WTG! Which one did you order - the 6x8 or 10x12?

I have the small one - the clips come with it. You can order extras if you wish. As for the aluminum tape ... don't know, we had a partial roll on hand and it was just enough. Unless someone has a number, you could do the math, but I think one roll should do it ... or ask the people at Charley's about what might be needed for a g'house that size; I've found them to be very nice and helpful.

I'd suggest you order some extra bolts for attaching things to the walls/rafters. You can get the regular ones and slide them into the channel as you go, or retrofit with T-bolts when you know where you want them. I found the U-clamps also very versatile and useful - ACF greenhouses has them; they're good for hanging plants and a host of other things.

You might consider the foil insulation for the floor where it meets the foundation. I'm going to have to put that in when spring comes and the house is empty ... had quite a draft this winter until I did a little stop-gap insulating there.

How do you plant to use it? Need a circulating fan, autovent? No, I don't work for Charley's, lol.

I also used weather stripping on the wall panels (planned to caulk the ceiling panels but didn't get to it yet). Just the 1/8" by 3/4" stuff you can get at any home improvement store. Applied it around the perimeter of each panel and got a nice seal between the frame and panel.

If you're using treated lumber for the foundation, you'll want to use some kind of barrier between the treated lumber and aluminum or you'll have an undesirable chemical reaction going on there ... don't remember the details, but it's in one of these threads somewhere.

Good luck and have fun with your new greenhouse! Please keep us posted on how it's going ... we always like to see pictures.

Diane

I am starting some seedlings inside in a bay window. I plan to transfer them outside once they need repotting. I have started a Japanese garden and I have been trying to buy plants for it, but many of the plants and trees are expensive. I believe the greenhouse will pay for itself quickly by allowing me to propagate flats of plants rather than trying to afford them.

I have the 6X8, I only had about $1000 to spend, and wanted to make sure I could afford foundation materials, benches,flats,heaters,fans ETC.

I already got a dayton vent fan of of ebay used. I also got a univent arm, and bought a thermostat for the fan from kkontrols.com.

Here in extreme Southwest Kansas it is FLAT and WINDY. I've been to Chicago a couple of times and found it peaceful by comparison. Anyway a couple of people said that the clips from HF were not strong enough, and their panels would blow loose and they recommend getting the stronger clips from Charlies. They come in a bag of fifty and I did not know if that was enough.

The tape comes in a 150 foot roll for about 20 bucks so i was hoping that one roll would do. Did you tape both ends of your panels or just the top?

I would like to no more about this chemical reaction, because I did intend to use treated lumber and gravel for a foundation. thanks for the great ideas, i'll look for some extra bolts too.

(thumbs up sign) Sounds like you did your homework and have planned well.

The parts list for the HFGH shows 144 clips. I recall someone reporting trouble with panels blowing out; and another reporting a similar problem was resolved upon finding a way to clamp the door securely closed. Sounds like you've been reading the threads, but in case you missed it, at least one person secured the panels with rivets. We've had winds here gusting to 50 mph and, so far, haven't had a problem.

We taped both ends of the panels. Running a quick 'n' dirty calculation, 24 2' wide panels x 2 edges = 48 2' edges = 96', plus a little extra b/c the end pieces are cut on an angle and then a little more in case you mess up once or twice ... one 150-foot roll should do it.

Apparently the copper in the new treated lumber will cause the aluminum to corrode. In an April 23 message on the "Harbor Freight Club" thread, Cactusfreak posted a link to an article on this; I've attached a link to the article below. If you haven't already done so, you might want to take a look at that thread; I'm not sure what page it's on, but the last post was on Nov. 20 '05. Have you seen the thread "HFGH Assembly" posted by confiers? Great reference; he took pictures throughout the construction process and added some comments as well.

Are you planning to use any kind of insulation in or on your greenhouse? I used 1" thick foil-faced foam board on the north wall and the north 1/3 of the east and west walls, then wrapped the whole thing in a solar pool cover. Have a lot of water containers in there too, which really come in handy since we haven't run a water line out there yet.

Since you're in a colder climate, have you any thoughts on excavating down below the soil line and installing insulation below-ground as some folks have done? (I didn't do it, kinda wondering if maybe I should have.)

I've seen some Japanese style gardens and do find them to be very tranquil. We have a koi pond/water garden in one corner of the yard and I'm aiming for an ambience similar to that in a Japanese garden, but with mostly native plant material - there's a nicely gnarled mountain laurel nearby as a good start.

Good luck with both the g'house and the garden!

Diane

Here is a link that might be useful: Treated Wood and Aluminum

Thanks for the help. I have not considered insulation much because I only intend to use the greenhouse to extend my season a little, but I have thought enough to choose gravel for the floor for radiated heat, and to plan for a few rubber maid tubs for water.

The pool covers seem a little expensive to cut them up, and then find a way to keep them tied down in a wind storm. I would imagine though that just the presense of the windproof barrier would make quite a difference.

I don't expect that I will use it much prior to maybe april, and that will just be to keep anything from freezing. Our average last freeze date around here is like May 7th I think. And they don't recommend putting tomatoes out until June.

All i really want to do is get a 6 or 8 week headstart, so i can have some heirloom tomato plants(if you've never been the tomato forum, stay away it is ADDICTIVE)ready.

I also priced some flats of perrenial ground cover for my Japanese garden, and almost choked. COST PROHIBITIVE to say the least. Some of those groundcovers cost 6 or 7 dollars a plug. When hundreds are needed seeding seemed to be the only way to have my garden done in this decade.

So I bought some cheap heating pads, enough plug trays for 700 plugs, some seed, and a large package of seed starter. I am hoping to fill my trays by our June final freeze date.

I have no idea what the base on your 6x8 is made of but I just got a 10x12 HFGH and after reading about the problem with the treated wood one of the first things that I did was check to see what the base was made of.
It is steel not aluminum. Check your base with a magnet if it sticks it is metal if it don't it is aluminum. They may have changed the base. Just because it was aluminum in the past don't necessary mean they are still building them that way. I don't think I will use the clips
I bought a box of # 10 self tapping sheet metal screws with neoprene washer and I plan on applying a foam strip to seal the panel then use a screw at the top and bottom to hold them tight.
I will have mine in a well protected area but taking no chances on the panels blowing out.

I think you can get the tape at Lowes or Home Depot.

Also, check out my webpages on putting the thing together and also the improvements I made to it. The link is below.

I love my greenhouse, but this year we will be travelling quite a lot and I won't be using it to its max advantage.

I am drooling over the 10x12, however I remember last fall when I took the panels off to wash them (I'm glad I didn't calk them in) I was glad that it wasn't bigger or taller.

marbs

Here is a link that might be useful: Building my HFGH and more