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In the country house and in the garden, it is not possible to do without a greenhouse and a greenhouse in all regions: in the north, summer is too cool and short, so you have to lengthen it. Yes, and in more southern regions, then grow seedlings, then get early / late vegetables-berries. That is why these facilities are popular: the costs are not very high, but there are many benefits. Moreover, do-it-yourself greenhouses and greenhouses can be built of any design, from any material, for any task.
Immediately make a reservation, what is the difference between a greenhouse and a greenhouse. The greenhouse is serviced from the outside. It is small and cannot be entered. A greenhouse is already a more solid structure in which you can stand to your full height and work. The plants in it are served from the inside. Here, in fact, is the whole difference.
Constructions of greenhouses and greenhouses
Despite the obvious difference in the dimensions of the structure, the same ones are used. There are several basic ones, as well as many combinations and modifications.
The main design differences are in the shape of the roof. There are three of them:
- arched;
- lean-to;
- gable.
What is the frame for greenhouses and greenhouses made of?
The choice of materials is wide, and they are often combined. So, the frame of a greenhouse or greenhouse is made from:
- wood (timber or boards);
- metal:
- round and square pipes;
- corner;
- galvanized metal profiles;
- fittings.
- plastic:
- PVC;
- HDPE;
- metal-plastic;
- PPR — expanded polystyrene.
Greenhouses with a wooden frame are built most often in the form of a house
Probably everyone knows about the advantages and disadvantages of metal and wood. But what are good and bad plastics, probably a few. Plastics are good because they bend well, their outer surface is initially smooth and does not require processing, it does not tear the covering material. Plastic pipes are round, there are square ones, their wall is quite thick and strong, it holds self-tapping screws. Their main advantage: they are chemically neutral, do not bloom, do not rust, do not rot. Another property is their lightness. Regarding the construction of greenhouses, this is both an advantage and a disadvantage. On the one hand, the design is light, it is easy to assemble and disassemble. But in strong winds, lightness is already a disadvantage. It is neutralized with a good base, to which the frame is securely attached.
What to cover
The main covering material for greenhouses and greenhouses is a film. It is used on both small and large structures. Glass used to be used for year-round use, but its high price and fragility led to the fact that it is used very rarely – it turns out to be an expensive shelter. A large weight of glazing requires a solid frame.
There are two new items. More familiar polycarbonate, which is used for gazebos and awnings, and relatively new – spunbond non-woven covering material.
Now about all the details.
Film for greenhouses and greenhouses
It is produced from different polymers, has different thicknesses. The most common are polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride. There are also reinforced ones.
Polyethylene films are the most inexpensive, but they are also the most short-lived. Even with the most careful attitude, they do not serve for more than a year: they become brittle under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, and they are finished off by cold. However, more often buy them: cheap.
Available in sleeve form. Cutting it on one side, we get a double width. It is not worth using an uncut film: the service life will remain the same, and the consumption will be exactly twice as much. There is only one feature: the film breaks quickly along the fold. It is difficult and almost useless to seal it later: adhesive tape sticks very poorly to a dusty surface. Therefore, this fold is glued with adhesive tape before use. It turns out reliably.
Thickness and types
The optimal thickness of the polyethylene film for country greenhouses and greenhouses is 150 microns. To take a thicker one – anyway, its service life is one season, and the characteristics and 150 are enough.
More durable reinforced film. Manufacturers give a 3-year warranty on it. It is easy to distinguish by its appearance: it is in a cage. Fibers of other polymers or the same polyethylene, but processed in a different way, are woven into the polyethylene web. Thanks to stronger fibers, such a film greenhouse can withstand wind and snow loads well (to a certain extent). Reinforced film is available in different densities, for greenhouses and greenhouses in summer cottages and household plots, 120 g / m is more suitable2 up to 200 g/m2.
There are also polyvinyl chloride films. They can be used up to 7 years. But they are expensive. The material is also good because it transmits sunlight well (80-90%) and almost does not transmit infrared (5-10%), that is, it does not allow the greenhouse to cool overnight. If you need a warm greenhouse that maintains the temperature well at night, this is your choice.
There are also films that are called perennial. Most often it is polyethylene with various additives. Some other polymers are less common. Typically, multi-year films have some special properties:
- less destroyed by ultraviolet radiation – light stabilizing;
- less transmits thermal radiation – heat stabilizing;
- does not allow condensation drops to form on the film – hydrophilic;
- reflects thermal radiation, glows in the dark, absorbs ultraviolet – these properties depend on the type of additives, but are called light-transforming.
These properties can be combined in one film. So you can find a long-term hydrophilic heat-stabilizing film, etc. One more moment. Such films usually have some kind of tint: yellow, greenish, blue …
When choosing a multi-year film, be sure to specify its service life. It can be from two seasons to 3 years. Note. If 2 seasons are written, this means that it needs to be removed for the winter. If 2 years, then this is a film for year-round use. Sellers often manipulate these concepts, saying that two seasons are two years.
See photo reports on the construction of greenhouses with your own hands here.
Polycarbonate
This cellular material has many advantages: it is light, transmits light well, retains heat, bends, and is easy to install. The disadvantage is the relatively high cost. However, if the greenhouse is operated for more than one year, such investments will pay off: even without additional heating, the growing season is significantly increased.
But polycarbonate is different in structure and thickness. The most commonly used types in the construction of greenhouses are in the table.
For normal conditions (average snow load and wind), single-chamber sheets are used to cover greenhouses. For regions with a lot of snow, it makes sense to take reinforced ones.
The thickness of the sheets is optimal – 6 mm or 8 mm. You should not take less: sheets are too fragile and their characteristics are not very good (see table). Polycarbonate 4 mm thick can be placed on small greenhouses. He can’t handle heavy loads.
Polycarbonate still needs to be fixed correctly: the cells must be oriented from top to bottom, open edges must be sealed with special tape or adhesive tape, fastened with special thermal washers or bolts with a large metal washer, under which it is necessary to put a rubber or plastic lining.
Spandbond
This is no longer the same material. There are many brands: Agril, Lutrasil, Spanteks, Agrospan, AgroSUF, etc. It’s just that Spunbond appeared first and now all similar materials are called that way, as well as “non-woven covering material” or “agrofibre”. This is a non-woven polypropylene fiber that has unique characteristics: it allows air, light and moisture to pass through, while saving plants from overheating or freezing. Review of the practice on the use of this material in the video.
Agrofibre is characterized by density. The lowest – 17 kg / m3, the largest – 60 kg / m3. For seasonal greenhouses and greenhouses from spring to autumn, the optimal density is 30-40 kg / m3, for winter you need already 60 kg / m3.
Read more about drip irrigation here.
How to quickly build a greenhouse with arcs (with photo explanations)
As a rule, the first greenhouse in the country or in the garden is made from inexpensive materials: you need to try what it is and evaluate how profitable the idea is. Hence the requirements: a simple, pre-fabricated design from inexpensive, affordable materials. These requirements are fully met by frame greenhouses with arcs made of PVC pipes (HDPE can also be used).
Materials
Here is a greenhouse, as in the photo above, can be done in a few hours. You will need the following material:
- Board for the base, size not less than 75 * 40 mm, the length depends on the dimensions of your greenhouse. A frame is knocked down from a bar, which lies along the perimeter of the greenhouse. If the greenhouse is 6 * 3 meters, then the timber needs 18 meters, if 8 * 3 m, then 24 meters, etc.
- Board with a section of 50 * 20 mm for the organization of the front door.
- PVC pipes with a wall thickness of at least 2 mm. The length depends on the dimensions of the greenhouse. If you are going to build a greenhouse, then at the top point its height should be at least 2,2 meters. Then you can easily work inside.
- Reinforcement with a diameter of 14-16 mm. It should be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of PVC pipes.
- Covering material – film or agrofibre. Others for this design will not work.
- Perforated metal tape.
- Wood screws.
Treat wood with rot and insect repellant before use. If there are pieces of bark somewhere, you need to get rid of them. That is where most of the larvae are. If there are any factory impregnations, you can use them. You have used engine oil – it will do. If it is not there, you can burn the wood with a blowtorch. This method is unreliable, but even such processing is better than none.
Tools for work
To make a greenhouse for a summer residence with your own hands, you will need a tool:
- hammer, nails;
- saw on wood;
- grinder with a disc for metal;
- sledgehammer or heavy hammer (to hammer rebar);
- screwdriver.
We build a greenhouse from polypropylene pipes (photo report)
First of all, the site is marked out, then the site is leveled. She is leveled. Next, the actual construction of the seasonal greenhouse begins.
Preparatory work
A rectangle is knocked down from a wide board, which outlines the border of the greenhouse. If you know how, the beam can be connected into a paw, if not, just knock it down with a hammer and long nails (at least 10 cm). Reinforce the uly with metal plates or corners. We check the base. To find out how evenly it turned out for you, measure the diagonals. If they are equal, great. No – straighten it out. After that, we fix the base – in the inner corners we drive in the reinforcement rods. They will hold the base in place.
The reinforcement is cut into pieces about 80 cm long. They are installed every 50 cm on both long sides of the greenhouse. 40 cm are hammered into the ground and the same remains to hang around. The rods of opposite sides must stand strictly one opposite the other, otherwise the greenhouse will be skewed.
We put on arcs
We put a cut piece of a polypropylene pipe on the reinforcement on one side, bend it and put it on the same bar from the opposite side. Got the first arc. We do the same with everyone else. We get arcs installed every 50 cm. This is a greenhouse frame made of polypropylene pipes.
Now the pipes need to be fixed. Otherwise, they will come off just as easily as we put them on.
We take a perforated metal tape, a screwdriver, wood screws. We cut off a piece of tape, attach it to the frame near the pipe on one side, then on the other. You can screw one more – two self-tapping screws closer to the pipe so that the arc is held securely. To make the fastening stronger, it is better to take corrugated reinforcement rather than smooth, you can also fix the PP pipe twice: almost at the ground and closer to the upper edge of the frame.
Now you need to connect all the arcs with longitudinal pipes. They will give rigidity to the structure. If the greenhouse is small, only one longitudinal rib is enough. But it is more convenient when they are also on the sidewalls.
A long piece of PVC pipe or a beam of small section is tied at the top in the middle of the arch. It is attached with a plastic clamp to each arch. It will give the structure additional rigidity.
Making doors
A doorway is already made from the board in the middle of the first arch. Its height and width depends on how high your greenhouse turned out. But the width of the door should not be less than 80 cm: it will be uncomfortable to walk.
Now the matter is small: choose what, cover the greenhouse. PVC pipes will be able to carry film (any) or non-woven material (or both). After the material is fixed, we can consider the manufacture of the greenhouse with our own hands finished: you can plant seedlings. There is enough height to grow even high varieties of tomatoes or cucumbers and you can easily make supports for tying.
Greenhouse using the same technology
It is interesting that it is easy to build a greenhouse using the same technology. Only its dimensions will be smaller (the fittings may be thinner, its pieces are smaller), and the whole technology is similar.
Almost also built a greenhouse “Snowdrop”. The only difference is that the covering material is stitched in it, drawstrings are made in it, into which PVC pipes are threaded. After they are installed in the necessary places of the agrofibre, they are stuck into the ground. Why is such a greenhouse convenient? The fact that the shelter can be moved along the arch, opening or closing plants as needed.
Read about other types and types of greenhouses here.
Revisions
Most of all questions arise at the organization of an input: the most problematic part turns out. Here are two options for solving it:
- Use thin plywood and a timber frame.
It turns out a lightweight, but reliable design - Sheathe everything with plywood, and so that its edges do not tear the film, it is upholstered with felt, thin foam rubber, or just a strip of soft fabric.
How else to make an entrance to the arched greenhouse So that the edges of the plywood do not tear the film, they are upholstered with something soft
How to attach film to pipes
What are the advantages of PVC pipe arcs? They are smooth, the film and spunbond do not tear on them. But how to attach the film to them? You can’t drive a nail into them, you can screw in a self-tapping screw, but only into one lying on the ground. It “plays” in the frame and the screw does not screw into it. For fastening the film there are special plastic clamps-latches. They are put on top of the film, cover part of the pipe.
From a hose, a plastic pipe, other improvised materials
Such clamps can be made from improvised materials. For small greenhouses from arcs, a piece of old hose, cut lengthwise, is suitable. For greenhouses, its rigidity may not be enough: the windage is greater. Then the clamp can be made from a piece of the same plastic pipe. It is also cut lengthwise, but you will have to cut off some of the width: PVC, and HDPE are still quite rigid, and you can’t just unfold them. Which part of the pipe to cut out, determine empirically, then process the edges with emery: so that they do not tear the film.
Pipe clamps, which are used when installing pipelines in houses, do a good job of holding the film. You have to break off his leg, but otherwise he is very good.
People also use stationery binders of the right size. This device holds well, but due to the fact that it is metal, there is a possibility that the film will tear in strong winds. To prevent this from happening, you can put a piece of cloth.
And another way that you can attach the film to the arc of the greenhouse: take double-sided tape and stick it on one side of the pipe. Then, gradually removing the protective film, stick the film to it. This is an option for cheap plastic film: it will be impossible to remove it. Another point: you need to stick the film not to the very bottom: after all, you may need to ventilate the greenhouse.
For convenient ventilation, the film is cut longer than required by 20-30 centimeters on each side (if the length of the arc, for example, is 2 meters, then the film will need at least 2,5). They take a bar, wrap it with a film and nail it. Now, if the film needs to be lifted, it is wound onto a bar, and it is fixed (or simply thrown onto the roof, tying a rope so that it can be pulled back). Only the bar should be well processed, without sharp edges. So it won’t break the film.
Read about automatic watering systems in the article “Do-it-yourself automatic watering”
Arcs for greenhouses from profiles
A greenhouse under a film can be not only made of a polymer pipe. You can also use galvanized profiles for outdoor use. They are light, due to the ribs have a sufficient degree of rigidity. A greenhouse with a galvanized profile can be covered with any material, except, perhaps, glass: it is too heavy.
To make an arc from the profile, its side parts are cut with a grinder every 20-30 cm, leaving the middle part intact. On the ground, an arc is outlined that needs to be formed (a semicircle can be drawn with a piece of rope and a pencil tied on one side if you are working on a concrete site or a sharp peg that scratches the turf or ground. The incised profile is placed on this pattern, folded in places of cuts. Then they take a screwdriver and self-tapping screws (fleas), fasten them in places where the side parts intersect, first from one side, then from the other side.
How it looks live, see the video.
Polycarbonate can already be attached to such arcs. But the structure is still not rigid enough to be walked on.
Video on how to make arcs for a greenhouse with wood polycarbonate
This method is available to experienced carpenters. But the result is excellent: not only reliable, but also beautiful. The fastening system was invented very interestingly: the polycarbonate is not fixed tightly, but moves along the guides, opening and closing the side faces. The design is more complex, but also more reliable.
Economical greenhouse with heating
How to make a year-round greenhouse, and spend a little on heating it? One of the gardeners came up with the idea to bury the greenhouse in the ground. One of the very rational options, see the following video.
Do-it-yourself greenhouses are made from different materials and different designs, but the priority is the arched structure. It is easier to build, and does not interfere with work, it allows you to ventilate if necessary.