10X12 HFGH ideas, Please help

18 years ago

Okay, I'm getting my new greenhouse, here is what I am planning to do. Will all of you let me know if they are good ideas, or if you have a better idea.

I live in North Texas, very hot, so keep that in mind. Soil is very hard and mostly creek bed rock. We have running grass that runs about 150 yards, so here we go.

For the last 2 weeks, I've used roundup on the area. I'm planning on using 4x4 pressure treated lumber to attach the base to. Bury the wood frame, but before that, put down anti weed plastic. Sit the wood frame in the ground and go around it with sand. Then I'm building 2 built in Hot Boxes. I'm putting pea gravel on the entire floor, over the weed controling plastic. I'm running the electric wire under the base.

Next, I am using screen fabric to make shade curtians on the south and west side, on the inside. My greenhouse door will be facing east. I'm running heavy fishing line, like a curtain rod, this way I can open or close the shade curtains.

I am also going to hang a long steel rod from the ceiling to hang plants from. I have several greenhouse shelves that sit on the ground and I'm going to hang shelves over the hot boxes on the side walls.

I really need to know how I can make screens for the greenhouse. I want to take some panels out and put screens in, in the summer. Also, does anyone have any ideas on how to put screens on the ceiling windows? I plan on putting in the automatic window openers. I'm looking to keep the BUGS OUT!

Thanks for any input.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

virgo91967
18 years ago
Marcie, your question came at a very fortuetous time.. I just today finished installing screens on my Clearspan Prostar 12x24 Ghouse. I too was baffled on how to do so until I visited my local LOWE"S store. They have this porch creening "system" that I found fits the bill just fine. it is a plastic "profile" about inch and a half wide with two channels to hold the screening and the spline. The instructions in the link below shows an installer using wood screws to attattch to a porch BUT I had very good luck using selftapping sheet metal screws (#10-3/4") to attach the system to the aluminum frame of my intake vent( which is aluminum ) the system also includes cap strips of assorted colors to cover the screws. System also works best with the .175 inch screen spline.

Here is a link that might be useful: porch screening how to at Lowes
0
gootziecat
18 years ago
I also just purchased a HFGH. My head is spinning with all the things to think about. One question comes to mind after reading the above message. Could a person put some sort of shadecloth in the Lowe's porch screening system instead of house screening? That make changing the amount of sun in certain areas of the gh easier. Also, I'd be interested how good a job bubble wrap does for insulation. How would one install it? Does it stay up all year round? Thanks!

gootziecat
0
Related Discussions
Insulating back wall of HFGH 10x12
Q
Comments (1)
Hi Darrell, if I were to "solidify" the back wall I think I'd cut TechShield panels (foil side facing-in) to fit between the studs, and then secure them with horizontal braces that are bolted to the studs & corners--not sure maybe perforated steel or something. Then to dress-up the outside I might screw siding into the TechShield (I think it's thick enough such that it would clear or be-even-with the studs). I know you said "rigid foam" but thought I'd toss this out anyway... Here is a link that might be useful: Our 10x12 HFGH
...See More
10x12 HFGH water leak
Q
Comments (10)
As far as I know, you shouldn't have to caulk the roof panels in your HFGH to make the roof watertight. Someone may correct me, but I don't recall reading about anyone who had to caulk all the roof panels to correct a leak problem. I used foam weatherstripping on all four edges of my panels, roof and wall, as I installed them. I did it to get a good air seal to avoid heat loss during the winter, but I suppose the good seal provided by the weatherstripping might also help keep things water tight. The foam weatherstripping was a bit of a pain to apply, but it really does help with the seal, and I like it because I can still remove any panels if I want to, unlike panels that are caulked in place. I haven't had any roof leaks, and mine is going on three years old. However, I honestly don't recall reading about this as a problem among folks who didn't use weatherstripping, either. Is it leaking at the four corners, where the roof touches the corner wall posts? I had some big gaps (and leaks) at the top of all four corner posts, after everything was assembled. I fixed that with little folded over pieces of weatherstripping, covered with aluminum tape, and sealed over with clear silicone caulk. It wasn't very elegant, but the gaps were fairly large, and that solved the problem. No more water running down the corner posts during a rain. I also caulked my roof window panels into the roof window frames, but not because of leaks; it was because the poly panels for my windows were a bit too small to fit snugly in the frames, and they tended to shift around in the window frames in high winds. Those are the only panels I've used caulk on, in my greenhouse. I'm hoping someone else will chime in here, since this isn't a problem I've experienced on my own HF 10x12. Did you order extra clips to install the panels, or did you only use the clips supplied with the kit? I'm just trying to think of anything that might help improve contact between the roof panels and the frame. My roof panels are secured with extra clips (and a screw into the frame, for protection against wind loss.)
...See More
HFGH Doors repair/rehang/ help need on double door 10x12
Q
Comments (5)
Hi Willa, To work well, the top and bottom tracks need to be parallel and solid. I do have a wooden base under the steel GH base, and that might provide some stiffness to the bottom track. One idea is adding an extra brace to the frame right over the top of the doors, to stiffen up the top track. That seems to help the doors operate more smoothly too. We just added a piece of oak we had, but others folks have used a piece of EMT or aluminum angle in the same spot. The idea is to help prevent the top track from sagging at all if possible. (click to enlarge) Also, this is a good thing to check...there's a small illustration at the bottom of page 15 of the manual, labelled Side View. (Shown below.) This shows you that the small black plastic clip Part 51 has to be guided onto the bottom door track so the small vertical part of the aluminum track is actually threaded up into the vertical gap in the center of black plastic part 51. If you do it right, the bottom leg of the black plastic "L shape" goes down the front and under the L-shaped aluminum door track, as the illustration shows. If you don't install it just like the manual shows, it's actually possible to install the doors so that the black plastic part 51 is just sitting on top of the door track, sliding along in the small valley there. Although your doors can function (sort of) this way, they can also fall off, since they're not truly captured at the bottom in the manner the kit intends. My doors can't even be pulled off the track, top or bottom. I've honestly never seen anyone comment that the wheels can be pulled off the door itself, and there really shouldn't be that kind of pressure on the door to cause that at all...it makes me think something else is wrong with your door tracks (problem with your bottom track rising up?) or, with the black clip not being installed quite right, as in the illustration above. I'm kind of scratching my head over what would possibly cause that. :-( This part of my blog talks more about the doors, in case there's anything helpful here to you: Assembling the roof, windows, and doors
...See More
New 10 x 12 HFGH
Q
Comments (25)
That is a nice link you posted there. I am sory but I do belive the webpage title greenhouse.gov actually means "green"-house as in energy efficent not Greenhouse for storing/growing plants. The only place I read where they say not to insulate the floor was if I was trying to cool the house. As I said earlier I am using this greenhouse for winter protection. The R values that they use in Austraila are measured differently then here. I can only imagin that R 1.5 would be close to the same as our R 13 for exterior walls and R 30 is normal for cielings here but they call it R 2. Below is from the Department of Energy link..... Insulation Priorities It is most important to: Insulate your attic to the recommended level, including the attic door, or hatch cover. Provide the recommended level of insulation under floors above unheated spaces, around walls in a heated basement or unventilated crawl space, and on the edges of slabs-on-grade. Use the recommended levels of insulation for exterior walls for new house construction. When remodeling or re-siding your house, consider using the levels recommended for new construction in your existing walls. Next Section - How Does Insulation Work for You? Here is a link that might be useful: Department of Energy
...See More
Related Professionals
Milwaukee Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Norwood Landscape Contractors · Concord Landscape Contractors · Brooklyn Park Landscape Contractors · Choctaw Landscape Contractors · Duarte Landscape Contractors · Franklin Landscape Contractors · Harvey Landscape Contractors · Homewood Landscape Contractors · Nashua Landscape Contractors · Setauket-East Setauket Landscape Contractors · Westchester Landscape Contractors · Albany Solar Energy Systems · Chatsworth Solar Energy Systems · Lodi Solar Energy Systems
milwdave
18 years ago
Bubble wrap is excellent for insulation. there are two ways it could be installed. Permanently, by attaching it to the polycarb panels before they are placed in the framework. Or, temporarily, by the use of clips from Charley's or another greenhouse supplier. I used the clips for my first winter but I'm considering attaching it to the panels permanently as I wasn't that thrilled with the clips. Any other ideas, anyone?

Dave
Milwaukee
0
nathanhurst
18 years ago
Bubble wrap will last much longer on the inside of the PC than on the outside. (due to UV)

I've had PC protected bubble wrap last 5 years.

(On a related note, a while back we talked about foam-in-a-can outside. I filled up some gaps, and the few bits I didn't cement render outside have gone yellow and crumbly already, whereas the same stuff inside some PC looks good as new.)
0
gardenerwantabe
18 years ago
A word of caution. I would not hang very many plants from the roof. I own a 10x12 HFGH and it is not a very sturdy built structure. Since you probably won't have to contend with a snow load on the roof like I do in the winter time you should be able to hang some but don't get carried away with it or the whole thing will collapse.
0
virgo91967
18 years ago
Gootzie, Good shacecloth is far too thick to use with the porchscreen system.. Does seem possible to use with poly sheeting. And Bubblewrap is wonderful for insulating.. Especially the foilbacked bubblewwrap. I have considered using it on the north side, but my greenhouse is on the large side and would still be expensive. I think Lowe's has the 7-layer foil bubble insulation for $37 a roll.. No clue on how long a roll is.. I have fergottn LOL
0
laserfan
18 years ago
Re: screens FWIW my sister just got done making some "shade screens", using shade cloth and screen kits from Lowes. She said it was just like making a conventional screen, except that to get the cloth taut involved more stress on the frame than conventional bugscreen material--there's a tendency to "bow-in" and hers do that a little though honestly if she had not pointed this out to me I'm not sure I'd have noticed.

In any case re: virgo's comment I suppose it depends on the shade cloth, though I might've guessed the porchscreen system, which appear to be much more substantial than "screen replacement kit" frames, should handle just about anything!
0

10X12 HFGH ideas, Please help

Comments (7)

virgo91967

gootziecat

Related Discussions

Related Professionals

milwdave

nathanhurst

gardenerwantabe

virgo91967

laserfan

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US