making a greenhouse on a budget

13 years ago

I've looked at greenhouses in gardening catalogs, but they are so expensive I can't afford to buy them.

I'm not saying I'm going to do this now, this is for future reference. Does anybody know of an economical way to build a sturdy greenhouse that will last for awhile?

An idea occurred to me of building one using old doors with windows still on them (doors and all, with the windows still on the doors).

The frames of the doors are wooden. I don't know how tall they are, I'm guessing about 2-3 windows per door frame (however I'm not sure on this).

If it's feasible to build a greenhouse using old doors, does anybody have any blueprints or plans on how to do construct the greenhouse?

Would you need any additional materials to build the greenhouse besides the doors themselves? If so, what?

These might seem like very basic questions, but I'm not a carpenter, and I'm not really a do-it-yourself person when it comes to this sort of thing either.

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Comments (4)

jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
13 years ago
Here is my link to how I build my high tunnels and links to several other buildings.

Jay

Here is a link that might be useful: Homemade greenhouse/high tunnel
gardener1
13 years ago
I built mine from old windows I got off the free spot on craigslist. Total cost for a 10 x 16 x 12 ft tall so far $220 for the wood to build the trusses and clear polyethylene panels for the roof. All glass and other wood I got off free store on local craigslist. It worked out so well that I am now building the other 10 x 16 x 12. It's amazing what you can build for next to nothing. I grew all kinds of plants in it last year some are still growing. I use it for my propagations and growing tomatoes and cucumbers and man was I happy with the veggies. No pests no deer climate control. The plants seemed so much happier than outside. Can't wait to get the veggies started this year. I had a tomato plant that was 18 ft or more tall. No kidding it produced tons of gorgeous red ripe tomatoes that were absolutely delicious. I may still grow veggies outside but most of my concentration will be on the greenhouse. I even have an inground pond in there where I raise fish and 9 other ponds outdoors. Start by collecting lots of windows I had all my glass before I started building the frame. I built the whole frame before putting any glass in. All glass leftovers are to be kept for replacement of broken panes later. I am trying to get some pics ready. Will post later. Good Luck. Now that I have a working greenhouse I'll never be without one. It's awesome.
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kudzu is right. For $550.00, you could buy the hangars, treated 2 x 4's and penetrating oil stain to seal it, then erect a very sturdy GH frame, perhaps along the lines of one of those gambriel garden sheds, then cover it over with heavy plastic until you dig up some additional scratch to replace the plastic with polycarb and in the end, have a very nice little GH that would out-perform and outlast an HFGH by miles. Maybe not all so little either. If you have space for it, build it at least 8 X 16, to take full advantage of standard lengths of lumber. Make your sidewalls at least 6 ft. high with a 12 ft. peak and you will have the means to beat the worst of all GH issues- the summer heat that can turn a small, low roofed GH into an oven.
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You can get a good size HOOP house for that price AND prepare the site and run utilities IMHO you will get more space for your buck, they are more able to make fit your heating/cooling needs... This is a copy of an email I received from a company that sells hoop houses. This exercise is based on the 48 ft long hoop house.. I will assist you as best I can with estimating the costs for a Hoop House Greenhouse. For this exercise I will assume the largest kit per your email. Greenhouse Kit: a) CB48 Hoop House Greenhouse Kit = $1,039.00 b) 2nd layer of 6-mil poly film = $252.00 c) inflation blower = $96.00 d) shipping $99.00 Sub-Total = $1,486.00 Locally sourced materials to complete the assembly: a) 4 sheets 5/8ths CDX plywood = $74.00 b) 54 feet 2x4 lumber = $17.00 c) 96 feet 1x3 #2 pine boards = $38.00 d) 309 feet 1x3 strapping = $38.00 Sub-Total = $167.00 Grand Total Estimate = $1,653.00 Typically, you should plan on 2 people taking 2-3 days to assemble the greenhouse kit. I have to add in $$ to do some side boards and weed fabric and 2-yards of gravel for the floor.... Here is a link that might be useful: hoop house
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It's going to be difficult to get good watermelons in winter in NJ even in a heated greenhouse. The days are too short and light levels too low in winter. A heated greenhouse is very humid in winter. That's not good for melons. Pests will build up making production difficult. Winter melons would likely be very low in sugars. What a greenhouse will do is allow a much longer harvest season. By planting in Febr you might be able to ripen a spring crop as early as June, maybe May. Another planting in early summer might allow melons into October. A 6 month harvest would be twice the period possible outdoors.
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Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
13 years ago
Agreed - it is amazing how much Americans waste. Lots of material out there, surely. I have a section of the garage with wood that goes toward projects. Plenty of books at the library for ideas as well.

Dan
poppa
13 years ago
I built one out of old windows but i used pressure treated lumber for the frame (8x12) as a lean-to on a shed. The shed was built at the same time so it's hard for me to say how much $$$ the GH was. The total was about $2k.

I lucked into an auction and went that route for my new GH. It's run me about the same $$ but it's 50 x 26 and is double framed (gh inside a gh).

I agree with the others, that if you're posessed you can build it for next to nothing.

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making a greenhouse on a budget

Comments (4)

jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)

gardener1

Related Discussions

Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)

poppa

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