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The frame is the main structure of any greenhouse. It is to it that the sheathing material is attached, whether it be film, polycarbonate or glass. The durability of the structure depends on the material used for the construction of the frame. They make frames from metal and plastic pipes, wooden bars, corners. However, a galvanized profile that meets all construction requirements is considered more popular for greenhouses.
Pros and cons of using a galvanized profile in the construction of a greenhouse
Like any other building material, galvanized profile has its advantages and disadvantages. Most of all, the material receives positive feedback from summer residents. In particular, this is justified by the following points:
- Any amateur without building experience can assemble the frame of the greenhouse from the profile. From the tool you need only a jigsaw, an electric drill and a screwdriver. Most of all this can be found in the back room of every owner. In extreme cases, you can cut parts from the profile with an ordinary metal file.
- A big plus is that galvanizing is less susceptible to corrosion, it does not need to be painted and treated with an anti-corrosion compound.
- The greenhouse frame from the profile is light. If necessary, the assembled structure can be moved to another location.
- The cost of a galvanized profile is several times less than a metal pipe, which is very beneficial for any summer resident.
On sale now there are ready-made greenhouses from a galvanized profile in disassembled form. It is enough to buy such a designer and assemble all the details according to the scheme.
Usually the frame of the greenhouse is attached to the foundation with dowels. In the absence of a concrete base, the frame is fixed to pieces of reinforcement driven into the ground in 1 m increments.
The disadvantage of a galvanized profile can be considered a low bearing capacity relative to a metal pipe. The bearing capacity of the frame from the profile is a maximum of 20 kg / m2. That is, if more than 5 cm of wet snow accumulates on the roof, the structure will not withstand such a weight. That is why most often the profile frames of greenhouses are made not with a shed roof, but with a gable or arched one. This form retains less precipitation.
As for the absence of corrosion, this concept is also relative. The profile does not rust quickly like a regular metal pipe, as long as the galvanization remains intact. In those areas where the galvanized coating was accidentally broken, over time the metal will succumb to corrosion and will have to be painted.
What is an omega profile
Recently, a galvanized “omega” profile has been used for the greenhouse. It got its name from a bizarre shape resembling the Latin letter “Ω”. Profile “omega” consists of five shelves. Many firms produce it in different sizes according to the individual order of the consumer. “Omega” is often used in the construction of ventilated facades and roof structures. Due to the simple do-it-yourself installation of the profile and increased strength, it began to be used in the manufacture of greenhouse frames.
Thanks to its omega shape, it can withstand more weight than a regular profile. This increases the bearing capacity of the entire frame of the greenhouse. Among the builders, “omega” received another nickname – a hat profile. For the production of “omega” metal is used with a thickness of 0,9 to 2 mm. The most popular are products with a wall thickness of 1,2 mm and 1,5 mm. The first option is used in the construction of weak, and the second – reinforced structures.
Assembling the profile frame of the greenhouse
Having decided to ennoble your home area with a greenhouse made of galvanized profile, it is better, of course, to give preference to “omega”. Before buying the material, it is imperative to draw up an accurate drawing of all the details of the structure and the very scheme of the greenhouse. This will simplify the process of future construction and allow you to calculate the required number of profiles.
End wall production
It should be noted right away that if an “omega” profile is chosen for the frame of the greenhouse, then it is better to make the roof gable. It is difficult to bend arched structures on their own, besides, the “omega” breaks when bent.
The end walls set the shape of the entire frame. To make them the correct shape, all the details are laid out on a flat area. Any flaw in the design will entail a skew of the entire frame, to which it will be impossible to fix the polycarbonate.
Further work is performed in the following order:
- A square or rectangle is laid out from the profile segments on a flat area. The choice of figure depends on the size of the greenhouse. Immediately you need to mark where the bottom and top of the resulting frame will be.Attention! Before fastening the parts into one frame, measure the distance between opposite corners with a tape measure. For a regular square or rectangle, the difference in the length of the diagonals should not exceed 5 mm.
- Galvanization is quite soft and does not require additional drilling to tighten the screws. The ends of the frame parts are inserted into each other and simply tightened with at least two self-tapping screws at each corner. If the frame staggers, the connections are additionally reinforced with self-tapping screws.
- From the center of the upper frame element, a perpendicular line is marked, indicating the ridge of the roof. Immediately you need to measure the distance from the top, that is, the ridge, to the neighboring corners of the frame. It must be the same. Further, these two distances are summed up and, according to the result, the length of the profile is measured, after which it is sawn off with a hacksaw or jigsaw. In the resulting workpiece, the side shelves are filed strictly in the center and the profile is bent in the same place, giving it the shape of a gable roof.
- The resulting roof is fixed to the frame with screws. To strengthen the structure, the corners of the frame are diagonally reinforced with stiffeners, that is, the sections of the profile are screwed obliquely. The back end wall is ready. By the same principle, the front end wall is made of identical size, only it is supplemented with two vertical posts that form a doorway.Advice! The door frame is assembled according to the same principle from the profile, only it is better to do this after making the doorway in order to avoid dimensional errors.
- Having finished working with the end walls, cut pieces of the profile and, having cut in the center, bend additional skates, of the same size as they did for the end walls. Here you need to accurately calculate the number of skates. The width of the polycarbonate is 2,1 m, but such spans will sag and snow will fall through them. It is optimal to install skates with a step of 1,05 m. It is not difficult to calculate their number along the length of the greenhouse.
The last thing to prepare before assembling the frame is 4 pieces of a profile the size of a greenhouse. They are needed to fasten the end walls together.
Assembling the profile frame of the greenhouse
The assembly of the frame begins with the installation of both end walls in their permanent place. So that they do not fall, they are propped up with temporary props. Prepared 4 long profiles connect the end walls. The upper corners of the opposite walls are fastened with two horizontal blanks, and the same is done with two other blanks, only at the bottom of the structure. The result was a still fragile frame of the greenhouse.
On the lower and upper newly installed horizontal profiles, marks are made every 1,05 m. In these places, the rack-mount stiffeners of the frame are attached. Prepared skates are fixed to the same racks. The ridge element is installed last at the very top along the length of the entire greenhouse.
Strengthening the frame with additional stiffeners
The finished frame is strong enough to withstand moderate gusts of wind and precipitation. If desired, it can be further strengthened with stiffeners. Spacers are made from profile pieces, after which they are fixed diagonally, reinforcing each corner of the frame.
Polycarbonate sheathing
Sheathing of the frame with polycarbonate begins with attaching the lock to the profile, at the joints of the sheets. The lock is simply screwed on with self-tapping screws with rubber gaskets.
It is optimal to start laying polycarbonate from the roof. The sheets are inserted into the grooves of the lock and screwed with screws with plastic washers to the profile.
All polycarbonate sheets must be evenly pressed with self-tapping screws to the frame. It is important not to overdo it so that the sheet does not crack.
After fixing all the sheets, it remains to snap the top cover of the lock and remove the protective film from the polycarbonate.
The video shows the manufacture of a greenhouse frame from a profile:
The greenhouse is completely ready, it remains to do the internal arrangement and you can grow your favorite crops.