Dave,

The greenhouse pics were great. The orchids were quite beautiful.

So have you made the decision yet???

Cindy

OH.....the pressure, the pressure. It's OBVIUOSLY gonna happen..:) But maybe not this spring. Fall is a great time to do these types of things, don't you think? How about you?...Placed that order yet?

Dave
Milwaukee

No but I'm getting the bug really bad now. DH says he will only put it up in the spring or the fall. We put the first little one up in July and we both about melted. LOL

I showed my boss the Harbor Freight pic of it and even he said I should buy it and then sell plants to his wife. LOL

Cindy

thanks for the response dave, much appreciated.
i'm sure i'll have plenty once this thing gets delivered.

sure hoping our weather holds out so i can get this thing up, now though i'm anxiously awaiting delivery :)

maryanne/earthly

casadelgatos, I received a HF coupon in the mail today, it comes with the application to get their credit card so maybe you have been tearing these up without opening them.

Charlz

That greenhouse will not withstand a snow load nor higher winds. I guess if you live in a protected area in a warm climate it would be fine. Up here in North Dakota it would last about a minute in a thunderstorm and maybe an hour or two in a snow storm. The smaller units are cute but this unit is 10' high and with such a flat roof is silly. If you are going to anchor it the aluminum will just twist.
Sorry just an observation save your money....there a lots a great greenhouse kits for just a few hundred dollars more.

nonsense

What Dave said........

LOL

QUOTE That greenhouse will not withstand a snow load nor higher winds. I guess if you live in a protected area in a warm climate it would be fine. Up here in North Dakota it would last about a minute in a thunderstorm and maybe an hour or two in a snow storm. The smaller units are cute but this unit is 10' high and with such a flat roof is silly. If you are going to anchor it the aluminum will just twist.
Sorry just an observation save your money....there a lots a great greenhouse kits for just a few hundred dollars more.

That may be true where you live but here in gods country it will do just fine.
As to the flat roof comment that's BS

"That greenhouse will not withstand a snow load nor higher winds. I guess if you live in a protected area in a warm climate it would be fine..."

I don't get why there's such an anti HFGH attitude among some people. When I got my small one and mentioned that I planned to heat it in the winter, I got all sorts of negative responses. I heard that it would cost so much to heat that it wouldn't be worth it, that it would blow apart, etc.

Well, we've had a lot high winds since I put it up. There are shingles that have blown off houses by it, but my HFGH is still fine. Granted, it has been a mild winter (yet cold fall), but it appears to be costing only about $25 or maybe $30 a month to heat it.

I have eaten fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, tangerines and even pomegranates from plants growing in it. I have a lemon tree filled with blooms. I love the my little HFGH and have no doubt that those of you that are getting the large one will love it too.

Stuart

My own experiences erecting and using the greenhouse:

size.....I've found even using 2 that it's too small. But I'm growing in it year round and so it's packed with plants, mostly orchids.

Panels....double wall polycarb. They're only 4 mil panels but they seem to do the job. I've only insulated the roof of my house with bubble wrap and the northwall with Refletex . But the uninsulated panels are warm on the interior and cold on the exterior.

Structure.....aluminum framework. At first, as I was building the frame it seemed kind of rickety. But after attaching it to the foundation and adding the panels it's solid as a rock. I used extra clips and also 1 self tapping screw at the top and bottom of each panel that wouldn't be removed regularly, which I would reccommend to anyone. It's survived a VERY strong windstorm here this fall with no problems.

Foundation....2x12 pressure treated lumber. Expensive, but it added needed headroom and weight to the structure. I filled the floor with pea gravel which was a pain to move but has been good...no drainage problems here.

In a nutshell...if the new 10x12 is as nice as the smaller ones it'll be a great value.

Dave
Milwaukee

What I don't understand is why people feel they have to reply when all they have to say is something negative. No one is forcing anyone to have a HFGH of any size or to give input on the HFGH so if it's not your cup of tea then find or start a thread about what you like and keep your negativity to yourself.

Like Dave, I'm busting at the seams of my 2 small ones but I love every inch of it. When I get the bigger one I'm sure it won't take long before I have it gloriously full to the brim too. If it turns out half as wonderful as my fantasy's then it will be heaven to me.

Cindy

I also don't understand the flat roof comment.
It's steeper than my greenhouse I built in AK.
It never had a snow problem. Especially when heated, it melted right off.

Tom

How about you Cindy and Tom....what are your experiences? anything you'd change/modify on your's in hindsight?

anyone else?

Dave
Milwaukee

I sure am getting the bug. I want to order but dont know which way to go. I already have orchids but want fresh good tasting veggies next winter. What concerns me most is the expense of heating it. My son mentioned putting mine behind his garage where it gets some protection from the winds. Then build a closed walk way between garage and the entrance door to greenhouse to help keep out wind and cold. He has quite a few old storm windows that was left here when he bought the place so sun could get in but no wind. I am not concerened with major wind cause we live in town and are surrounded with lots of big trees and homes. Not like the country.
Can anyone in my zone or close to my zone give me an idea how much it would cost to heat? I would think that the 10X12 would take at least twice as much as the small one.
Also..........what is the best way to heat it. Thanks

My experience is that it is a great greenhouse and money well spent. It has been extremely sturdy and we have had no problems with some of the high winds we have had just recently. Also during the bad ice storm we had in December it held up like a champ. The ice just melted off the solar pool cover. It is not expensive to heat. I don't keep a lot of stuff in there in the summer so cooling it hasn't been an issue yet. This summer will be a little different but with a door on both ends and a vent on each side of the roof I think a fan to circulate will do the trick. My greenhouses are also under several large decidious trees so it has a light shade all summer.

I am only 5'2" so height was not an issue with me and we put a fence panel down in each of them as the floor. Much cheaper and the perfect size than buying decking and such. In the bigger one I will put raised beds with heat coils in them on the sides and back wall and then pavers and pea gravel in the center.

Cindy

I just came upon this thread. WOW! good price for such a large GH.

I have a question for you Cindy, since you have one.

The polycarbonate sheeting that it has:

- are they single pane (just 1 thin panel each)

- if single, is the unit designed in a way that another panel can be added to provide a double-panel effect for better winter insulation?

- is the frame on the inside easy to put screws into to put things on the wall, i.e. hangers, benches, shelves, bubblewrap, etc?

Thanks in advance for any info.

heya Blondboy...I can answer.

The panels are twinwall 2 skins with spacers in between...4 mil total thickness, and rigid.

There are two ways to add bolts to the frame for adding/hanging things. You can either get hex head bolts of the proper size and add them as you're building, or, as I did, buy some t-bolts for the Julianna line of greenhouses and those can be added after construction. They also have a line of pot hangers that work on the same principle as well as clips to add interior insulation.

Dave
Milwaukee

I posted earlier that my greenhouse had a hinged door, but the front picture confused me. It has 2 sliding doors. It is also without a manual! I've been working out the brain teaser with success but now I find that a key part is wrong (a 9 is really an 8) - one of the 4 main roof arches. Oh well, I guess I wont finish this weekend after all :(

As to the dimensions, it fits on a 10x12 4x4 base (10x12 outer dimensions), with an inch or so gap around the edges. So it is somehwat less than 10x12, but not so much that it matters.

Mine did not have any instructions either. I called HF and had them to fax it to me,
The instructions said that it should measure 15'71/2" from Conner to Conner and that was nearly 5 inches from what it actually measured.
Mine is typical china made holes don't line up have to grind and file on things to make them fit but that is the way it always is with this stuff built in CHINA.

Hey Dick;

That amazes me! The smaller houses went up like nothin' to it. Other than the modifications I made myself everything lined up perfectly. I hope this isn't a permanent production problem.

Dave
Milwaukee

So, again, while a company's advertising sound amazing, there still are problems.

A lack of an instruction sheet is a HUGE DEAL! HFGH obviously knows that they product they are selling doesn't have the instructions. Therefore, they should just prepare an envelope and using packing tape, just tape them to the boxes before shipping.

Ya must make the customer happy as WORD OF MOUTH makes a very big difference to business.

Made in China? I didn't know that this was. I guess I just assumed that it was made in the good 'ole US of A!

But, I guess that explains the price being so low.

gardenrwantable, garbonzo (and other with this unit)

Would you say that even with the problems, that it's worth it due to the price? Or do the problems out-weigh the good price?

Blondboy47
I'm new to this greenhouse stuff never looked at any other GH after it was erected so can't compare them other than price. Don't misunderstand me if I had it to do over I would still buy the HFGH because any other one of equal size will cost a thousand dollars more. Making things fit is not a big deal but it gets aggravating some times, but for a thousand dollars I can put up with some aggravation.
I plan on putting mine in a well protected spot not that it necessarily needs to be but my point is for me even if it is built a little lighter it won't matter do to the location I plan on Putting it. I went to a local place that is a scratch and dent place. I bought some small aluminum windows with screens in them for $20.00 these are like goes in a camper trailer. Nice little windows I plan on installing them in the sides and in mild spring weather with the windows open and the four roof vents up I think it will cool and will be much easier than removing the panels and at night just close them no different than in your home.
Check any local salvage places these are cheap and they will be easy to install. My scanner stopped working last night or I would scan my instructions and fax them to you, but if you call HF customer service they will fax or mail you a set.
Since it has so much head room I ordered some of those clamps with the bolts that fit in the rail, I plan on putting one in each rafter and run a 12 foot long pipe down each side of the roof for hanging baskets.

Gardenerwantabe,

How high is it at the side wall?

SH

Since I sat the base on timbers and plan on leaving the base above ground the side wall is 6'11" if you bury it to one inch to the top like the instructions say to do it would be 41/2"less or about 6'6"
At the time I wrote the above post I had only read the screwed up instructions but since then I have actually started building it. When it was shipped to me their were no instructions some one else reported the same problem. I called and ask them to send me a manual but then decided that I didn't want to wait a week to get it so I called them again and ask them to fax me the instructions. The ones that they faxed and the one they mailed are different but both are nearly useless.
The four conner post are to be labeled 7a and 7b to designate right and left but were not. When looking at the instructions it shows how to determine right from left but mine were all the same and none of them are like either ones that are in the instructions. When I called harbor freight tech number i got some guy that I could not understand but managed to figure out that he was in India and he could not tell me anything so I hung up and called back got India again so I hung up and dialed same number again and got a woman in South Carolina.
I ask her about the same number going to India and she said yes if they are busy in SC the computer directs the call to India so anyone who has this problem just keep hanging up and redialing until you get tech in SC.
After I got her and explained the problem with the conner studs she said someone else had called with the same problem and since they didn't know they had E-mailed HF in California. She said to call back in two or three days and they should have answer. I just started drilling holes and made them like i thought they should be. I probably will have a little different spacing on the horizontal braces but at least I don't have to wait a week to find out that they still don't know anything. Now that I have a good bit of the thing built and can really see how it is designed i would have to say it is a VERY POORLY DESIGNED GH.
Not only is it made of flimsy material but is designed poorly and don't have the strength that it would have if it was built differently. Today I think I will go shopping for some extruded aluminum and weld some braces and try to make this thing stronger as it is i think it is nothing but a big P.O.S
This greenhouse brings to mind an old saying that you get what you pay for and in this Case that is very true.
If you plan on buying one of these be prepared to custom make pieces and redesign this thing
Oh yea almost forgot the bolts supplied are not long enough to put top rear ceiling braces in had to use bolts that i had in the shop. OH the joys of owning a HFGH the saga continues.

gardenerwantabe:

I notice a definate change in tone between your 13Feb posting and your 15Feb posting.

Can I extrapolate from this change that on the 13th, you still felt the GH was worth it, but then, once you really got down to assembling it, dealing with poor support, poor documentation, sub-standard materials that you've changed your mind?

In other words, on the 13th you said that you'd still buy another one as it's $1,000 less expensive and therefore worth the stress?

Or, after the 15th, are you now saying that it's not worth the cash savings?

Either way, I won't be considering this. "IF" we decide to make a change, I'd prefer our idea of demolishing the extention to the garage and building a greenhouse in that location as a permanent structure.

So, after all is said and done, it turns out to be exactly what I suspected. I mean, that size of GH for that price? It had to be either hot merchandise or just sub-standard materials.

That's what we get for buying crap from China. OH don't get me wrong, some stuff from China can be not bad at all, but I'm finding more and more that they are making junk and laughingly selling it throughout the world.

At this point, I'm pretty much going to stay away from stuff from China. I'd rather pay more and get something built to quality standards.

After actually assembling the framework I can see that it is poorly designed. I still think when I'm done with it i will have a good greenhouse for not much money because I can buy enough material to make it right for less than a 100 dollars but it is aggravating to have to rebuild everything before I can use it.
If you hold a degree in mechanical engineering and have a shop to heliarc aluminum and time on your hands then this is a good deal If not look elsewhere for your GH.
I have not used my welder in months but it looks like it is going to pay owning it again.
Maybe it is not as bad as I think but I always believe that you can haul a small load on a big truck but you can't haul a big load on a small truck.

I wish I would have found this site yesterday before I purchased the 10 x 12 HFGH. But it was onsale for $599.00 and I had already looked into purchasing the polycarbonate sheets and just getting my husband to build it in his spare time. It turned out to be almost cheaper to buy the GH than to buy the sheets alone. So I went for it. But now I am concerned. Do you think I should cancel this order or just bite the bullet and go ahead and order the instructions now and start making notes from your experiences.

I don't think it's a mistake to get it, just don't expect the assembly to go perfectly smoothly.

Mine came with instructions, by the way. They were in a red plastic bag taped to the outside of the box.

It's an incredible bargain. With patience, a little know-how and some extra parts, you'll have a heckuva greenhouse for the price.

You'd pay $3000 for something similar somewhere else. Look at it this way--$2400 will go a long way for plants to fill up your $599 greenhouse, don't you think?

Leigh

Leigh

Thanks for the encourageing words Leigh. I guess I'll go back and reread and make notes of all the possibilities so I can try to have everything on hand. My husband is a contractor so maybe he'll have whatever we need to get it secure. I know it is a real good price because he said he couldn't build one that size for a price that low. He wasn't thrilled with me getting it but we both know he barely has time for anything and him getting one built would probably take a few weekends at the least. And I'm in a hurry for one now. We got some of the edges of Hurrican Rita here and I lost my other one. It was a little 6 x 10. I knew it wouldn't last too long anyway. It was more of a portable dome GH. I don't think it was made for year around but it served the purpose fot two years anyway.

I received my 10X12 today and am so excited! I will post pictures of the construction process.

Wow that is Great! And that was fast. I ordered mine Feb. 26th and I still haven't gotten it. You will have to take real good notes for me. I found some nice little glass louver windows I want to install 2 on each side. You can also get them with polycarbone instead of glass.

I am so glad I found this posting (and this website too!) We are considering buying two of these GH's and I was trying to locate product specs to submit to township for building permit. HF is no help at all. All I asked for was the instruction manual that comes with it. (haha!) Now I know why they seem to be missing with the purchased ones! We are now prepared to design and build it ourselves thanks to all your comments! I think it will be well worth the savings on the panels alone! Does anyone have anything to say about how they hold up to wind/snow/ice? Do you suggest shoring up the lightweight aluminum construction or is that part fine?

Anna, from what I've read here, the frame of the 10x12 most definitely does need some additional support. (I got my little 6x8 before the larger one came out, so have no first-hand experience with the larger one.) Try doing a search on the 10x12; there are several threads in which various modifications have been outlined, even photographs. There's also one where the interior metal shelving (built by the owner) helps stabilize the structure.

My recollection is that several people have reported that with the modifications their 10x12 HFGH's have stood up well to wind, snow and ice and they are very happy with their greenhouses.

Best of luck to you!

I am finding all the posts to be most helpful! Has anyone put two of these together end-to-end? I am also planning to build a potting shed attached to the north end of them. We will be starting next weekend and I'll keep a journal. It kinda sounds like we will just be "wingin' it" but I thought I'd ask anyway! THANK-YOU!!!

My orginal post was in the Harbour Freight Club, but there was no activity there.

So here it goes again.

Well I did it. Bought the HF 10 x 12 last weekend and and today with the help of my wife and two of cancer survivor friends, put everything together but the roof. What a project. With all four os working on it, it still took most of the day. Trying to figure out the instructions with all of us reading them took most of the time. It's pretty much erected, but I think that there are some things that are not right.
We read and re-read where it said that the four corner studs (7) are attached to the floor plates (1-6) with the end with the two holes at the bottom. Did that, though it did not make sense.

Now comes the time to put the corner bracket (49) to the top of the corner studs. It says to attach it through the top hole. Why are there two holes on each side of the bracket and only one(because they said to to the the end of the corner post with two holes on the bottom?

I'm lucky that I found this forum and saw a photo with what looks like the corner bracket is indeed mounted using two screws through the the bracket into two holes in the top of the corner stud.

I tryed to figure what the reason it for two holes on the bottom and can't find any. Looks like I have to tear out the corners and flip them.

Is this an error? Help. My wife and here friends want to get some plants in the greenhouse by next weekend. To top it off, snow is predicted for this week.

I would appreciate any advice.

Thanks,

Joe Urda
In the Finger Lakes Region of NY

For contruction updates go to the link below. Enjoy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Joe & Eileen's HFGH

corner post holes at the top. I have pictures on the site below.

Good luck

Troy

Here is a link that might be useful: Building our HFGH

I just picked me HFGH last night. Now I have to find time to put it together. Great forum! Hugh

Welcome Hugh! Congratulations on the new greenhouse. Let us know how it goes!
Sheri

annazone5
Yes two 10x12 HFGH have been put together
Someone complained because their GH was just a little less than the advertised dimension but in most city's anything under 120 square feet do not require a permit.
The 10x12 HFGH is just a little short so it would be exempt and I'm sure that was planed.
If you put two of them together then you will need the blessing from your city.

Yes someone put two 10X12 together, it was me. And I love them. I can't seem to get pictures to the inter net.
But I would do it again

how much did it cost to have it delivered to your house?? out of curiosity?

I have a question, What does everyone prefer to use for base material? I am planning on getting some pressure treated 4x4 timbers. Can someone explain to me how they connected the 4x4 together? Thanks Hugh

Hi Hugh, we used pressure treated 4x6 and 4x4 timbers, and we just used very long screws and a few bolts. I have some pictures in my blog, here:
Building the HFGH 10x12 Greenhouse

And in case you haven't found these, here is a list of more really helpful info:

Gardenerwantabe's thread on HFGH modifications:
A Guide to the Modifications of 10x12 HFGH
...and a link to his photos:
Gardenerwantabe's HFGH photos

Laserfan's thread, with links to his photos:
HFGH 10x12 Lessons Learned

Oraylawson's thread, with links to his photos:
10x12 HFGH

Troykd's site:
Building our Greenhouse, an Adventure in Pain

Amigatec's site:
How I Built My 10x12 Harbor Freight Greenhouse

Joe Urda's site:
Harbor Freight Greenhouse

To all of you who are missing directions, or want them to view you can down load them off the HF website. Theres a green button labeled Download product manual under the Add to basket button. Its on this site.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93358

or go to mudhouse's site, LOL she has really good instructions!!! i read them, we are getting ours in like 14 days. i am so anxious!!! and rosepedal told me to go to her site. :')) she's very informative!!! LOL and the explanations are step by step. :'))

Medontdo, that's very kind of you! Just remember you'll still need to go through every page of the fun manual (sorry about that, LOL.) My blog is really just a collection of the good info folks have posted here for over two years (see the start date of this thread by Gardenerwantabe back in Jan of 06!)

I tried to put a lot of their good solutions in one place, along with photos we took as we worked. There are quite a few places where the manual is terribly unclear (or wrong) and hopefully the info in this forum and my blog will help you get over the rough spots.

Keep us posted on your progress! :-)
Sheri

Hi everybody. I originally posted this message to mudhouse's blog, not knowing how to post it here. But, now I do! So, if anyone gets this message twice, lo siento mucho. Anyway, here it is:
I have a question about possible corrosion on my new, unassembled HFGH 10x12. The gravel has arrived, the foundation timbers are in place, and I'm ready to build the greenhouse. But, before I begin, I wonder if someone can enlighten me on potential electrical contact corrosion where (mudhouse's) steel "L" brackets connect the EMT to the frame, where the hold-downs meet the steel base, and where the studs also meet the base. Should I somehow insulate these contact points, perhaps with rubber? Is there actually a problem at these spots?

Thanks so much.
masscactus - ready to build

Howdy masscactus! You've posted correctly, but your post has landed at the end of an old thread, instead of starting a new one. I think people may not be finding your question here since this is a very old and long thread.

To start a fresh thread with your question, go back to the main page of the Greenhouse forum, and scroll down to the bottom of the page, to the box saying "Post a Message to the Forum." You can retype your message there, using the title you used to title your post above.

That way, your new thread and title will show up at the top of the list of threads, and will remain "stuck" there until someone posts a reply to you. This might bring some fresh eyes to your question. I hope so anyway! :-)
Sheri