Greenhouses

[Thepodpiper]

Still in the planning stages for my greenhouse and was hoping to get some pics of what everyone has.

I used to build a hoop house greenhouse kinda thing and it suited the purpose but now I want to build a permanent structure with glass. Looking for some ideas. It will be built on a concrete kneewall.

[Bluemalibu]

I too was going to build my G/H from scratch, and so I purchased 18 6'x8' double-pane windows from a canceled commercial building project in the bay area of Calif. Before I broke ground, a local nursery went out of business, and so I was able to purchase this 25'x60' greenhouse for a song. (Sorry for the grainy pics, my digital copies are locked in a crashed hard-drive) To help with your design phase, these are the features that are incorporated into this building:






The walls and roof are built from 4'x12' Solexx double-wall clear panels. ( http://www.solexx.com/solexx-greenhouse-covering.html ) The black strip across the back wall of the G/H is solid evaporative cooler pads with a pipe manifold delivering water across the top of the pads, and a heavy gauge gutter collecting run-off at the base to re-cycle the liquid. The two large dark squares on the front wall (exterior pic) are giant exhaust fans which create the draw across the evaporative pads in the rear.

Counting down from the top of the roof ridge-line, the second dark line down each side of the full-length of roofing is a piano hinge; allowing the top 2/3 of roof on each side to open automatically via 4 motors that are computer controlled.

The trusses are 3"x3" heavy box steel, which are welded at all junctions with full 360* seams, to lock out humidity, and the full truss is then galvanized. The strength allows full open-span use of the G/H without interrupting columns. The ends of the trusses are connected with heavy steel 10x12" gutters for the length of the building, which then sit atop 6x6 steel pillars. The gutters collect rain run-off for use.

The grey objects at the junction of the wall and roof line are oscillating fans, and the dark object high on the rear wall is a natural gas down-draft heater. (It seldom is required, as our day-time avg winter temps are 50*, and the concrete slab provides sufficient thermal mass to carry much of the solar gain into the evening (avg night-time temps are 39*).

I hope that there was something here that you might be able to use with your own design...

Blue

[Thepodpiper]

That is a goliath you got there. i would love to come across a bargain, don't need one that big though. Very nice.

I take it you are going commercial or already are?

[Bluemalibu]

-Piper, I'm embarrassed to say that this was the smaller of the two buildings that I picked up for a G/H.

Those 6x8' plate glass windows that I initially gathered, were going to be used to encase the framework of a small portion of an acre and a half indoor soccer stadium that I purchased. ( On Ebay, no less!!!)

Everything that I do tends to end up being over-built.... My tomato cages are built out of 4x16 cattle panels. LOL!!!!

[Bluemalibu]

Yeah, Jamie... It seems to always end up a big production. LOL!! And apparently, my poor daughter received those nasty genes. She just passed the 28hr mark in active labor, and the poor gal is no where near close to greeting this new little one.

[Jamie0507]

LOL! WOW, I couldn't even imagine 28 hrs in labor! On another note, Blue you're going to be a pop pop.. CONGRATS! Sounds like the apple definitely did not fall far from the tree in your daughter's case haha! Enjoy that (big) beautiful new grandbaby of yours!

[Bluemalibu]

Our little one was born 30 minutes ago! Forty hours in Labor... But, all good things take a little longer. Now Papa has another little Sweetie to spoil. BWAHAHAHA!!!!

...I've been smiling so much over the last thirty minutes that I look like I've got a coat hanger stuck in my face! LOL!!!

[Thepodpiper]

I love my concrete reinforcing wire cages, I use them to grow almost everything vertical.

[The Figster]

Have a look at solawrap

http://www.solawrapfilms.com/buy-sol...nhouse-plastic

This stuff is remarkable I have a small porch a enclosed in this stuff in late November, I will remove it in April. Its best suited to a permanent setting but I could not wait. Its UV stabilized and is very durable and much safer than glass. It comes in various widths and if a panel gets damaged you pull out that panel only and slide in its replacement.

Ian

[WillsC]

Have a look at solawrap

http://www.solawrapfilms.com/buy-sol...nhouse-plastic

This stuff is remarkable I have a small porch a enclosed in this stuff in late November, I will remove it in April. Its best suited to a permanent setting but I could not wait. Its UV stabilized and is very durable and much safer than glass. It comes in various widths and if a panel gets damaged you pull out that panel only and slide in its replacement.

Ian

It looks to be the same design as a solar pool cover though I am sure much much tougher. Basically like a very hard bubble wrap?

[The Figster]

Wills
here are some images. I used this product 20 years ago when growing plants for Chelsea Flower Show in London. It does not 'spike' as severely with heat from the sun like a regular hoop house, and it cools down in the evening very slowly - it has proven to be a great 24 hour growing environment.

This is what I would have as my permanent growing house when that time comes. Typically the profile shown in the third images is fastened to a galvanized 2" tube. Its also a great environment to work in.

Ian

[WillsC]

It is identical to a solar pool cover.

[Thepodpiper]

I like the concept but if I had to guess I would bet it's not cheap. I will look into this stuff.

Does it come on a roll?

[Bluemalibu]

I like the concept but if I had to guess I would bet it's not cheap.

Does it come on a roll?

It is on a 328' roll, in 4, 5 or 6' widths; and respectively: $2,300 $2,600 or $2,800 per roll.

[Thepodpiper]

what else is needed, just the strips to connect the material?

[DBJohnson]

It is on a 328' roll, in 4, 5 or 6' widths; and respectively: $2,300 $2,600 or $2,800 per roll.

So that's $7.02/linear foot for the 4', $7.93/linear foot for he 5', and $8.54/linear foot for the 6'. Just some numbers to crunch....

[Bluemalibu]

A couple distributors are selling it at a discount... it looks like the cheapest is Seed to Savings out of Oregon, they knock off $400 per roll. http://seedtosavings.com/solawrap--store.html

The closest to you is Greenhouse Megastore out of Danville, IL. They drop $250 - $350 per roll. http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/p...l/plastic-film

[cwujek]

If you want a efficient greenhouse, the best one's I've ever seen are known as walipinis, or a pit greenhouse. They take a lot of work to dig out the pit, but once they're finished you can maintain above freezing temperature through the winter without using a heater. Make the south facing wall with a dark rock such as basalt and you'll be really happy. I'll be making one within the next year or two, it's been on the list of projects but hasn't been a priority. A couple I know built one in Idaho, you can scroll through their farm photos on Facebook if you want to see pictures:

https://www.facebook.com/41419320533...type=3&theater

Good luck,

Chris

[The Figster]

There is the profile strip that joins the sheets together. Its a great design. The sheet or roll is finished on the sides with two very robust circular ribs, these ribs slide inside the profile and make for a very sturdy union that allows for easy replacement. The profile and the sheets have no rigidity and need a skeleton on which to attain and hold their shape.

I am sure lumber has been used for the skeleton, but its limited by its straight edges. Of course it can be curved and laminated. Galvanized 2" tube is very robust and popular and has successfully withstood big storms in northern Scotland!

If you can tend to it, some folks use 2" plumbers pipe. It can hold a curve, needs extra bracing but plants still grow in it, but its is more of a seasonal assemble and is easy to relocate

good luck


Ian

[Thepodpiper]

Looking to build a wooden structure with some recycled glass on a concrete kneewall but am going to look into the solawrap a little more, possibly for the roof only though. I have bought from greenhouse megastore for the last 5 years, I get all of my 4inch pots and trays from them. Maybe i can score on a partial roll.