two at 11’ 8¾”

Four at 1’ 6 ″

Four at 4’ 7 ″

Four at 5’ 7 ″

Eight at 1’ 11¼”

Two at 4’ ¼”

1.     Use a tape measure to measure the breadth and height of the first front hoop to help guide you while constructing the end walls. Do the same for the back hoop.

2.     Start building the door frame: build two 4’ ¼” wide by 5’ 7” high rectangular frames, one will be placed in the front of the greenhouse and the other at the back, these will be used to create the end walls and will act as a frame to attach your door to the front of the greenhouse. The frames should be placed and secured in the middle of the front and back hoop; the bottom of the frame should be flush on the ground.

3.     Build two 1’ 11¼” x 4’ 7” butted in an L-shape. Each one will be attached to either side of the door frame. Put together another two for the back that will be attached the same way.

4.     Finally build two L-shape 1’ 11¼” x 1’ 6”s, butted together at the corner. One will be attached with nails to each flat side of the L-shaped 1’ 11¼” x 4’ 7”s you attached to the door frame. Build another two for the back and attach it in the same way.

5.     Place the end walls within the width of the base frame and nail in place along the base.

6.     Cut four 28-inch 2" × 4" pieces, choose one end and cut at a 45º angle for all four braces. Use these to brace the walls. Secure each brace to the inside of the foundation frame with a screw.

Step Seven

Once all of the hoops and the two wall ends are in place, connect two 20’ x ¾” PVC pipes lengthways with a straight pipe connector, and cut either end so that the final length measures 32′ long. This will run in the middle along the top of your hoops. You can attach this pipe with plastic zip ties the entire length to tightly secure it. This is an extra bit of support. Cut away any long pieces of zip tie left that may poke through the plastic.

Step Eight

1.     Cut 32 wood lathes measuring 20-inches each. These will secure the plastic to the sides of the base in between each hoop.

2.     Drape the commercial grade greenhouse plastic over the length of the greenhouse. Be sure to leave enough overlap to cover the end walls. Pull the plastic snug and attach 16 lathes to the length of the base using a nail gun each one to secure them into the base. Do the same for the opposite side, pull snug, and attach with another 16 laths. For the end wall with the door, cut the shape of the door frame out of the plastic and leave about four inches of overhang to wrap inside and secure to the frame.

Step Nine

Making and adding the doors is the final step before inspecting the greenhouse for any areas needing trimming or insulation. Please refer to the detailed instructions in the A-frame greenhouse chapter for how to assemble and attach a greenhouse door. The door for that chapter can be adjusted to build any size door. Check the measurements to build the door for this plan by measuring the door frame within the end wall and allow for a half-inch gap so your door doesn’t stick. Your wall might sit slightly different from this plan. The measurements for this plan’s door are two 4’ x 11" and two 3’ x 9" pieces cut from a 12’ 2" x 4" and a diagonal 2" x 4" pressure-treated wood brace.

Step Ten

You are done! All you need to do is check the entire greenhouse for any gaps that may prevent insulation and if there are any, seal them up with a nail or staple.

Wrap Up

Now that you’ve seen how a hoop house gets built, you can see how, like the A-frame, it is quite adaptable. The hoop house is easier to change the dimension, though, perhaps more difficult to build out of whatever is at hand. PVC is an excellent material for the DIY scale projects because it has the right balance of flexibility and strength. Those materials are rather less common than rigid and straight materials. However, rigid material such as steel pipe can be bent in the shape of a hoop relatively cheaply, making the hoop house truly scalable. The hoop house requires flexible glazing too, making more permanent and longer wearing materials such as glass or polycarbonate unworkable.

If you’re making a DIY greenhouse out of found or upcycled material, I suggest the A-frame. But if you’re buying your materials, you will find the hoop house easier to plan and build.

Chapter 7: Geodesic Dome

The geodesic dome is one of the most difficult greenhouses to build because of its shape. Those with little experience in building may find it a lot harder to attempt, especially if it’s your first time building anything. Bigger domes require more triangles, as do domes with higher frequency.

I know you might be wondering what a frequency is? The frequency of a geodesic dome refers to how many times a pattern occurs. In this case a geodome is made up of many triangles to form hexagons and pentagons that connect to each other to form the dome’s shape. A geodome comes in a variety of frequencies, namely 1V, 2V, 3V and 4V. The 1V dome frequency can be described as an icosahedron with its bottom section removed; all of the struts used to build this frequency are one length. A 1V ‘dome’ is not really a dome at all, it is more boxy than round. All dome frequencies are derived from the icosahedron. The 2V dome takes on a more ‘rounded’ shape than the 1V dome. It is made from two different length struts that form equilateral triangles, and is the dome we will be constructing in this plan. As the dome frequency gets higher, more material is required to build it. To create a 24 foot, 3V dome, there will be three different lengths of struts that are used to form two different sized triangles. These triangles are used to form the rounded dome. Finally, forming a 30 foot-4V dome is created with six varying strut lengths to form four different sized triangles. The 4V dome looks somewhat like a golf ball cut in half, the more triangles that are added the more round the dome gets.

The Pros and Cons of a Geodesic Dome

Pros:

Withstands harsh weather.

Energy efficient because of its shape.

Aerodynamic which means wind can pass around it easily, not toppling it over.

Holds up during earthquakes.

Cons:

Difficult to construct if you don’t have much building skill.

Curve of shape lessens storage space.

Understanding the frequency of a geodome can be tricky. The internet offers many free tools one can use, but this often puts people off wanting to build a geodome.

Project Greenhouse: a 8-foot 7’ Geodesic Dome

The geodome is composed of a network of triangles that will create a spherical shape.. This geodome plan is for a 2V, 8ft-7’ dome made from electrical metallic tubing, using the natural ground (soil) as its base,, and rebars to keep it grounded. The 2V geodome is made by connecting long and short struts to form 3D pentagons that will be connected to form the dome. There will be a total of 26 joins once the dome is fully constructed. The greenhouse has no doors and ventilation will be created by making a roll up flap from the covering material.

Calculating the Struts

One can make use of an online dome formula calculator to calculate the lengths of struts needed for your preferred radius. Doing a simple internet search will bring up many free calculators.

For an 8 ft 7 inch dome you will need:

●        35 long struts = 5.3 ft.

●        30 short struts = 4.7 ft.

Tools Required for the Job

Vise

Hammer

Pipe cutter

Drill and 25/64-inch drill bit

Materials Needed

⅜-inch hex bolts, two inches long.

⅜-inch hex nuts.

⅜-inch flat washers.

About 40 ten-foot electrical metallic tubing (EMT) conduit at ¾-inches thick, these will be cut to make 35 long struts and 30 short struts. The great thing about the conduit is that it comes in ten foot pieces that need to be cut in half to make the struts, which means you don’t need to pay an arm and a leg to build your dome!

Four rebars to keep the structure anchored to the ground.

Velcro strip, enough to close up a door flap.

Enough glazing to cover the entire dome and leave an overlap at the base of the dome.

Step-By-Step Guide on How to Build Your Geodesic Dome

Step One

Cutting the struts will be fairly simple.

1.     Use your vise to keep the pipe in place, and with the pipe cutter, cut the EMT conduit into the two appropriate lengths for assembling. The long struts should be 5.3 feet and the short struts 4.7 feet.

Step Two

Both ends of all of the conduit struts need to be flattened. If you are lucky enough to own a hydraulic press or have access to one, use it to flatten the ends of your struts. Otherwise, your vise and hammer will come in handy here.

Conduit has a weld seam that you’ll need to identify before you begin flattening the ends. The weld seam is a dark line that runs the length of the pipe. To flatten without damaging the pipe, don’t place the weld seam directly where pressure will be applied.

1.     Situate the weld seam of the conduit horizontally into the vise, not facing north or south, or directly east or west when flattening them so as to not split the seam. The seam should be slightly offset.

2.      Tighten the vise slowly to flatten the end.

3.     A hydraulic press would make this job much easier; firmly hold the pipe horizontally on the pressing plate and keep the pipe in place as pressure is applied to one end of the conduit.

Step Three

1.     The flattened portion at the end of the strutts will need a hole drilled through it.

2.     Using the drill and 25/64-inch drill bit, drill a hole ¾ of an inch from the end of the struts.

3.     To avoid needing to measure every strut end individually, create a jig from a piece of timber block by marking where ¾ of an inch is. This will save you a lot of time.

Step Four

The flattened ends of the struts need to be bent at slight angles. For a 2V geodesic dome, the longest strut’s ends should be bent by about 18-degrees and the shortest by 16-degrees. Play around with the bends if you are not getting the desired angles. Because it’s conduit, it’s easier to bend as you need it to. When you construct the dome, struts will be able to be bent as you go along.

1.     To bend the struts, secure one in the vise, and bend either end.

2.      Do this for all the struts.

Step Five

To make the job of assembling easier, color-code your struts: Mark the long struts in any color you like, doing the same with a different color for the short struts.

You can arrange the struts by placing them in two piles as well, one for the long struts and the other for the short struts, but if you’re going to have many people helping you out on this DIY project, then color-coding will help everything run smoothly.

Step Six

1.     Place one flattened end of a short strut on another flattened end of a short strut. Add another three short-strut flat-ends in the same manner to create a starfish shape. Keep the struts together where they meet at the middle by tightening a bolt, washer and hex.

2.     Position three struts fanned out at the top and two at the bottom to form the inside triangles of a pentagon.

3.     Around the perimeters of this join, connect five long struts to form a pentagon.

4.     During assembly, join the flattened end of the shorter struts on the outside and the ends of the longer struts on the inside.

5.     Form another five pentagons, which will have a 3D shape, in the same way.

Step Seven

1.     Once you have assembled all of your pentagons, stand one upright and prop it up using a 2" x 4" beam. You can also get someone to help you hold the pentagon up. The prop is for a one-person job.

2.     Remove the corner bolt from one pentagon’s corner and attach it to another pentagon at its corner with the same bolt you removed.

3.     At the base of your dome, connect the pentagons that don’t have a bottom strut by placing a long strut between them to close up the gap, and bolt the long strut in place to the lower corners of the pentagon.

Step Eight

You will need a step ladder and someone to help you lift the final pentagon up, and hold it in place while you begin bolting the corners.

1.     Add the final pentagon to the roof of your dome.

2.     Remove each pentagon’s corners bolt and fasten the last pentagon to the top at each aligned corner.

Step Nine

Covering your geodome is relatively easy, just time-consuming.

1.     For this dome, hold a polyethylene sheet up to a pentagon on the outside of the dome, tracing its shape with a marker. Allow for an extra inch or two of overlap on each side.

2.      Do this for every pentagon.

3.      Cut the pentagons out of the sheeting.

4.     One by one, glue all of the sheeting pentagons on to their corresponding pentagons on the frame.

5.     Wrap the ends at the bottom of the pentagon around the bottom strut and seal with glue.

6.      Glue only the outside perimeters of the pentagons.

Step Ten

1.     There will be two triangle gaps between each pentagon at the top and bottom.

2.     Doing the same as you did for the pentagon covers, hold a piece of polyethylene sheet up to the triangle, trace it’s outlines, leaving an overlap.

3.     Cut the triangles out and glue them to the frame.

4.     The triangle pieces will overlap on to the already covered pentagons to insulate.

Step Eleven

This geodome has no doors built into the frame. To get in and out and also vent the dome, we will construct an easy flap that you can roll open on hot days.

1.     Cut a bottom corner triangle of a pentagon from the top slanted strut, down along its length, to the inner corner at the middle of the pentagon.

2.     From the inner corner down the length of the joining strut, cut until you reach the bottom corner to make a flap.

3.     To keep this flap closed and the dome insulated, add some insulating tape to the rims of the cuts pinching the tape together with your fingers on both sides of the sheet.

4.     Above the first cut of the triangle, place a piece of the soft side of velcro (the loops) along the cut edges of the flap.

5.     Place the hooks-side of the velcro on the triangular flap’s edges so that you can seal the flap shut.

6.     Following the same instructions, create another flap on another pentagon for extra ventilation.

Step Twelve

You will notice that you didn’t build a foundation like usual.

1.     To keep the dome grounded, dig a 7-inch trench around the base of your dome, following the bottom pattern of it as you dig.

2.     Lower your dome into the trench once you are finished digging it.

3.     Keep the wind from carrying it away by bending the tops of four rebars to form hooks.

4.     Hammer the rebars into the ground from the inside of your dome, attaching the hook to the base struts of your dome.

That’s it! This is a simple geodesic dome for anyone wanting to test their skills. A geodesic dome can be made out of timber as well by building each triangle frame that makes up the pentagon, and then working from the bottom upwards, you’ll join the triangles like Lego blocks. This version of a geodome is cost-effective and a lot easier to build than other geodomes made from single wooden triangles.

Wrap Up

The geodesic dome has a mix of complex planning, and dead simple construction. You will do a lot of drilling and bending in this construction; jigs will make these repetitive tasks much easier and more consistent.

Have fun with the design. And don’t let the mathematics put you off; there are plenty of great resources to help you calculate exactly what lengths and how many of each you will need.

Chapter 8: Benefits of Greenhouses

Greenhouses have more benefits than they do detriments. One medium sized greenhouse can easily feed a small family. For those that want to grow a greenhouse to survive off of, this is the first of many benefits. You may need to put money into building, maintaining and growing plants in your greenhouse, but the expense of build one is usually once-off, so long as you are 100% satisfied with your new build. Yes there will be a few touch-ups here and there, especially if you live in a region that experiences heavy rainfall, wind or snow, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. Imagine being able to eat your favorite fruit or vegetable year-round? I know I’m disappointed when a certain season comes and particular vegetables are out of season. Luckily stores import, but you pay through the roof for it because it’s been imported. Having your own greenhouse makes this a thing of the past.

If you’ve tried your hand at outside gardening and it failed, because bugs got to your plants, then building yourself a greenhouse will prove to be a blessing. Bugs can sometimes be a problem in a greenhouse when we introduce new plants, but the structure provides a safe space for year-round growing. So in order to prevent any creepers from messing up your dreams of eating cucumber in your salad all year, you should check any new plants for bugs or disease before introducing them to your greenhouse. Bugs that may try to get in can be prevented by setting up mesh screens over any vents or doors. If the time comes to use pesticides, make sure to follow the cautionary instructions supplied to prevent yourself from inhaling the toxic fumes (Indoor Gardening, 2019). There is often little need for any sort of bug repellent and you can find eco-friendly ways of preventing pests too. The world is moving in an earth friendly direction, and if you have joined the many eco-conscious individuals of the world, then using eco-friendly pesticides in your greenhouse is a must!

One of the other benefits of a greenhouse is the fact that you can build one that can be moved around if you move. Obviously, how difficult it will be to move is dependent on the materials you used to build it. Structures made from metal would be much heavier and more difficult to try and move as compared to those using wood or PVC pipe. You can even build small versions of your favorite greenhouse, as I mentioned earlier in the book, to fit individual plants or small rows of plants. You have so much variety to choose from.

And once you have built your greenhouse, you can continue to add to it. The structures in this book can all have extra sections added to them. You can get creative and add artwork to your greenhouse if you’re into art. The greenhouse you build can reflect your inner self, after all, you built it yourself, from scratch. It’s yours to enjoy, so make it personal. Spending time in your greenhouse has benefits that come from adding a bit of your own unique flair to your greenhouse. A garden is a place to feel peaceful. Working with the plants while hearing the birds chirp is therapeutic. You’ll be spending a lot of time in your greenhouse, I hope, and the time spent there can sometimes be better than therapy. Building your greenhouse may sometimes be a bit frustrating, but it is just as therapeutic as the gardening itself. After all, people wouldn’t do woodwork as a hobby if it didn’t offer some sort of benefit.

What You Get From the End Product

Think about it, you just spent a week or maybe a month building your greenhouse. You tirelessly put all your effort into this project. What you have left is hours of sweat—and maybe even tears—in front of you. Your efforts prove well worth it, when you get to move all your plants into your new greenhouse. Watching them grow successfully under the roof of your labor is extremely rewarding.

The Advantages of a Greenhouse:

Fresh vegetables and fruit.

You can successfully transplant outdoor crops in your greenhouse.

There will always be fresh flowers for display in your home if you use your greenhouse for growing flowers.

A peaceful place to escape from the craziness of the world.

You can grow exotic fruits and vegetables all year long.

Cats, dogs and other small animals that like digging can’t get in to destroy your plants.

Do more of what you love to do, longer. Add beauty and visual appeal to a landscape.

The Disadvantages of a Greenhouse:

Can be expensive to build, depending on the materials you decide to use.

Can be expensive to heat if you live in a cold climate.

Requires constant monitoring, maintenance and care. You may need to invest in a thermostat for your greenhouse, which can be expensive.

Could increase electrical and water bills especially if you install an irrigation system or heating system.

May take away from the aesthetic appeal of your garden depending on where you place it.

Conclusion

Having your own greenhouse is a fun activity, but also is a lot of work because there is constant maintenance. Not only for the plants but for your greenhouse as well. Building a greenhouse from scratch will take time if you choose to go the DIY route. Even if you decide that you’d like to order a kit and assemble it yourself, it’s going to require time. A greenhouse can easily be constructed in a day depending on what greenhouse you choose, and how simple you want it to be. Greenhouses with fancy electric vents that open automatically when it gets too hot inside the greenhouse will cost you a lot of extra cash, and can add time on to finishing your project. In a scenario with electricity in your greenhouse, you will have to compensate for the fact that it will require extra skills to install and more money to run.

The amazing part about building your own greenhouse is the fact that you don’t need fancy equipment or technology to start out with. Sure you won’t get the same results as someone who does, but you will learn as you continue your horticulture adventure. One can easily supplement the lack of a certain technology, or upgrade the materials their greenhouse is made of, to deliver better results. You shouldn’t avoid building your dream greenhouse just because you think it’s going to be expensive or difficult. Nothing is difficult when you put your mind to it. If you really want a greenhouse, then go for it; you can always build a smaller version in the meantime if the cost is an issue. Do your research on the types of materials you can use for greenhouse building. Some, you’ll find can be substituted with a cheaper version. While the cheaper version of materials won’t last as long as the more expensive kinds, it’s not to say that you can’t build a startup greenhouse in the meantime.

All of the plans in this book can be built to the scale you want and are relatively simple. However, the geodesic dome comes in different frequencies; it's the most difficult greenhouse to build, therefore if you plan on building a more technical version of it, you will have to be very precise with your measurements. However, don’t allow that to be a reason that you don’t try it out for yourself if you feel you can do it. I want you to feel confident enough to go out into the world and build any of these four greenhouses.

As I’m sure you have noticed, some of the greenhouses are easier to build than others, and it’s recommended that if you have little or no DIY skills, that you try to build a greenhouse you’d feel the most comfortable building. Like I said before, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try if you really want to. After all, once you’ve seen that you are more than capable of following instructions to build a greenhouse, other structures won’t seem so daunting. Researching when you don’t quite understand will help you for future greenhouse projects as well. Hopefully, with the instructions given in this book, you are able to build a greenhouse from scratch without any hiccups. Remember that everything is trial and error. If doing something your way works best for you, then do it your way. The plans are meant to guide you through the basics of each greenhouse. Get creative. I sincerely hope that this has been an insightful guide to building your own greenhouse and I challenge you to try building one of them for yourself.

If you enjoyed this book, please let me know your thoughts. It would be great if you could leave a short review on Amazon. It means a lot to me! Thank you!

Glossary

Beam

A beam is an element used in construction to resist loads applied to structures. Beams are used to support different parts of a structure, from the roof to the floor, to the walls. They are primarily used in building, but any structure that requires reinforcement will use beams.

Builders Square

An instrument used to measure right angles, and to draw angles on surfaces.

Circular Saw

A circular saw has a round blade with teeth, and can either be handheld or mounted on a table. It is often used in construction, and can be used to cut wood or pipe. The blade spins extremely fast to make a smooth cut.

Dado Cut

A cut made into wood that will allow it to receive another piece of wood in the cutout.

Earth Anchor

Earth anchors are devices designed to hold structures in place. It is inserted into the ground by applying extreme force with a heavy object. It can easily be removed, and is therefore great for temporary structures.

Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT)

Also known as electrical conduit, EMT is used to protect electrical wiring when building or installing electric elements.

Flat Washer

A very thin circular piece of metal with a hole in the middle that distributes the load of a screw.

Four-Way PVC Joint

A four-way PVC joint is similar to a tee connector, only it has four holes for pipes, rather than three, and looks similar to a cross.

Ground Cover

Ground cover is a type of garden plastic that comes in black and white rolls, and is used to stop weeds from creeping into the greenhouse. It is breathable and does not let water pool.

Gusset

A small triangular piece cut from plywood or wood, used to reinforce a structure. Often you can use a gusset to secure the corners of mitre joints.

Hydraulic Press

A machine press used to generate extreme force to flatten materials.

Joist Bridge

When constructing a foundation that will have flooring installed, you will need to reinforce the foundation to be able to carry the load of someone walking on it. It is for this reason that you insert a joist bridge, which is usually a piece of timber placed between floor joists to evenly distribute the load.

Joist Hanger

A metal component used in building and construction to hold wooden beams in place, used in roofs and floors.

Jig

A custom made tool, usually made from wood, to hold materials in place or to help guide you during building.

Level

A tool that uses a bubble between two lines to indicate if the surface you are working on is flat.

Pipe Clamp

A pipe clamp is a type of clamp used in woodworking, plumbing or building. They come in different diameters and have jaws on each end to secure a piece of pipe. They are used to hold pipe in place when cutting.

Pipe Cutter

A tool used by plumbers to perfectly cut pipes.

Pentagon

A geometric shape with five sides.

Plumb Cut

A single angular cut through a vertical plane. Usually used to cut the top or bottom of a rafter to rest snugly against a ridge board, wall, or to join wood at a mitre joint.

Pressure Treated

Pressure treated means that the timber has been dipped in a preservative and put in a pressure chamber that forces the wood to absorb the chemicals into its fibers. Pressure treating wood is more effective than simply soaking the wood in the chemicals.

Protective Eyewear

Goggles, also known as protective eyewear, are eyeglasses made from strong plastic that protect the eyes and the area around the eyes from particles, water or harmful chemicals that could damage your eyes while working. Most often used by scientists, carpenters and any job that requires you to use a power tool.

Plywood

Plywood is a material made from thin layers of wood veneer that are held together with glue. It is often used in construction because it is relatively cheap and can be used for large projects. Plywood is durable and easy to work with, it’s good for insulating.

Polycarbonate Sheeting

A durable thermoplastic covering used for glazing. It comes in various thicknesses and is very good at withstanding damage from extreme cold and heat.

Polyethylene

A plastic used for construction and covering greenhouses made from petroleum.

PVC Pipe

Polyvinyl Chloride, also known as PVC, is a type of plastic pipe that is used for a variety of projects, mainly in plumbing. Because it is bendable it can be used for creating hoops for hoop house greenhouses or even to build an entire structure’s frame. PVC is very versatile.

Purlins

In building terms, a purlin, once known as a purline, is a beam that is placed horizontally to support walls or added to a roof for support. They are often supported by rafters.

Radial Arm Saw

A radial arm saw has a horizontal sliding arm with a circular saw attached to it. It is used to cut very long lengths of wood, and to mitre cut by adjusting the angle.

Rebar

A rebar is short for reinforcing bar, and is commonly known as reinforcing steel. It comes in bars of various thicknesses and is used for tensioning when reinforcing concrete or masonry structures.

Strapping

Strapping is used on the inside area of exterior walls and even for ceilings. They are usually smaller sized timbers and are placed perpendicular to rafters.

Tape Measure

A flexible ruler made from thin metal that can retract. Used for measuring length and width in construction.

Tee Connector

A tee connector, or T-connector, is a three-way plastic connector with a hole on either side and one in the middle that allows a pipe to fit into each hole.

Vise

A tool with moveable jaws that is used to hold materials in place while you work with them.

Wall Brace

A wall brace, or bracing a wall is a term often used in construction. Bracing a wall helps keep it up during heavy winds and earthquakes.

Weld Seam

The joining of metal materials when welding.

Wood Saw

A wood saw is also commonly known as a hand saw. It has serrated teeth and can cut fiberglass, drywall or wood. Because it is so simple there is not much skill needed to use a hand saw, only that you be careful not to cut yourself. Most people have a hand saw lying around in the shed.

Zip Ties or Cable Ties

A cable tie, or zip tie, is a type of  plastic fastener, for keeping materials together. They are relatively cheap and easy to use which is why they are used for a variety of projects from plumbing to building. Commonly made from nylon, its longest piece has teeth that fix into a head. Cable ties also come in stainless steel for jobs that require a stronger hold.

References

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Britannica. (2019). Mediterranean climate | Definition, Region, Map, & Facts. In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/Mediterranean-climate

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Designer Radiators Direct. (2017, July 21). How to calculate the correct BTU’s for your room. Great Radiators. https://www.greatrads.co.uk/blogs/news/how-to-calculate-the-correct-btus-for-your-room

Doors Direct Online Store. (2018, October 18). What are the Standard Door Sizes in your Country? | Doors Direct. https://www.doorsdirect.co.za/what-are-the-standard-door-sizes-in-your-country

Farmer, B. (n.d.). Ideal Greenhouse Orientation and Location. Bootstrap Farmer. https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/blogs/building-a-greenhouse/ideal-location-for-a-greenhouse

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